<...This is expressed when a poor Republican (for instance, like Gingrich, and uh, who was it who was considered for Speaker before Hastert?) has a rumor of scandel (or even just a danger of significant bad press, sometimes). In that case, the Republicans rush him out of town as quickly and quietly as possible.

I suppose it is good PR to do things that way, but it does not reflect well on Republicans' resolve to stand by their friends.



Stand by their friends? This is a very interesting, if somewhat twisted way to view a political party's intolerance of corruption and bad behavior in its own ranks. In some eras, running someone who doesn't meet you standards out of the party might be considered a virtue.

This is in contrast to the demonstrated tendency of the Democratic Party to tolerate any corrupt and base behavior in its ranks if it furthers their political agenda, i.e. the accumulation of political power.

Newt Gingrich, as that worst nightmare of a Democrat, an intellectual conservative, was targeted for destruction by the Left and it was only a matter of time before he got run out of town for something or other. The destruction of Gingrich has been one of the greatest successes of the Left, leaving only a lukewarm and relatively spineless Republican force in the House of Representatives. Some House members have done their best to keep the conservative fires burning, but it's been a losing battle, and they have only the concrete wall of Tom Daschle to look forward to even if they get something out of the House.