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The Reporters: US mid-terms

Andy Gallacher

Republican's hard words


By the time I've stopped several people in , Florida, I have learnt a couple of things about Mark Foley. Firstly, just about everyone likes him and secondly, he is gay. None of this stopped Mr Foley serving six terms in the House of Representatives, and why should it?

foley2004_203ap.jpgBut e-mails to teenage boys are a different matter, as I found out when I visited the chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican party. Walking inside the opulent doors of Sid Dinerstein's house in West Palm Beach Gardens is like strolling on to the set of Dynasty or Dallas.

Mr Dinerstein describes himself as a close political friend of Mark Foley's. But even a few days after the scandal broke, he was in no doubt about where he stands on the ever-widening e-mail debacle: "Mark betrayed the trust of the voters and supporters in this district and represented a threat to children.

"That was the hardest part - getting over your personal knowledge, association and friendship with him and recognising the greater obligation to protect the community and not defend the indefensible and make sure he's out of Congress."

Tough words from Mr Dinerstein, but he is a hard man when it comes to politics. He is well aware that this could be an issue that may lose his party a lot of votes in a that was considered safe, but he is willing to make the necessary sacrifices if needed.

"We actually trust the voters, and if they decide that we as a party haven't earned their trust enough to re-elect us then we'll work hard in the next two years and win back that seat. And if we lose the Congress, we'll win back the Congress."

Sid Dinerstein is the sort of man the needs. He's a no-nonsense campaigner and true believer in conservative values. As I leave his excellent hospitality, he shakes my hand with the energy of a 20-year-old man, the kind of energy that he, and his fellow Republicans, may need in the coming weeks.

Andy Gallacher is the 成人论坛's Miami correspondent.

颁辞尘尘别苍迟蝉听听Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 10:40 PM on 17 Oct 2006,
  • Mark wrote:

I am from the USA, specifically from FL, and unlike many people in Europe and the liberal democrats I am 100% against homosexual marriage. Also I am going to support the democraps in 2006 because the republicans are hurting the USA.

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  • 2.
  • At 10:59 PM on 17 Oct 2006,
  • Mark Hillard wrote:

More than in ANY other country in the world, and I am including all the totalitarian regimes, both sponsored by the US or part of the Axis of Evil, the US press and media perpetrate a daily diet of propoganda. I live in Canada and receive US stations, and I can promise you that despite the outrage over Foleys actions, the press and TV in particular have already manipulated this message to show how dedicated the rest of the republican party is to ridding society of "the likes" of Foley. (It seems that he is the only Gay Republican, and thankfully this situation has given the GOP the opportunity to be rid of him, phhhew!)
Republicans will campaign on Church values, and the Democrats can't go there. After the initial backlash from voters, who after all at this point have only been surveyed, they will do what they always do once they get to the voting station.

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  • 3.
  • At 12:05 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • ersi wrote:

E-mails to underage boys are a different matter, indeed; one that can readily accommodate the hypocricy stemming from the Republican Party's "conservative values" and yet do so in the most legitimate and least superficial way. The heart of the matter itself is, of course, none other than hypocricy, which remains a constant whether it be within the context of the Foley scandal or within the greater Republican scheme of trying to appeal to the median, conservative voter.

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  • 4.
  • At 02:13 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • H K Livingston wrote:

From your account, Mr Dinerstein appears to be a principled and fair-minded man--someone whom those on the opposite side of the aisle can respect.

He should find someone like him to run for Mr Foley's seat in two years.

Thank you for the article, Mr Gallacher.

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  • 5.
  • At 02:37 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • Gerry wrote:

While the interview with Mr. Dinerstein is mildly interesting, it doesn't approach the issue emerging from the revelations about Foley's inappropriate (if not criminal) behavior toward minor children that has galvanized the electorate.

The issue exposed by Foley's "capture" with his hand on the "send" button is the apparent and ever-widening cover-up by the House Republican leadership that has been going on at least since 2001. And maybe before.

That is what has charged the momentum in the mid-terms in favor of the Democrats in almost every contested Congressional seat, House and Senate.

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  • 6.
  • At 03:26 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • Melanie wrote:

"Sid Dinerstein is the sort of man the Republican party needs. He's a no-nonsense campaigner and true believer in conservative values. As I leave his excellent hospitality, he shakes my hand with the energy of a 20-year-old man, the kind of energy that he, and his fellow Republicans, may need in the coming weeks."

I'm shocked to read a 成人论坛 correspondent writing what is essentially a panegyric to a partisan political figure whose "excellent hospitality" the reporter has enjoyed in "opulent" suroundings. This piece demonstrates the sloppy blurring of professional boundaries-- indulging in social fraternization with the subject of one's ostensibly objective or critical reporting.

Please do better, and spare readers the fawning comments about your host's youthful vitality. We already have Fox news, and somehow I expect more critical capacity from a 成人论坛 journalist bearing witness in the US, at a critical juncture in our political environment.

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  • 7.
  • At 04:46 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • H. Douglas Walker wrote:

This is a difficult election to figure out. Yes, the party of George Bush is in trouble based upon the current money and sex scandals. But so much of this election will rest with local issues that has no bearing on the national scene. The Republicans may still retain both houses of Congress because the voters think their their local Congress peson or Senator is doing a good job.

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  • 8.
  • At 11:02 AM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • DAVID BENSON wrote:

Foley the 'only gay Republican'?? The GOP is rife with closeted gays, and this scandal is only just beginning. Hopefully the religious right (or 'nuts' as Karl Rove allegedly refers to them) will wake up to the fact that the GOP is simply using their intolerant, fearful world-view for their own ends and they will abandon the party (and politics, where they have no business interfering, according to the US Constitution) once and for all. The cynicism and hypocrisy of right wing politics makes you want to hang your head in despair.
Still, great to know that you were wowed by Sid Dinerstein's 'excellent hospitality' and that he 'shakes hands with the energy of a 21-year old man', Andy. I am sure that is a talent that he can put to good use in the GOP.

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  • 9.
  • At 05:21 PM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • Christopher Flores wrote:

If Karl Rove is not that concerned about the GOP's prospects this November, then things must not be as bad as some in the media are potraying!

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  • 10.
  • At 05:30 PM on 18 Oct 2006,
  • Ann R. wrote:

Sounds like it鈥檚 hard for him to understand that 鈥淐hairman of the Palm Beach Country Republican party鈥 is not a phrase any well informed voter links to the concept of 鈥渢rust鈥. Not now, not ever. Too closely linked with Dynasty and Dallas. He鈥檒l just have to ride out the Democratic landslide inside his opulent villa.

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  • 11.
  • At 10:15 PM on 21 Oct 2006,
  • Nicholas F. wrote:

There is no such place as West Palm Beach Gardens. Palm Beach Gardens is a town located in Palm Beach County, north of the large city of West Palm Beach.

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