Frankie
03-24-2005, 08:16 AM
As sad as it is! :shake:
One of arguably the most power hungry, unethical, corrupt politicians in the U.S. history invokes God: ROFL
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050323/pl_nm/rights_schiavo_politics_dc
Republican Leader Invokes God in Schiavo Battle
Wed Mar 23, 6:27 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In helping lead the charge to keep brain-damaged Terri Schiavo alive, House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom DeLay has invoked God, diverted attention from his own ethical woes and again become a lightning rod for critics of his party's conservative agenda.
DeLay told a conservative Christian group that the Schiavo case was a gift from God for their cause, drawing fresh complaints from Democrats that he was trying to score political points.
"One thing that God has brought to us is Terri Schiavo to elevate the visibility of what's going on in America," the Texan congressman told a meeting of the Family Research Council.
Dismissing medical findings that Schiavo is in a "persistent vegetative state," he declared outrage that "Americans would be so barbaric as to pull a feeding tube out of a person that is lucid and starve them to death for two weeks."
DeLay has drawn support from the religious right for opposing abortion and same-sex marriage. he has taken the leading role in U.S. congressional intervention in the case of the 41-year-old woman, whose feeding tube was removed last Friday after years of legal wrangling between family members.
DeLay, admonished last year by the House ethics committee for three separate matters, now faces questions about foreign trips funded by outside groups.
While he denies any wrongdoing, some fellow Republicans have voiced concerns about an ongoing investigation in his home state of Texas of allegedly illegal fund-raising that last year resulted in indictment of three of Delay's top associates.
DeLay, in addressing the Family Research Council, said, "The other side has figured out how to win and defeat the conservative movement, and that is to go after people personally, charge them with frivolous charges."
DeLay made the comments shortly before he and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, helped set the stage for U.S. congressional passage of an emergency bill aimed at prolonging Schiavo's life.
The measure -- which drew support from many conservatives yet riled others -- moved Schiavo's case from state to federal courts.
Frist, seen as a potential 2008 U.S. presidential contender, and DeLay appeared separately before the Family Research Council last week.
On Wednesday, the liberal Americans United For Separation of Church and State said it obtained tapes of their remarks and issued copies along with a statement.
"Religious Right leaders are determined to run all of our lives, from the moment of conception through the end of life, and top congressional leaders are conspiring behind closed doors in Washington to help them do it. It's appalling," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, head of the liberal group.
Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, told members of his group to support DeLay. "I challenge you to pray for him," Perkins said after DeLay's remarks. "I know the work that this man is doing ... I encourage you to stand with him."
Marshall Wittman, a senior fellow at the Democratic Leadership Council who earlier served as an aide to Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, said, "Tom DeLay is attempting to preserve his own political viability by championing the cause of Terri Schiavo and endearing himself to the religious right."
Rep. Robert Wexler (news, bio, voting record), a Florida Democrat, said, "I find it shameful that Mr. Delay and Republicans have used Ms. Schiavo as their political pawn to kowtow to their conservative base."
Dan Allen, a spokesman for DeLay, rejected such talk, saying, "Anyone who has followed the career of Tom DeLay knows his commitment to life issues."
One of arguably the most power hungry, unethical, corrupt politicians in the U.S. history invokes God: ROFL
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050323/pl_nm/rights_schiavo_politics_dc
Republican Leader Invokes God in Schiavo Battle
Wed Mar 23, 6:27 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In helping lead the charge to keep brain-damaged Terri Schiavo alive, House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom DeLay has invoked God, diverted attention from his own ethical woes and again become a lightning rod for critics of his party's conservative agenda.
DeLay told a conservative Christian group that the Schiavo case was a gift from God for their cause, drawing fresh complaints from Democrats that he was trying to score political points.
"One thing that God has brought to us is Terri Schiavo to elevate the visibility of what's going on in America," the Texan congressman told a meeting of the Family Research Council.
Dismissing medical findings that Schiavo is in a "persistent vegetative state," he declared outrage that "Americans would be so barbaric as to pull a feeding tube out of a person that is lucid and starve them to death for two weeks."
DeLay has drawn support from the religious right for opposing abortion and same-sex marriage. he has taken the leading role in U.S. congressional intervention in the case of the 41-year-old woman, whose feeding tube was removed last Friday after years of legal wrangling between family members.
DeLay, admonished last year by the House ethics committee for three separate matters, now faces questions about foreign trips funded by outside groups.
While he denies any wrongdoing, some fellow Republicans have voiced concerns about an ongoing investigation in his home state of Texas of allegedly illegal fund-raising that last year resulted in indictment of three of Delay's top associates.
DeLay, in addressing the Family Research Council, said, "The other side has figured out how to win and defeat the conservative movement, and that is to go after people personally, charge them with frivolous charges."
DeLay made the comments shortly before he and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, helped set the stage for U.S. congressional passage of an emergency bill aimed at prolonging Schiavo's life.
The measure -- which drew support from many conservatives yet riled others -- moved Schiavo's case from state to federal courts.
Frist, seen as a potential 2008 U.S. presidential contender, and DeLay appeared separately before the Family Research Council last week.
On Wednesday, the liberal Americans United For Separation of Church and State said it obtained tapes of their remarks and issued copies along with a statement.
"Religious Right leaders are determined to run all of our lives, from the moment of conception through the end of life, and top congressional leaders are conspiring behind closed doors in Washington to help them do it. It's appalling," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, head of the liberal group.
Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, told members of his group to support DeLay. "I challenge you to pray for him," Perkins said after DeLay's remarks. "I know the work that this man is doing ... I encourage you to stand with him."
Marshall Wittman, a senior fellow at the Democratic Leadership Council who earlier served as an aide to Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, said, "Tom DeLay is attempting to preserve his own political viability by championing the cause of Terri Schiavo and endearing himself to the religious right."
Rep. Robert Wexler (news, bio, voting record), a Florida Democrat, said, "I find it shameful that Mr. Delay and Republicans have used Ms. Schiavo as their political pawn to kowtow to their conservative base."
Dan Allen, a spokesman for DeLay, rejected such talk, saying, "Anyone who has followed the career of Tom DeLay knows his commitment to life issues."