DeLay called on to step down as majority leader

From the AP via the Houston Chronicle:

Private GOP tensions over Tom DeLay's ethics controversy spilled into public today, as a Senate leader called on DeLay to explain his actions and one House Republican demanded the majority leader's resignation.

"Tom's conduct is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election," Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., told The Associated Press in an interview, calling for DeLay to step down as majority leader.

DeLay, R-Texas, who was admonished by the House ethics committee last year, has been dogged in recent months by new reports about his overseas travel funded by special interests, campaign payments to family members and connections to a lobbyist who is under criminal investigation.

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Well, this gives credence to my buddy Kevin's view that the GOP is going to give DeLay the Trent Lott treatment for the good of the party. But DeLay, always the arrogant bastard, may try to put up a fight. He's certainly got the balls, money, power, and political allies to do so, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Of course, if he puts up a fight we can expect this whole mess to be continuing to bubble over well into the Congressional election season next year. That'll make the Republicans look pretty bad.

How's this for a fantasy scenario? The DeLay scandals, and his battle to retain his position give the Democrats just enough of a boost to take back both houses of Congress in November of '06. Drunk on their success and newfound power, desperately wanting payback for what the Republicans did to Clinton, Democrats in the House impeach Bush for war crimes, and the Senate convicts him. Suddenly, Dick Cheney is the President. Then they impeach him.

Heh, heh, heh.

Yeah, I know. It could never happen.

Or could it?

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