Tom DeLay Should Blame Only Himself

To no one's surprise, former House GOP leader Tom DeLay is out with a book titled No Retreat, No Surrender.

The title is wrong; it should be My Problems Were and Are Everyone Else's Fault.

Norm Ornstein's fine review inthe New York Times is a good reference point for those of us who have no use for this politician. A scholar on Congress, Ornstein has seen them come and go.

I would never buy a book by Tom DeLay because he will benefit from the cash. He's not worth it. From Ornstein's review I learn plenty.

Ornstein gives DeLay sufficient room to indict himself. As Republican leader, he strong-armed then Speaker Dennis Hastert, orchestrating the impeachment of Bill Clinton even as he knew the Senate was not going to convict him.

Clinton deserved to at least face the meaningless trial in theSenate but not on DeLay's terms. With several of his GOP colleagues guilty of immoral conduct (DeLay had to know about them through his networking), "the Hammer" nonetheless pounded the charges through the House.

DeLay goes after GOP leaders like Newt Gingrich and his fellow Texan Dick Armey. They shouldn'tbe astonished. DeLay seems to hate about everybody but especially liberals, who he says are much like Communists.

Thanks for that, DeLay, so I can say you are much like a fascist.

Remember that DeLay had his own questionable background to answer for, such as boozing and womanizing. He found the Lord and straightened his life out, he tells us. I think the Lord also told us not to hate—as well as to forgive.

DeLay has had to answer questions about fundraising and trips paid for by lobbyists, too.

Tom DeLay is as responsible as any Republican or Democrat for the lack of civility today in Congress. Think about some of his reckless maneuvering on legislation and his early gerrymandering of Texas to knock out six House Democrats long before the decennial census.

DeLay may still have some outreach to members he left behind when he went home to Sugar Land in the Houston exurbs.

A lot of us are happy to see him back there. And if he has any major role in planning for the next election, the Democratic majority inthe House will only increase.

Go for it, Tom!