Tom Delay

January 6, 2005 7:11 AM

Tom DeLay's thoughts on the tsunami, to the 109th Congressional Prayer Service. Quite unbelievable. No, on second thoughts, all too believable.
posted by rhymer (97 comments total)

If I can be the Devil's -- I mean DeLay's -- advocate here, the blogger who interpreted DeLay's Biblical choice as indicating that HE was wise and the VICTIMS were foolish probably was not what DeLay had in mind. He may hve been using the disaster as a real life reminder of a Biblical truth (to him). Not terribly sensitive, but not necessarily implying that God struck down unbelievers.
posted by kozad at 7:18 AM on January 6, 2005

This reminds me of that time during some hearing, Rumsfeld was accused of not doing right by the troops, and so one of his republican friends stood up and expressed just how "shocked, completely shocked," he was that "such an accusation" would "dare be levelled..."

He went on like this for awhile, after he was finished, the person who had originally asked the question brought him back to reality and reminded him what the hell they were talking about, and that it's everyone's job to get to the bottom of matters, and he doesn't base his questions on ceremony or tradition. It was really a great little move. Someone should have asked Tom, here, immediately after this reading, "Tom, what the hell are you talking about? Are you saying these people are deserving of this? Don't hide behind the Bible, Tom."

On Preview: kozad, I'm not following you. The most obvious application of the verse would lead anyone to the conclusion that the victims did not follow God, and therefore were unable to survive the flood of water. I'm really not sure what other interpretation there would be, especially since the "flood" isn't metaphorical in this particular circumstance.
posted by odinsdream at 7:21 AM on January 6, 2005

This is, at best, stupid, and, at worst, disgraceful. Delay is a national embarrassment.
posted by ParisParamus at 7:24 AM on January 6, 2005

odin, I think what kozad is getting at is that an alternate interpretation of Delay's comments is something along the lines of "The real flood reminds me of this metaphorical flood, and just as some countries weren't ready for the real flood, many of us aren't ready for the metaphorical one", rather than a condemnation of the people affected as foolish.
posted by unreason at 7:25 AM on January 6, 2005

You know, this is so off the mark ... it is almost like he forgot to prepare a scripture reading, so he panicked, remembered what he saw in the morning paper, then flipped to the back of the Bible, to the index ... "Let's see ... family, famine, fishes ... Ah! FLOODS!" Huzzah! Topical!

So you can pick ... either he was incredibly insensitive, or he was astoundingly ignorant.
posted by grabbingsand at 7:26 AM on January 6, 2005

Delay is a national embarrassment.

Woah. /keanu

Armageddon is nigh.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:29 AM on January 6, 2005

Reading too much meaning into this one. DeLay was attempting to sound profound, and he read the only set of passages he probably knows from the Bible that might have something to do with this, and he came off sounding like Fred Phelps.
posted by FormlessOne at 7:32 AM on January 6, 2005

Well, most of the dead were brown people, probably pagans or infidels of one kind or another (and certainly not voting Republican anyway), so it's no great loss right?

I mean, it's not like we rely on Thais for cheap gardening services! The only down-side to all this is the possibility that inexpensive clothing will become somewhat more pricey with all the workers in those Sri Lankan sweatshops being dead.

It's gonna be a real crime if I have to pay a couple bucks more for my swanky new red ties. Really now, let's try to keep this all in perspective. So let's just make some soothing noises, maybe pick out a choice parable or something, and make everyone happy again.
posted by aramaic at 7:36 AM on January 6, 2005

I want Tom DeLay to read at my Wedding.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 7:38 AM on January 6, 2005

Re: Delay's Alternate Interp.
There are some Bible verses that can be compelling and insightful when offered without comment. John 3:16. I Corinthians 13:1-13. But there are others that benefit from directed interpretation, because their meaning can be applied in so many ways. Literalists will take offense at this, but while The Bible may be the inspired Word of God Almighty, that Word was collected by fallible men. Without interpretation, DeLay came off as smug and self-righteous, happy with his own interpretation and lacking all concern for how others hear that particular message.

So no ... to echo my previous comment, Delay's Bible reading was either idiotic or acidic. Those are your only choices.
posted by grabbingsand at 7:39 AM on January 6, 2005

An alternate interpretation of what he said? In this Best of All Possible Worlds? How is this possible?

On preview: I'd like to alternately interpret aramaic and say that he/she was pointing out, as others have, that this terrible tragedy, being coastally isolated, will not have as much of an economic impact as one would assume.
posted by 31d1 at 7:45 AM on January 6, 2005

And everyone who listens to these words of mine, but does not act on them, will be like a fool who built his house on sand:

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew, and buffeted the house, and it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Good. Then DeLay is willing to remove the Fed. backing for flood planes/hurricane damage.
posted by rough ashlar at 7:46 AM on January 6, 2005

I agree with grabbingsand. Since the most obvious, literal interpretation would be offensive or insulting at best, weirdly racist/elitist at worst, would it not have made sense to give some kind of words before or after the reading that better clarified his interpretation? It's the strange lack of such an explanation that makes this offensive, since he's pretty much saying "Yep, that's what it says, exactly those words. I'm leaving it at that." Profoundly stupid, or profoundly cold-hearted.
posted by odinsdream at 7:47 AM on January 6, 2005

I vote for "incredibly insensitive". I don't find it hard at all to belive that DeLay knew exactly what he was saying with this reading. Many fundamentalists belive that Moslems, Buddhists and Hindus are going to go to hell no matter how good or bad they are. It doesn't seem like much of a stretch for someone who believes that to think that the Tsunami was the hand of God striking at the unbelievers.
posted by octothorpe at 7:48 AM on January 6, 2005

...and the Blue coastal regions of Sodom and Gomorrah
shall also be brought low
by the raging waters and angry torrents
of the Lord's wrath,
while the Red motherland that loveth God and country
shall be blessed with unending prosperity,
because the righteous among us shall inherit the Kingdoms of Heaven and Earth,
while the unrighteous -- who heedeth not
the word of Our Father, and prepareth false marriages
and other abominations -- shall feel the firm hand
of the true Lawgiver,
who smiteth and smiteth with great winds,
tremblings of the earth, swirling waters,
and soaring B-52 Stratofortresses,
those who buildeth their temples in the desert sands
and fleshpots of the Eastern and Western metropolises,
so that all shall proclaim
the fearful name of Our Father
with shock and with awe.
posted by digaman at 7:48 AM on January 6, 2005

Ooh good call ashlar. Faith based insurance for the faithful would free up plenty of funds for Democrats and other heathens.
posted by 31d1 at 7:49 AM on January 6, 2005

Armageddon is nigh.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:29 AM CST on January 6

That, or someone's account got hacked.
posted by goethean at 7:49 AM on January 6, 2005

ParisParamus has enough New York left in him to hate Delay with a passion. Give the man some credit.

As for Delay, at least he's not in charge.
posted by Ptrin at 7:55 AM on January 6, 2005

I spent the last two days with gf's parents, who explained to me that the tsunami was God's wrath against Muslim countries, but the baby found floating on a mattress was obviously saved by the hand of God.

Sort of reminds me of the old Superman joke. "Superman, you're mean when you're drunk!"
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 7:58 AM on January 6, 2005

If this came from Falwell I would have no trouble ascribing it malicious intent, but something just tells me this was chosen out of well-intentioned stupidity.

I hate giving Delay the benefit of the doubt, but there's not that many comforting flood-related bible passages.
posted by unsupervised at 8:01 AM on January 6, 2005

Delay is a sick fuck, and it's a laugh that most Republicans don't have the spine to stick up to him.
posted by bardic at 8:09 AM on January 6, 2005

unsupervised: So he chose this passage because he just had to read something from the Bible? If you can't find something fitting, then why choose something obviously callous? He could have said something on a personal note, like "My prayers are with the victims of this disaster."

Don't these people have teams of interns working on their speeches and doing research for them? Nobody said anything about his selection? Did anyone in the room call him out on this or question the meaning?
posted by odinsdream at 8:10 AM on January 6, 2005

Has it occurred to Mr. Delay that the majority of the U.S. population also lives along a coast line? In fact, the U.S. placed it's capital there. I recommend moving the capitol to Kansas City immediately.

Those whose buildings were left standing are only marginally better than the rest when the entire area is underwater and your belongings have been swept away. Sand or rock foundations don't mean a lot with a tsunami of this magnitude.
posted by spock at 8:16 AM on January 6, 2005

Is it certain that he chose this passage? Or is it possible that on today's date, he was a volunteer to read a predetermined bit from the Bible? I guess that's too Catholic for Congress? I can't find anything on a structure or protocol for a Congressional Prayer Service (brrrr). Do they do them every day?
posted by rainbaby at 8:18 AM on January 6, 2005

Clearly, someone needs to smite him.
posted by rushmc at 8:22 AM on January 6, 2005

sigh.
posted by LouReedsSon at 8:24 AM on January 6, 2005

If you turn up Fox News really loud, you can almost not hear the world around you.
posted by orange clock at 8:24 AM on January 6, 2005

The video is on the C-SPAN site, 7th entry on this page.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:28 AM on January 6, 2005

. . .every day they are in session, of course. . .
posted by rainbaby at 8:28 AM on January 6, 2005

DeLay's reading starts at 12:30 in.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:33 AM on January 6, 2005

I can't understand the 'let's give him the benefit of the doubt' crowd. This is a man known for not only his insensitivity (he is called The Hammer!) but also for his mendacious and fraudulent use of US govt agencies to settle political scores. He knows what he is doing, and he does not care. He looks mean and he is mean. I'm not sure what other kind of evidence is needed beyond his words. Even if it were a pre-determined bit to read, he could have put it into some kind of context.

Please give your own intelligence the benefit of the doubt on this one.
posted by OmieWise at 8:33 AM on January 6, 2005

But Bird used the word ... (pre-emptive).
posted by drezdn at 8:34 AM on January 6, 2005

Interestingly - and I don't know how Mr DeLay would view this - the few buildings that were left standing in Aeche were mostly mosques. Thiswould be food for thought, if DeLay did much thinking.
posted by rhymer at 8:35 AM on January 6, 2005

"And everyone who listens to these words of mine, but does not act on them, will be like a fool who built his House on a swamp:"

I'm leaning toward arrogant/racist.
But what do I know, this is the first time I've realized that "shock and awe" was a direct quote from the Bible.

On preview: kinda what Spock said.
posted by chandy72 at 8:37 AM on January 6, 2005

If fear of being disrispectful of some religion helps people like him flourish ..what could fear of being called traitor breed ?
posted by elpapacito at 8:40 AM on January 6, 2005

> But what do I know, this is the first time I've realized that "shock and awe" was a direct quote from the Bible.


You really do needeth to read the words of my own devising more slowly.
posted by digaman at 8:40 AM on January 6, 2005

DeLay has sunk to a new low.
posted by caddis at 8:40 AM on January 6, 2005

Look. We have Al Sharpton, and we have Tom Delay--both sides of the political spectrum have imbeciles, and it's wrong to indict one side based on it's loathsome examples. But the symetry should increase, with Delay not holding office either.
Not based on this, but I suspect Delay's days are numbered in the House. Or, at least I hope so.

You don't have to be a Christian dope to support President dope--or a Jewish dope or an atheist dope.
posted by ParisParamus at 8:40 AM on January 6, 2005

Don't the red states bear the brunt of the destructive effects of hurricanes, Tom?
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:41 AM on January 6, 2005

What fucking asshole. Seriously. Of all the versus in the Bible... damn ... I mean the man could have... Oh, what's the point.

My peace I give you....So don't let your hearts be troubled. Don't be afraid. John 14:27.

Defeat evil by doing good. Romans 12:21.
posted by tkchrist at 8:47 AM on January 6, 2005

No PP, just a dope. Well said.
posted by bardic at 8:49 AM on January 6, 2005

I wonder if CNN will peg Delay for a half-hour "Smite-Thee-Down-a-thon"...to bolster the poor-ratings timeslot to be vacated by Crossfire.
posted by tpl1212 at 8:57 AM on January 6, 2005

Four More Years! Four More Years! Four More Years!
posted by ewkpates at 9:08 AM on January 6, 2005

Look. We have Al Sharpton, and we have Tom Delay--both sides of the political spectrum have imbeciles,

Can you provide some more info on Al Sharpton being an imbecile? Every time I've heard him speak, he's been thoughtful, informative, and on-topic.

Oh wait, it's you. Nevermind.
posted by odinsdream at 9:10 AM on January 6, 2005

Paris: When did Al Sharpton become one of the most powerful people in America? When did Democrats put him in a position of massive responsiblity?
posted by raysmj at 9:13 AM on January 6, 2005

Look. We have Al Sharpton, and we have Tom Delay--both sides of the political spectrum have imbeciles,

The difference is that one of them runs the country and one doesn't.
posted by octothorpe at 9:15 AM on January 6, 2005

It's possible Tom may have meant it as a warning for *us*. We've seen a profound illustration of what disasters can do to the unprepared. We've talked about our own vulnerabilities with regard to tsunamis. Is anyone going to step up and do anything?

But yeah, I can also see that he should have clarified.

Or maybe read Matt 25:31-46, which I hope someone does next time DeLay opposes social service programs.
posted by weston at 9:26 AM on January 6, 2005

"Paris: When did Al Sharpton become one of the most powerful people in America? When did Democrats put him in a position of massive responsiblity?"

You are right. On the other hand, Sharpton and other unsavory types Left of center leverage a good deal of votes come election time. Also, on the other hand, the Left is firmly out of power now--thank G-d.

I'd be the first to vote and speak out against Mr. Former Exterminator (Delay).
posted by ParisParamus at 9:28 AM on January 6, 2005

Stop making excuses for Delay. He is not the first fundamentalist Christian to say such things, and won't be the last to use natural disasters to claim his god is bigger and better than someone else's god.

In a recent Washington Post article (reg required?) the possibility of divine reasons behind the tsunami were being discussed. The article quoted a Muslim, a Jew, a Buddhist and a fundamentalist Christian. The Muslim person asked questions about whether it was a punishment or a test by Allah. The Rabbi expressed his theory that it was punishment for all people for their hatred and unkindness to each other. The Buddhist monk's response was that human bodies from all religions were washing up on the beach. And that the terrible condition of those bodies made it nearly impossible to determine which religion they followed. The interviewed fundamentalist Christian's remark?

"The Biblical proportions of this disaster become clearly apparent upon reports of miraculous Christian survival. Christian persecution in these countries is some of the worst in the world. ... [These countries] are among the top 50 nations who persecute Christians.

What happened, and we see this happen over and over again, was that Christians, supernaturally, have been able to escape from harm's way. 'For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, not ever shall be [Matthew 24:21].'"

OBVIOUSLY, these are only individuals--and cannot be considered spokespersons for their respective religions--but my point is that it isn't too much of a stretch to believe that DeLay feels the same way, considering his fundamentalists' views.
posted by terrapin at 9:28 AM on January 6, 2005

Can someone please sweep DeLay out to sea or something?

Although I do have to say that DeLay comes off as Mr. Compassion when you compare what he said to Michael Savage's remarks about the tsunami.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:38 AM on January 6, 2005

For what it is worth, I have contacted the editorial editors at the San Jose Mercury News to see if they can run with this.

I am so outraged
posted by nostrada at 9:40 AM on January 6, 2005

Well said terrapin.

And now I would like to conclude this prayer service by singing Ashcroft's new hit single "On Eagle's Wings."

Look for the Inauguration edition soon at the WalMart checkout aisle!
posted by nofundy at 9:44 AM on January 6, 2005

Good selection of viewpoints Terrapin. What a moron, to think that Christians have a supernatural ability, beyond all others, to escape harm's way. Right. When that Christian guy bombed that office building in Oklahoma City, most of the Christians got out of the way, while the Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans and transexual atheists got buried in the rubble.

I wish our government officials would stop quoting from scripture when they're working for us, the people. Whatever the hell DeLay meant, I wish he'd go pray in a closet (like his Boss told him to) where I wouldn't have to listen to him.
posted by kozad at 9:47 AM on January 6, 2005

Yeah, it's kinda hard to look on the optimistic side of this one - DeLay sounds like Fred Phelps on this one.
posted by FormlessOne at 9:47 AM on January 6, 2005

Kind of off-topic:

I think Al Sharpton kind of gets unfairly painted as a nut by the media. (Possibly because they fear a powerful black man?) Remember The Daily Show bit about Al Sharpton's speech at the DNC? They showed all these commentators talking about how he was "riffing" and implying that he was just being nonsensical. And then they showed a clip from his speech, where he passionately (and incisively) decried the disenfranchisement of black voters and called on them not to let them have their vote taken away. Then Jon Stewart was "bop-diddly-bop! What's that guy talking about?"

I'm done. Please return to your outrage.
posted by SoftRain at 9:47 AM on January 6, 2005

Michael Savage doesn't look as though he's missing any meals. I can't say the same for the tsunami victims...at least, the ones that lived.

Also, what nostrada said.
posted by Beansidhe at 9:56 AM on January 6, 2005

This is a lose-lose situation for Americans.

DeLay is not going to be punished for reading from the Holy Bible-- to do so would give the appearance of condemning Christianity.

On the other hand, as news of this spreads to other countries, it can only confirm their worst beliefs about America-- that we are an arrogant, corrupt country with no compassion for the rest of the world's citizens. It brings a lump to my throat to be reminded that I am being represented against my will by loathsome, hypocritical, self-centered, immoral men.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 10:00 AM on January 6, 2005

It brings a lump to my throat to be reminded that I am being represented against my will by loathsome, hypocritical, self-centered, immoral men.

And women. Be fair.
posted by loquax at 10:03 AM on January 6, 2005

it's wrong to indict one side based on it's loathsome examples

No, it isn't. If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. The "loathsome examples" are precisely the place to start cleaning house.
posted by rushmc at 10:04 AM on January 6, 2005

Tom DeLay is a coward and a fool.
posted by effwerd at 10:06 AM on January 6, 2005

softrain, you are right that sharpton has been unfairly painted as a nut. but by saying "possibly because they fear a powerful black man?" you're leaving room for people to say "they fear a powerful black man? that's absurd! what about colin powell?! a typical example of how the left doesn't get it blah blah blah..."

back on topic, i think the problem not only with delay but bush and other poweful people in the republican party is that they are not surrounded by friends, only cronies. if i were a friend of someone in a powerful and influential position, and she or he was about to say something like what he said (assuming i knew in advance), i'd tell 'em they might want to rethink their strategy.

but there's no one around him to tell him that. they're all either yes-persons or coattail-hangers. and many of them probably actually don't like him and want to see him fall on his face.

then again, nothing truly bad ever happens to people at the top of the republican party, so i expect we'll hear bush saying how delay is a "fine fellow" pretty soon.

it's wrong to indict one side based on it's loathsome examples

this is hilarious considering how often you and other right-leaning mefites take what one left-leaning poster on the blue says and reacts as if that person is speaking for The Left (tm). (not that i'm saying anyone here -- left or right-leaning -- is loathsome!!!!)
posted by lord_wolf at 10:13 AM on January 6, 2005

It's only ever been thus. From the WaPo article linked to above:

Following the devastation in Lisbon in 1755, priests roamed the streets, hanging those they believed had incurred God's wrath. That event "shook the modern world," he notes, changing people's idea of a benevolent, all-caring God.

"In each act of nature -- your insurance calls it an act of God -- when people are precise in knowing that this is God's will, they're creating great trouble for themselves and others. You have to say that God is playing favorites. You're thinking, 'If I were spared this time, then when disaster comes next time, I'd have to blame it on God.' "
posted by psmealey at 10:18 AM on January 6, 2005

Al Sharpton for at least a while, ruined a man's life by accusing him of rape in Poughkeepsie, NY. He has never apologized. He is a huckster who cons gulible poor and working class people (sort of like the lottrery does.)

"On the other hand, as news of this spreads to other countries, it can only confirm their worst beliefs about America-- that we are an arrogant, corrupt country with no compassion for the rest of the world's citizens. It brings a lump to my throat to be reminded that I am being represented against my will by loathsome, hypocritical, self-centered, immoral men."

I'm not sure this is true. The genious of the US that is that it affords people the liberty to be brilliant or demonic (at least in words), on the premise that all benefit from the open exchange of the two. That's the reasonable conclusion to draw from hearing Delay, and seeing our wonderful troops delivering aid to the devastated. The KKK has largely come and gone; the demons eventually lose.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:24 AM on January 6, 2005

Act of God my butt.
posted by rushmc at 10:26 AM on January 6, 2005

Well, most of the dead were brown people, probably pagans or infidels of one kind or another (and certainly not voting Republican anyway), so it's no great loss right?

Hmm, this thread is about one not knowing.
So can we quit with the labeling because you don't know either. Please -- they have names like you. It also sounds like you have the problem since you are reflecting your sight.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:26 AM on January 6, 2005

I think Al Sharpton kind of gets unfairly painted as a nut by the media.

Sharpton took up Brawley's cause and defended her refusal to cooperate with prosecutors, saying that asking her to meet with New York's attorney general (who had been asked by Gov. Mario Cuomo to supervise the investigation) would be like "asking someone who watched someone killed in the gas chamber to sit down with Mr. Hitler."
posted by trharlan at 10:29 AM on January 6, 2005

Hmm! That man is an asswipe (and so is Delay).

There's a few more out there.
posted by gsb at 10:32 AM on January 6, 2005

Tom Delay can suck my tiny yellow balls.
posted by wsg at 10:33 AM on January 6, 2005

the demons eventually lose

Can I borrow those rose-colored glasses for the next four years?
posted by jesourie at 10:35 AM on January 6, 2005

Yes you may. I'm sorry for my poor spelling. I really should made a point of only commenting in Word, and then pasting comments into this box.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:41 AM on January 6, 2005

And women. Be fair.
posted by loquax at 1:03 PM EST on January 6

You are right to call me on this, loquax, I thought twice before I wrote it. I have to admit I am something of a sexist pig.

And Paris, I was trying to imagine what someone in China or Nigeria or India would think. There will be some who recognize that DeLay is just one voice in a nation of individuals. But I am afraid that most will see this as one more reason to condemn both The USA and Christianity.

I wish that every true Christian would shun Tom DeLay for this.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 10:47 AM on January 6, 2005

The KKK has largely come and gone; the demons eventually lose.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:24 AM PST on January 6


You need to get out of NYC more often and visit us here in the redlands. The KKK is very much alive and well and its associated hatred is actually a thriving growth industry. You really don't know who you've associated yourself with politically, do you? So long as GWB pursues his ME policies, he's without blemish in your eyes, huh?

As for the demons eventually losing, I'll have to see it first. Just don't think any of us will ever live long enough to know but it ain't happened on my watch.
posted by nofundy at 10:51 AM on January 6, 2005

SoftRain, or anyone else, do you know of a link to the Daily Show clip that you mentioned (with Al Sharpton)? I would very much like to see it.
posted by Tullius at 10:53 AM on January 6, 2005

Oooh! A Shunning!

I'm a leftie. Maybe it's because I'm an atheist that I'm not getting this. A Congressional Prayer Service is so crazy and misguided to my way of thinking, I'm not able to dwell on the particular absurdity of any one instance. I still need more context before I can process this. What usually happens during one of these deals? What happened before and after? Were there uncomfortable murmuring? Amens? I get that it could be really offensive, Mighty Christian stuff. I'm all set to be outraged, I'm just not, yet. I keep checking back in wild anticipation.
posted by rainbaby at 11:04 AM on January 6, 2005

As far as the red states that lie on the hurricane coast go, DeLay is not in contravention of giving a blessing to their loyalty.

He's saying that the "Good Christians™" that are capriciously blown away by weather catastrophes will be granted "Everlasting Life™" and a stairway to "Heaven™", while the non-Christians are the express "Hellbound™" ones.

Postscript: Love the "Eee-vile Doers" reference.

Compassion, thy name be a ball-gag.
posted by Dunvegan at 11:06 AM on January 6, 2005

I'm not sure that Tom Delay was thinking about the tsunami
when he was reading. It could be interpreted as him saying
that he will weather the ethics charges and the grand jury
investigation currently underway, because he acted upon
the word of the Lord.

And God may be the only one that can help Delay now. From
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/2978085:

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle has been conducting an investigation into possibly illegal corporate campaign fund-raising in the 2002 elections by a DeLay-created political action committee known as TRMPAC. Eight corporations and three individuals have already been indicted by a grand jury for their role. All three individuals have strong ties to DeLay, making DeLay's potential indictment a matter of great speculation.

Already two of the eight corporations, including Sears Roebuck & Co., have recently turned state's witness.
posted by the Real Dan at 11:35 AM on January 6, 2005

Delay is obviously an inconsiderate nut at best.

I too am amazed you not only have a Congressional Prayer Service but it's deemed important enough to televise. I can't help wondering whether anyone has had the nerve to read from the Koran during one of these sessions.
posted by Mitheral at 11:38 AM on January 6, 2005

Re KKK. You may have a point, but guilt by association is still not legit.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:10 PM on January 6, 2005

Sand or rock foundations don't mean a lot with a tsunami of this magnitude.

posted by spock at 10:16 AM CST on January 6

Actually, that's not true. Downtown Pondicherry was saved from serious damage and injury by a seawall, although many were killed in the the greater Pondicherry area.
posted by goethean at 12:13 PM on January 6, 2005

from rushmc's linked essay:

Here’s the terms of the truce: Unbelievers will stop pointing out the inadequacies of the believers' theodicy, their justification for God. And believers will stop claiming credit for God for everything good that happens, unless they are willing to condemn Him to a perp walk for all the crimes committed on earth, many in his name.

sounds fair to me, but i guess i agreed to that truce long ago ...
posted by mrgrimm at 12:15 PM on January 6, 2005

He [Al Sharpton] is a huckster who cons gulible poor and working class people

In other words, he's a politician.
posted by dirigibleman at 12:16 PM on January 6, 2005

an alternative interpretation.
posted by mrgrimm at 12:17 PM on January 6, 2005

"In other words, he's a politician."

You either don't know anything about Sharpton, or you're so cynical that you're, you're...well, something....
posted by ParisParamus at 12:46 PM on January 6, 2005

Al Sharpton for at least a while, ruined a man's life by accusing him of rape in Poughkeepsie,

Yes, and it's that kind of colossal failure in judgment that prevented him from ever holding real power within the Democratic party. Shockingly, the fact that DeLay is an utter scumbag hasn't kept him from rising to the top of the Republican party.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:10 PM on January 6, 2005

You either don't know anything about Sharpton, or you're so cynical that you're, you're...well, something....

you either don't know anything about politicians, or you're so disingenuous that you're, you're...well, something....

but i still loves ya.
posted by lord_wolf at 1:16 PM on January 6, 2005

Mitheral and others, this wasn't an "official" Congressional function, but a prayer service held at a church in Washington. However, every daily session of Congress does begin with a prayer, which has, indeed, included readings from the Koran, like, you know, that one time.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:44 PM on January 6, 2005

Yes, and it's that kind of colossal failure in judgment that prevented him from ever holding real power within the Democratic party. Shockingly, the fact that DeLay is an utter scumbag hasn't kept him from rising to the top of the Republican party.

Exactly. Lunacy and evil-doing is one thing; party-sponsored lunacy and evil-doing quite another.
posted by rushmc at 2:01 PM on January 6, 2005

perhaps mr delay should have read up a few verses ... matt. 7:12

"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."
posted by pyramid termite at 2:48 PM on January 6, 2005

This is why that thread on Phelps the other day wasn't so out of place. The essential exclusivity of the christian belief system is narrow-minded and unempathetic, and people who follow it too literally or believe it too strongly naturally end up with this self-centered inhumane dismissal of much of humanity. It's really sad.

(And don't start with the 'but jesus was really nice' stuff, because I'm not talking about jesusism, I'm talking about christianity, which is the doctrine that jesus was the messiah and belief in him is necessary for salvation.)
posted by mdn at 3:40 PM on January 6, 2005

What a waste of pixels. Tom "I am the Government" DeLay speaks on his own behalf. No interpretation is necessary. He will roast fiercely. End of story.
posted by froz at 5:13 PM on January 6, 2005

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
- someone
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:16 PM on January 6, 2005

Did anyone catch C-Span 7:13:29 (7th down, 13m29s)?
Either Delay does have God on his side, or he rented the GOP sound effects guy for the morning.
posted by hellbient at 10:10 PM on January 6, 2005

< flipped to the back of the bible, to the index ... let's see ... family, famine, fishes ... ah! floods! huzzah! topical! grabbingsand>>

I agree, just basic ignorance and not enough effort or time spent compensating for it (I mean, when *I* am at a loss, I grab someone who is smarter/better informed to help me... especially if I'm doing something for public consumption, gee). Sad that such shallow people represent us. But then again, I don't think the post from which this was taken really understood this passage (or Delay) either. The post makes it out as some sort of condemnation of the dead. Even if Delay felt that way, he's a politician and would not have said it in a speech. He simply didn't know what the hell he was saying. And THAT is not news.
posted by humannature at 11:12 PM on January 6, 2005

The post makes it out as some sort of condemnation of the dead. Even if Delay felt that way, he's a politician and would not have said it in a speech.

I wouldn't be so sure, humannature. It is almost certain that Delay is the head of a criminal enterprise to launder money illegally and funnel it to various Republican friends (he's given cash from his fund to every Republican congress critter save a couple). Several associates have been indicted. One major corporation has turned State's witness (I want to say GE). Out of their fellating gratitude, the Republican House was just about to change the rules and allow Delay to continue in leadership positions, even under indictment, but they reversed course unexpectedly, and it is rumored that they did so at Delay's urging.

So, given the fact that it looks like Delay is about to be indicted, and his recent actions, I get the feeling Delay knows the end is near. Couple that with his past of being a complete motherfucker, and I think it is entirely possible this passage was read as a giant "fuck you" to heathens abroad.

In any event, Delay does not deserve the benefit of the doubt: he is demonstrated pond scum.
posted by teece at 12:35 AM on January 7, 2005

Thanks for clarifing MrMoonPie. So Capital Hill is more of a region with a mix of public and private space rather than a collective term for a cluster of goverment buildings?

I'm telling ya though that it still seems weird to me that this made it to C-Span and not some committee meeting or something more relevant to goverment.
posted by Mitheral at 7:02 AM on January 7, 2005

Sorry, but I saw this for the first time today and found it funny AND on-topic:

Burton Anchors FOX News (with Jefferson),/a>
posted by terrapin at 7:50 AM on January 7, 2005

awww f*ck
posted by terrapin at 7:54 AM on January 7, 2005