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Is This the End of Bugsy?By Rick Horowitz House Majority Leader Tom DeLay meets with Senate Republicans, urges them to blame Democrats for his ethics problems. Ripped from the headlines "'...and gratitude for your support of this vital legislation. Best regards, sincerely...'" "Excuse me. Senator? Tom DeLay for you." "Tell him I'm on the other line, I'll get back to him." "He's not on the phone, sir -- he's here. He says it's important." "He's in our office?!" "It was all I could do to keep him from barging in on you." "Well, he pretty much has, hasn't he? Well, bring him in then -- I certainly don't want anyone seeing him in the waiting room. And make sure you -- Mr. Leader! What a surprise!" "A pleasant one, I hope." "I'm always glad to see my friends from the other body, although I am kind of busy today. Perhaps you'd like to -- " "I won't take up much of your time. I just wanted to thank you for being at that meeting with the rest of your guys. You see how they're trying to turn us against one another? Republican against Republican? House against Senate? We need to stick together or the Democrats win." "Well, Tom, I'm all for party unity -- you know that." "Great! Then you'll make a statement. Of support, I mean. For me." "Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It pains me to see what you've been going through, it really does. You can't brush your teeth without somebody saying you've done wrong." "So we have to stop 'em! They're just using me to get to the rest of you -- you think they'll be satisfied with taking me down?" "Now, Tom, I'm sure they're over there licking their chops..." "Exactly!" "But you have to admit, you've made yourself quite a target. If it's not one thing they can throw at you, it's another, and another, and..." "But -- " "And even once you knew you were under a microscope, you didn't rein it in, did you? Not even a little. That was awfully careless of you, Tom." "Listen, I haven't done anything that other guys haven't done for years -- you know that! They're just trying to stop our agenda, the Dems and the media and all the special-interest groups." "I'm sure they are. Which is why we have to be careful not to give them the ammunition. Not to let them embarrass us into backing off." "Are you saying I'm an embarrassment?!" "Of course not. I'm just saying. Look, we know you can put this whole thing behind you -- just lay out all the facts, what you did and why you did it, and let the people decide. Once you -- " "What's with you guys?! 'Lay out the facts, lay out the facts' -- you think it's so easy to lay out the facts? You think once everything's out there, it'll all go away?" "Settle down, Tom. Anger is never the answer." "That's easy for you to say! You're not the one who's -- " "Zip it! OK? Now, you listen to me. You've had a real nice career here, especially considering where you started -- pest control, wasn't it?" "Extermination services." "Whatever. You've had a good run. There's plenty you can do -- K Street, something else. But you know how it is with termites, right? Once they're in the house, it's bad. But once they spread, it's even worse. So you've got to fumigate early, get rid of the problem before it becomes an even bigger problem and the whole place comes down around your ears." "You're -- " "If you catch my drift." "You're cutting me loose? After everything I've done for the party? All the favors? All the tough votes we took so you guys could look like moderates? This is the thanks I get?" "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, we're done here, Bugsy -- I've got work to do." "This is unbelievable!" "You get everything settled down, maybe we'll talk." "Maybe." "And don't you ever show up here again without an invitation. You got that?" "Got it." "Good. Margaret? Would you show Mr. DeLay out? And use the back way." Posted 4/18/05. Get
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Rick Horowitz
