What would inspire congressional pages to make Mark Foley the mark of a purported prank that drew out the congressman's perversions? It seems Foley had a reputation as a hawk among teenage prey. Three additional congressional pages, serving prior to the page featured in the the most revolting of the instant messages, allege that Foley attempted to entice them sexually too, ABC News reports. The twists and turns in this story dizzy anyone paying attention. One constant is the ex-congressman's creepiness.

Dan- there is no twist.

DrudgePacker is trying to spin the story to get the focus off the Republican leadership.

It wasn't a prank.

I realize why you would not want it to be a prank. But if sources close to the page in question say it's a prank, and the page in question isn't gay, what evidence do you have that the page who conversed with Foley on those most vile messages really was being serious?

Although the page/messenger really being 18, and not the 16 that was initially reported, certainly changes things for Foley, I don't think it being a prank changes anything for Foley. He stil thought it was real, just as the internet perv chatting with an undercover cop thinks it's real. Also, evidence points to this page being not the only page approached by Foley in a sexual manner.

You say "there is no twist," but clearly there have been many twists--most especially the revelation that the page on the text messages that have been most widely referenced in the press, is 18 and not 16. Again, this doesn't exonerate Foley in any way. It just indicts the standards for accuracy at ABC.

DrudgePacker is spreading the story because it makes it seem like Democratic operatives took a harmless prank and played it to their political advantage.

It's just not true.

From everything we've seen Foley had this kind of contact with several pages, some under 18 others over.

This is spin at its worst. Nobody is buying it.

Why is it spin? Might it just be that you filled in blanks that you had no business filling? The story is evolving. First we were told the kid in the messages was 16. Now we know he's 18. The then 18-year-old kid denies being gay. But clearly the kid in the message is open to Foley's advances--or goading him along. Your reference to several pages, though relevant to the overall case against Foley, is irrelevant to the instant messages that are getting so much play. People close to the kid in those messages say it was a prank. If it wasn't a prank, what's the kid doing working for one of the most right-wing senators? Did the kid go from being gay to being straight in just a few years? Does it really exonerate Foley if these most lurid messages were a prank?

Dan, HeHe cares only for the idea that Hastert would be forced to resign over this and he is licking his chops as the Dems in general are thinking that somehow the scandal of one FL congressman will translate into wins across the country for the Dems. The Dems should win this term, they clearly have all the advantages, everyone knows that.

We will see what happens, but HeHe is just a zombie partisan who only gets excited by such prospects and so is immune to any honest rendering of what this scandal actually encompasses. Hence his calling accurate information "spin."

Bruce, most Democratic operatives think its better for them political if Hastert stays because his name is all over this scandal already.

Run an ad in WY-AL saying a vote for Cubain is a vote for Hastert, and she's toast.

Honestly, the zombie partisans are the people trying to spin this story to make it seem Democrats are at fault.

How is that even possible?

And Dan, the kid was 16 at the time. He's over 18 now. And even if he was over 18 then, what does that matter??

HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE!

There are countless others.

This is rediculous.

You all realize that your partisanship has reduced you to defending the actions of a pedephile?

You do realize this?

No, HeHe, I don't realize that my "partisanship has reduced [me] to defending the actions of a ped[o]phile." I've been uniformly negative about Mark Foley, labelling him and his actions: "creepy," "disgraced," "a pervert preying on high-school students" a "Jackass," and "appalling." Are these terms of endearment to you? I just went through all of my posts and there isn't a single instance of me defending Foley or his actions. I fault the Democrats' for the double-standard on Studds/Foley and ABC for botching the story. But the main story remains Foley, whose sins (crimes?) are far worse than hypocrisy (Democrats) or inaccuracy (ABC).

My reaction to congressmen who prey on congressional pages is the same whether the congressman's name is Mark Foley or Gerry Studds. They should not be in Congress. That's not partisanship. What is partisanship is the feigned reactions of horror from the same Democrats who labeled the investigation into Studds' sex with a seventeen-year-old page a "witchhunt."

HeHe, I regularly bash Republicans--perhaps more than I bash Democrats--on this site. I don't recall you ever saying anything negative about any Democrats. Perhaps you have, but I don't remember you saying anything that wasn't boilerplate.

Do you think Democrats were wrong to continue to reelect Studds? Do you think Studds plying a 17-year-old page with booze and having sex with him is worse than Foley sending disgusting messages? Do you think Democrats in Congress were wrong not to force him out?

I think heehaw likes the man-boy love thing. but he is a typical lib. not man or boy enough to admit it. did you say its called freedom baby!

No.

I said that sex was freedom, not a ticket to hell like you thumpers think it is.

I may have missed it but who on this blog said having sex is a ticket to hell? Maybe my memory is just fuzzy.

Dysfunctional and downright twisted, hypocritical and obscene. These are the words that most closely resemble the Republicans today.
Lies, deception, and mistrust

http://images.usatoday.com/news/graphics/usat_gallup_poll_topper.gif

Goodbye ReTHUGlicans : )

HeHe is a closeted homosexual. He likes talking about all this man/boy love crap, he is probably a member of NAMBLA.

RadicalRightWinger is a closeted hippy.

He loves to talk about all this drug use thing, and is probably a member of NORMAL.