Arkansas Blog

Vote NO REPUBLICANS this November.

Vote NO REPUBLICANS this November.-Posted by: hugh mann
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I guess it would be a bit much to just throw out the guilty ones. Hang them all now. We can have a trial later.

This page says Foley's escapades began in 1997.

Ex-page says he got messages from Foley

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press WriterThu Oct 5

A former congressional page said Thursday he received sexually suggestive messages from then-Rep. Mark Foley (news, bio, voting record) in 1997.

Tyson Vivyan's account appears to show the earliest exchange of suggestive messages reported so far between Foley and teens who had served in the Capitol page program. Previous accounts placed the earliest contacts in 2003.

Vivyan, 26, told The Associated Press that Foley began sending him instant messages about a month or two after his nine-month stint as a page ended in June 1997.

Vivyan, who gave interviews this week to other media, said he never met Foley personally during his stint as a page, other than brief greetings while working in the cloakroom beside the House chamber where members take breaks.

A few months later, he said, he started getting instant messages via computer from a person with the screen name MAF54, which has been linked in news reports to Foley. He said he wasn't sure who it was, but the person knew his name and physical description. He said the person asked personal questions, such as his sexual orientation.

Vivyan said he figured the person had to be on Capitol Hill, and began looking up initials in a congressional guide. He said that when he found Foley's initials - MAF, born in 1954 - he realized who it was.

"It was almost surreal. Not only was I conversing with a congressman in a personal manner, I was conversing in a sexual manner," Vivyan said.

After he guessed it was Foley, the person continued to contact him. Vivyan said he tried to turn the talk to politics. Foley would often stop talking and contact him a week later with suggestive messages.

Vivyan also said he was invited to Foley's brownstone in Washington. Vivyan said he didn't want to go alone, so brought a fellow page with him. He said they had pizza and soft drinks, and nothing sexual happened.

David Roth, attorney for the Florida Republican former congressman, declined to comment on the allegations.

Foley, 52, resigned Friday. He has since entered an alcohol rehabilitation facility at an undisclosed location. Through his lawyer, he has said he is gay but denied any sexual contact with minors.

Vivyan said he was nominated as a page by Rep. John. J. Duncan, R-Tenn. Don Walker, Duncan's deputy chief of staff, confirmed Thursday to the AP that Vivyan was a page from Duncan's district.

"We did not get any complaints form him while he was a page or after he was a page or anytime thereafter until Monday," Walker said. "As soon as we learned of it we turned it over to the authorities."

Vivyan said he was interviewed this week by the FBI. FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett in Atlanta declined comment.

Note that the Dum-Guyz editorial took a disparaging swipe at polls on the state races for office. This fist with DBI's RIP sentiments for the GOP. They are in the Denial stage (in more ways than one).

For those of us familiar with American history, much of this down and dirty campaigning is similar to the early 19th century political campaigns. Now, those were some nasty, mean, down in the sewer fights.

The authors of the book "How to Win" make the case that today's on-the-spot media and the instant connection of the internet blogboards make attack politics the most useful tool in getting elected. Also, if attacked, you'd better fire back fast and hard or your ship is going down in the murky waters of the accusations you can't answer.

DK - my old HS civics teacher taught two things about politics: be true to your party and to your principles (and never give up your principles and never vote against your party). I imagine you had one similar.

I can safely say I've always voted Democratic but that doesn't necessarily mean I've voted for every Democrat on the ballot.

Shortly, it will be time for us to make our wagers about the upcoming election. I'll have more on the guidelines to the wagering later. We'll settle on which races and outcomes are of interest. To make matters more interesting, people need to give the margins of victory.

BlueTicker suggested that the worst guesser should have the tag "The Loser" added on to his sign-in name for a short period of time. We're still open to suggestions.

Hang them all now. We can have a trial later. Posted by: Don Keyhotay

A trial! What a great concept.

Honestly, Don, if they have that big R after their names this go around, they're hanging themselves.

Individual Republican candidates' only saving grace might be to buy campaign ads that distance them from the neocons that have shat in the punchbowl.

DK - my old HS civics teacher taught two things about politics: be true to your party and to your principles (and never give up your principles and never vote against your party). . .I can safely say I've always voted Democratic but that doesn't necessarily mean I've voted for every Democrat on the ballot.-Posted by: Jake da Snake
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Jake:
I agree with being true to your party and to your principles. I disagree on voting against your party. I do not have a problem voting for the other party's candidate if I don't like my party's candidate.

Failing to vote means you are depending on others to make the right decision - and, in a close race, the lemmings displaying blind party loyalty may get a Foley, or a Kennedy or a Studds, etc., elected. You will have unwittingly contributed to that.

By all means, if you have an opinion on a candidate, vote - even if it is for the other party.

From the AP ...Secretary of State James Baker III, an elder statesmen of the party, said of Hastert: "He really ought not be a sacrificial lamb."

But should the page?

"I guess it would be a bit much to just throw out the guilty ones. Hang them all now. We can have a trial later."

Hey, it's worked well for the Rwingnuts, turn about is fair play.

Read your heroine Coulter to witness mass condemnation, or better, and even crazier is a fat-ass dope head named Rush Limbaugh who daily makes blanket condemnation and when discovered dealing in drugs his faith ful PRAYS for him.
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"I guess it would be a bit much to just throw out the guilty ones. Hang them all now. We can have a trial later."

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"What it is coming down to is who runs the country. It's us against them. It's the good guys versus the bad guys. It's the God-fearing people against the pagans, and some of the pagans are going to church." - Randall Terry, 1992

"I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good...Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism." -

Randall Terry, U. S. Taxpayers Party, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 8-16-93

John Boozman will speak when the White House tells him to speak. John Boozman will say the words that the White House tells him to say. Rubber stamp is really too kind. A White House clone would be a better way to put it.

Huckabee is smart enough to fly around the country filling his PAC to the brim in the time he has left to do so. That explains why he's gone all the time....time is short...he must make hay while the sun shines.

He knows he has no chance at the Republican nomination for Prez in 2008. He's smart enough to know ain't no Republican going to win the White House in 2008. But by pretending he's a player, he can stuff a king's ransom away in his PAC towards a very very secure old age. And who knows....with money at his fingertips for the rest of his life he could play king maker until he drops over. Not a bad life at all for a old Baptist preacher from Hope.

If we try just a little everyone in the state of Arkansas is too smart to be snowed by guys like this. Just think a little harder and poof! They'll be gone.