AS I SAID, THE CLAWS ARE OUT

Times Gets Blunt About Blunt, Without Delay

With Congressman Tom DeLay temporarily out of his leadership post, Majority Whip Roy Blunt has stepped in as acting Majority Leader and Democrats and liberal interest groups have turned their fire on him. The Times’s David D. Kirkpatrick reports their lines of attack in his page A18 article, "Post Comes with Renewed Scrutiny of Record," and does label Blunt’s critics as liberals.

Kirkpatrick began: “Almost as soon as Representative Roy Blunt stepped into the House leadership post vacated by Tom DeLay, Democrats and liberal groups pounced Thursday on what they called ethical lapses in Mr. Blunt's own record and lobbying by three members of his family -- his wife, son and daughter.” The Times wouldn’t have to be that swift in publicizing liberal charges, but they were.

By contrast, Blunt’s spokeswoman Burson Taylor’s defense of her boss are briefly addressed, but by Kirkpatrick summarizing her talking points, not allowing any direct quotations to do the talking.

In addition to quoting Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Missouri Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti, Kirkpatrick quotes Fred Wertheimer of the "advocacy group Democracy 21" raising questions on Blunt’s ethical fitness for the leadership post.

As I said here the claws are out. Need I say more? It should be pretty obvious.