The White House is usually so good at misinformation and spin, but this time they sure slipped. During an interview on CNN, Tony Snow brushed off John Foley’s emails to the sixteen year old page as “simply naughty e-mails.” A portion of the transcript follows:
O’BRIEN: I would assume everybody would want to know, including the president. I mean, we’re not talking about any old person. We’re talking about the leadership of the Republicans in Congress.
Why would he not hear something that’s disturbing, or his office — over-friendly — when I see that word as a parent — and I think any parent would say, Whoa, over-friendly? Any communication between a 16-year-old and a congressman, why doesn’t that raise red flags — major, massive red flags?
SNOW: Yes, look, I hate to tell you, but it’s not always pretty up there on Capitol Hill. And there have been other scandals, as you know, that have been more than simply naughty e-mails.
The Moderate Voice demonstrates that this is not simply a case of anti-Bush liberals attacking:
Question: if any 50ish reader of this blog sent similar emails to high school students and if parents and authorities found out would they be called “simply naughty” or would they be characterized in a far more harsh manner…and seek legal action?
Is there a parallel in American history of ANY administration that so quickly discards values that once defined its party?
If this is being dismissed as of little consequences, then just what does the Bush administration stand for in terms of families and protecting children?
Question: with a comment like this how can any Republican run a campaign ad claiming the GOP is the party that protects family values?If Snow’s comment is allowed to stand it condones the content of these emails and makes a mockery of the family values that not just social conservatives but Republicans of all stripes have said they champion and defend.
Snow should clarify the comment, retract the comment or go back to Fox News.
Perhaps this will get voters to see that, just like talk of freedom, security, and capitalism, talk of family values is all rhetoric designed to get votes and does not represent the actual views of Republicans.
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Conservative Reaction to the Foley Scandal