Arianna Huffington latest in Salon on Tom DeLay and the NRA

Nailing the Hammer?
Not so fast
Tom DeLay's ethical rap sheet is longer than the list of boys who have shared Michael Jackson's bed. But the new GOP line is "He hasn't done anything wrong."

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By Arianna Huffington

April 21, 2005 |

The Hammer was in a steely mood this weekend. Moments before brandishing a rifle over his head, embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay told a crowd of gun lovers at the National Rifle Association's annual convention, "When a man is in trouble or in a good fight, you want to have your friends around -- preferably armed."

The NRA members, who had paid $75 to dine on sirloin steak with peppercorn cognac sauce and hear DeLay wax romantic about firearms -- "If you want to empower women in America, give 'em a gun" -- responded with thunderous applause. I wouldn't be surprised if the judges in the Terri Schiavo case, who DeLay had warned would have to "answer for their behavior," responded by running out to buy bulletproof vests.

Among the friends who have gathered round DeLay is Rep. Roy Blunt, the No. 3 Republican in the House, who appeared on "Meet the Press" to defend his colleague the morning after DeLay's NRA speech. No word on whether Blunt was packing heat. But his performance marked a new low in the GOP's "see no evil" approach to their man Tom.

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<http://www.salon.com/opinion/huffington/2005/04/21/tomdelay/index_np.html>