The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm with Alex on this one. The first article I read about it didn't even mention the later, more explicit emails that ocurred after the request to sever contact. That first bunch of emails, while not particularly professinal didn't seem to me to warrant much more than a, "Hey, the family asked you to stop emailing, so stop." The later ones (which I haven't seen the content of) sound like they are definitely something to worry about, but, as Alex said, if Hastert was aware of anything, it wasn't those.

[Strangler Lewis]

I don't think you need the benefit of hindsight to see that the first set were clearly trust-building preludes to the second set. The next step would have been to wind up with his mug on Dateline while carrying a bag full of gifts.

[wendybeth]

The e-mails posted above are grooming e-mails, and it's difficult to believe anyone can see them as anything other than just that. How on earth does a powerful politican have enough time to 'chat' with very young pages, and in such a weirdly familiar manner?

We jsut went through a similar situation with our (former) mayor. What the hell is wrong with these freaks? Is it the thrill of the potentially enormous damage to their careers? Is it the joy of abusing their power? It's got to be more than just sex, which leads me to believe the pedophile label might be accurately applied here.

[Alex]

Here's the thing. When you get into positions of some power you are bombarded by various groups to take an interest in the lives of young people. To mentor them. To pretend an interest in their lives. To offer connections for advancement.

Besides being a slave employment system to save the House money, this is exactly what the kids entering the program hope to get. They're not doing it because watching C-SPAN live is all excitement.

Yes, with the hindsight of the latter communications the former is obviously a sign of what was to come. But without that hindsight these emails aren't all that different from communications between people in power and young people all the freaking time. My last employer had an official program for connecting senior management with high school students and offered guidelines on trying to connect with them. Making small talk. Being informal. Expressing an interest in what they do and what they find interesting. Just generally showing an interest in them and creating that exposure to "successful" life that will hopefully help propel them to great things.

If that type of communication makes you an obvious pedophile then every Boy Scout leader and Big Brother volunteer and professional mentor is likely an obvious pedophile. That's the difficulty of it: pedophilic interest looks, at least initially, pretty much like the interest of any caring person.

But really, my comments weren't about Foley but rather what Hastert should have done a year ago. There is debate as to whether he ever saw the emails or simply referred the matter to the congressman in charge when told there was an issue. The family expressly said they didn't want anything done in the way of investigation or punishment but to just stop the emailing.

Go ahead an hoist Foley up by his scrotum based on those first emails. I'm just not willing to put Hastert up there with him based on what is currently known.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

My last employer had an official program for connecting senior management with high school students and offered guidelines on trying to connect with them. Making small talk. Being informal. . . .If that type of communication makes you an obvious pedophile then every Boy Scout leader and Big Brother volunteer and professional mentor is likely an obvious pedophile. That's the difficulty of it: pedophilic interest looks, at least initially, pretty much like the interest of any caring person.

Foley was talking about boys' bodies. Maybe, and I emphasize maybe, a coach could get away with that, but here it clearly smells. I assume that your prior employer would not have countenanced a male mentor telling a teenage girl, "My, you've really filled out this summer."

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

The family expressly said they didn't want anything done in the way of investigation or punishment but to just stop the emailing.

In domestic violence cases where the defendant is usually less powerful than a congressman, the prosecutor proceeds on the basis of the police report whether or not he has a victim willing to testify. The assumption, which is probably correct sometimes and probably incorrect sometimes, is that the victim recants out of fear of retribution from the defendant. I would not be so quick to interpret the family's wish not to do anything as making it clear that they felt that there was no harm done. Since, as you say, these kids become pages to grease the skids of their ambition (or that of their family), they may not want to upset the apple cart by getting a congressman in trouble.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Just for the sake of accuracy, a person who preys on teens isn't a pedophile, but rather, an ephebophile.

[Not Afraid]

It all doesn't matter. He's an alcoholic and all responsibility is removed from him.


(I know. I know. I just "like" the fact that that was mentioned.)

[€uroMeinke]

I presumed bonking the paiges/interns was a time honored tradition on Capital Hill, much as the Casting Couch is here in Hollywood - I fail to see why this is so surprising.

[scaeagles]

There is another angle I've heard to this as well now, being that the dems have known about this for months as well and wished to have it times for release closer to the election. If so, that is as despicable as what I believe Hastert is possibly guilty of.

It is all conjecture, of course, except for the Foley part. I would not put it past republican leadership to try to hold the story until after the elections and the dems to try to hold the story until weeks before them.

[Alex]

Assuming Hastert did what you accuse him of earlier in this thread, do you really find using political dirt at a politically opportune time to equally as bad as protecting the career of a politician making inappropriate advances on children to avoid scandal?

The left wouldn't have a political football if Foley weren't a scumbag and either side would have used it if it dropped in their lap.