Tom Delay quit today.
Why?
He is almost certainly going to beat the indictment for violating campaign laws.
So why would a man known for fighting hard, dirty, and to the end, suddenly quit?
Maybe because he knows the end is coming.
It's the only explanation that makes any sense. While known for playing hardball, he's also known as a man committed to his party, and for him to drop out now, knowing he has the full support of Texas Republicans, means he must know that somthing is coming that will either cost him that support, or do damage to the party somewhere down the line. By removing himself from the line of fire, he's acting to minimize the damage to his party.
My best guess is that whatever is coming down the line is connected to the Abramoff scandal, but regardless of what the bullet is, by quitting, Delay has signalled that it is on target, and will leave a mortal wound.
Just for fun, let's compare Delay's resignation to McKinney's steadfast defense of her assault on a Federal officer. If I'm right, Delay fell on his sword to minimize the damage of his acts on his party, and the causes he supports. By contrast, McKinney is pulling as many people as possible into the path of the oncoming train of her potential indictment, arrest, and conviction, hoping to salvage her career by spreading the pain.
So, which is the more principled approach?
Posted by Rich at April 4, 2006 12:47 PM | TrackBack