Politi-flicks: Scandal

There's a saying in Washington that goes back even before Watergate: It's not the scandal, it's the cover-up.

It's a lesson evidently never learned by the Republican House of Representatives leadership. With the sudden resignation of Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) is suddenly looking like a hack who's days are numbered.

For those readers who either don't follow any political news or might have taken a three-day weekend in Tibet, the bombshell is that Rep. Foley sent sexual come-ons by email and IM to underage pages working in Congress. Yes, these entreaties and exchanges were of a homosexual nature, but I don't see much difference whether the sexual predator is straight or gay -- unless, of course, your Party runs on platforms explicitly prejudicial against homosexuals, particularly the most stable form of homosexual commitment, i.e. marriage.

As Chris Rock says, "Whatever you hate, it's gonna end up in your family."

Thanks to sources like YouTube, Crooks and Liars, and others, there's a rich tapestry of Internet videos telling the unfolding story, which only begins with Foley's communications (who knows if actual sexual contact will eventually be revealed), but is "metasticizing" (ABC News' word, but it fits fine) into an indictment of Hastert and several other GOP leaders who evidently were alerted to Foley's predatory practices far in advance of this weekend's news cycle -- up to nearly one year ago.

To get an overview of the whole situation as of this past Sunday, here's ABC News' damning report.

It gets worse -- today White House Press Secretary, i.e. the mouthpiece of the President himself, tries to fob this off as comparable to previous Democratic scandals (all of which were between consenting adults), telling an incredulous Soledad O'Brien that this is just "simply naughty e-mails."

Too bad disgraced Rep. Foley himself co-sponsored a law making his actions illegal. (I kid you not!)

So with this set-up, who's calling for what to happen?

First you have the inability for the GOP to credibly rebut allegations of overall corruption, whether money-laundering or, what was until Friday their trump card, morality. Watch Dem strategist Cliff Schecter fire all guns back at GOP strategist Cleta Mitchell on MSNBC. By the end of it Mitchell, bless her heart, looks like she'd prefer to "cut and run."

By the end of today (Monday) even the Conservatives are railing against the possible cover-up, a highlight of which is rightwing activist Bay Buchanan (yes, sister of Pat) agreeing with ex-Clinton Administration official Paul Begala that "They failed the parents of this country is what they did."

That's gotta hurt, along with other noted Conservatives and their D.C. news organ, The Washington Times, calling for Speaker Hastert's resignation.

So unless Karl Rove can dig deep enough in his rolodex to find a Democratic Congressman with underage come-ons ready to be exposed, this is going to be a GOP rather than a bi-partisan scandal, and bigtime trouble for Hastert and anyone else who might have aided the cover-up -- say, for instance, Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), who tried to quash the ABC News story.

With so many of the high & mighty lining up to be losers, who might actually come out a surprise winner?

How about the challenger to Hastert's House seat itself, Dem John Laesch, a 32 year-old Navy intelligence vet who might not have had a prayer of winning last week but now seems to present a fresh face for Illinois' 14th in our nation's capitol?

There's not much video featured on Laesch's campaign site, but that's sure to change quickly as the race upends and fresh money comes his way. There is, however, a humorous take on dumping Hastert that's been on YouTube for the better part of September, done in classic jumpin' jive style, replete with period look and custom swing soundtrack.

Maybe it's time for the world's first "special edition" political ad?


(As always, Politi-flicks is cross-posted to The Daily Reel.)