ABC on Gerry Studds: Only 'A Strong Sense of Loyalty' And Forgiveness From Voters

Stephanie

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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Posted by Tim Graham on October 5, 2006 - 14:37.
When the story broke in July of 1983 on the sexual affairs with House pages by Reps. Daniel Crane and Gerry Studds, ABC did not fuel days of speculation about whether Speaker Tip O’Neill would resign. (Fun fact: when Studds was censured, Speaker O’Neill did not cast a vote. Three Democrats voted against Studds being censured.) By the time Studds ran in a primary re-election campaign in September 1984, ABC aired a report telling the nation that Studds faced only "a strong sense of loyalty" and forgiveness from the voters in Massachusetts.

On July 14, 1983, ABC reporter Charles Gibson reported:

"In both cases, the relationships were voluntary, there was no favoritism granted to the pages. Thus it was the recommendation of the committee's special counsel, Joseph Califano, that the Congressmen not be expelled or censured, simply reprimanded and by an eleven to one vote, the Ethics Committee agreed."

Gibson added that "Studds dramatically took the floor of the House to talk of the conflicts between public office and private life."

Studds: "These challenges are made substantially more complex when one is, as am I, both an elected public official and gay. In my judgement the mutually voluntary private relationships between adults which occurred ten years ago should not by any conceivable standard of fairness, rationality, rule or law warrant the attention or action of the House of Representatives of the United States."

Gibson: "Studds said he felt the Committee exceded its authority, but he accepted its findings to protect others involved. And Studds was congratulated by fellow members as he left the floor, but he and Crane could face formal reprimand from the full House as early as next week. One House employee, a former page supervisor was also accused of having relations with a seventeen year old female page. But Califano says the surprising thing he found in his investigation that covered a ten year period was that just three cases of sexual misconduct were confirmed in this age of sexual awakening and human fraility. Charles Gibson, ABC News, Capitol Hill."

Peter Jennings then added this knife-twisting note to the hypocritical conservative Crane: "One historical note. Back in 1981 when the House was debating a District of Columbia bill that would have legalized most sexual acts between consenting adults, Congressman Daniel Crane was one of those who spoke out forcefully against it. ‘We have lost sight of the moral codes,’ he said, ‘the time has come for all God fearing people to stand up and be counted.’"

Six days later, on July 20, 1983, when Crane and Studds were censured, Gibson sympathetically concluded: "Later in a statement, Studds said all congressmen are in need of a humbling experience now and then. Members on the floor had called it not humbling, but humiliating. Charles Gibson, ABC News, Capitol Hill."

The next fall, as Massachusetts voters prepared to cast ballots in a statewide primary election, ABC aired a story by John McKenzie on September 18, 1984, suggesting all was well with Congressman Studds, despite the sex with the teenage page:

McKenzie: "Gerry Studds has been the Congressman from southeastern Massachusetts for 11 years. People here know Studds, at least they thought they did until last year."

Tip O’Neill: "Resolved, one the Representative Gerry E. Studds be censured."

McKenzie: "He was rebuked by his peers after it was learned that during his first year in Congress Studds had had a homosexual affair with a 17 year old page. Now, openly acknowledging his gay lifestyle, Studds is campaigning for a seventh term. But it's that one affair that continues to plague him, as he was reminded on this radio talk show.

Woman on talk radio: "You have abused your power in Washington. It is a violation of trust. It makes me nauseous. It's embarrassing."

Studds: "Well, I'm certainly sorry to have you so upset. I don't know what else I can say. Let me say something ma'am. Something happened 11 years ago, 11 years ago. It was an incredibly stupid thing that ought not to have happened."

Peter Flynn: "My response has always been it was a morally reprehensible thing to do."

McKenzie: "Plymouth County sheriff Peter Flynn, admits the only reason he's running against Studds in the Democratic primary is because the censure issue has made Studds vulnerable. But here in New Bedford and fishing towns up and down the coast, there is still a strong sense of loyalty to Studds.

Man: "You've got to judge him by what he does in office. What he does on the other side, hey, you just can't throw a guy down a river."

Woman: "We feel like he let us down. But at the same time we do have to forgive each other."

McKenzie: "Although early opinion polls show Studds leading in this race many people here have been undecided, many waiting until today before weighing Studds' personal past against his political future. John McKenzie, ABC News, New Bedford, Massachusetts."

In 1984 and beyond, Studds then went back to appearing on ABC in his usual capacity: arguing against any money for the Nicaraguan freedom fighters.
http://newsbusters.org/node/8114
 
This whole story just makes me sick of it all.

I don't understand people. I do not understand how Democrats and liberals can be so... dishonest.

I don't understand people who can be so blind.

I do not understand the liberal mind.
 
This whole story just makes me sick of it all.

I don't understand people. I do not understand how Democrats and liberals can be so... dishonest.

I don't understand people who can be so blind.

I do not understand the liberal mind.

I've given up trying to figure out all those things..:dunno:
 
I've given up trying to figure out all those things..:dunno:


How do these hypocrites look themselves in the mirror?

How? Because they honestly and truly do not see their hypocrisy. They really don't. It's an us versus them mentality and as long as it's the them, they just don't see it at all.
 
Hey I have a great idea!

Lets just focus on past scandals and forget about whats happening right now, it sure makes me feel better!

:sleep:
 
Hey I have a great idea!

Lets just focus on past scandals and forget about whats happening right now, it sure makes me feel better!

:sleep:

Yeah, I guess your right..


Just because a old man in Congress has actual homosexual sex with a 17yr old boy,
and a another old man in Congress just has IM sex TALK.......


The difference is, is that the one who raped a 17yr old boy, was a Democrat and was applauded for his stance....
But of course the Republican who just had IM sexual takings with a 17yr old boy, should be strung up from the nearest tree and hung....

The difference is the Republicans clean their house..
The Democrats keep their deviants, and give them a prestigious position

There's that good old hypocrisy....
And it really smells...

:tdown2:
 
Yeah, I guess your right..


Just because a old man in Congress has actual homosexual sex with a 17yr old boy,
and a another old man in Congress just has IM sex TALK.......


The difference is, is that the one who raped a 17yr old boy, was a Democrat and was applauded for his stance....
But of course the Republican who just had IM sexual takings with a 17yr old boy, should be strung up from the nearest tree and hung....

The difference is the Republicans clean their house..
The Democrats keep their deviants, and give them a prestigious position

There's that good old hypocrisy....
And it really smells...

:tdown2:

Oh, haven't you read the media? "disgraced" "lurid" "salacious".

Un-fucking-believable.

Here is a perfect example of the liberal bias of the media. This is an article from the AP:

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20061006/D8KJ0C000.html

While the committee - officially the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct - is investigating potential violations of House rules, the Justice Department appeared to be moving with dispatch in its criminal investigation.

There's plenty to investigate.

ABC News reported that three more pages, one each from 1998, 2000 and 2002, have come forward detailing sexual approaches from Foley over the Internet.

"There's plenty to investigate"? Is this a news article or an editorial?

Typical liberal media bias.
 
nt250 said:
From the link:The bipartisan ethics committee met Thursday for the first time, approving nearly four dozen subpoenas for witnesses and documents regarding improper conduct between lawmakers and current and former pages and who may have known about it.

The bolded part is what's going to prove to be a bitch for the Democrat Party, I think. Keep digging, Ethics Committee, Dept. of Justice, and ABC. The worse Foley turns out to be, the greater will be the sin of anybody who sat on that information.

The Republican leadership has demonstrated that they acted responsibly on THE INFORMATION THEY HAD. They didn't find out about the really sleazy stuff until the rest of us did - when ABC broke the story. But, SOMEBODY knew, and chose to put an exquisitely-timed "October Surprise" ahead of the safety of minor children. It's going to be somebody's ass when the smoke clears - maybe a whole political party's.
 
This whole story just makes me sick of it all.

I don't understand people. I do not understand how Democrats and liberals can be so... dishonest.

I don't understand people who can be so blind.

I do not understand the liberal mind.

But you understand a republican sleeze bag trying to get his jollies, then trying to throw it back at the Dems. Great...good logic...NOT....
 
Hey I have a great idea!

Lets just focus on past scandals and forget about whats happening right now, it sure makes me feel better!

:sleep:

No - it's a valid comparison, I think; very much apples and apples. Quite illuminating, too.
 
This whole story just makes me sick of it all.

I don't understand people. I do not understand how Democrats and liberals can be so... dishonest.

I don't understand people who can be so blind.

I do not understand the liberal mind.

Yet you understand that a republican sleezebag is getting a free pass from all the conservatives on this board and that's Ok by you? Go figure...
 
It's beginning to look to me like this scandal was authored by the Dems - and will ultimately prove to belong to them. May they wear it in good health!

Oh, so 1) Foley is a Dem?
2) He got a gun pointed at his head by the Dem's and got forced to text the page's?
3) Foley never actually texted anybody, it's all a lie?

Pray tell MM, what did the Dems do?
 
Yet you understand that a republican sleezebag is getting a free pass from all the conservatives on this board and that's Ok by you? Go figure...

You say , "Go figure" a lot; looks like you'd take your own advice once in a while. Have you tried to comprehend ONE WORD of what you've read here?
 
Oh, so 1) Foley is a Dem?
2) He got a gun pointed at his head by the Dem's and got forced to text the page's?
3) Foley never actually texted anybody, it's all a lie?

Pray tell MM, what did the Dems do?

Have you...followed this story? Are you aware that Foley's e-mails and his IMs are separate and distinct things? Have you grasped the significance of this fact?
 
You say , "Go figure" a lot; looks like you'd take your own advice once in a while. Have you tried to comprehend ONE WORD of what you've read here?

I have read it. And every time a Repub fucks up, it's "let's find a way to blame the Dems"...let's move the goalposts. Face it MM, Foley is a freaking loser, yet you and other conservatives try to shift the blame and fuzz it all up and give the freak a free pass. I've seen it on board after board, scandal after scandal. The Dems are just as bad BTW, with their scandals.
 
I have read it. And every time a Repub fucks up, it's "let's find a way to blame the Dems"...let's move the goalposts. Face it MM, Foley is a freaking loser, yet you and other conservatives try to shift the blame and fuzz it all up and give the freak a free pass. I've seen it on board after board, scandal after scandal. The Dems are just as bad BTW, with their scandals.

Dr Grump, if you interpret anything in my posts as "giving Foley a free pass", all I can do is tell you to read them again. And - again - I don't NEED to find a way to blame the Dems, or fuzz it all up. They do it to themselves!
 
Have you...followed this story? Are you aware that Foley's e-mails and his IMs are separate and distinct things? Have you grasped the significance of this fact?

Absolutely. His emails were dealt with at the time. Somehow they weren't as "bad" as this current business. You see the IM's as some Dem-inspired, left-wing conspiracy abetted by a so-called liberal media? Having not seen the contents of either, how do you know the emails and IM's were not as bad as each other? You don't know, but in your foaming-at-the-mouth desire to back this piece of shit, you ASSUME the former were not at bad as the LATTER. And you also accuse, with absolutely NO credible evidence, these mystery Dems of holding onto this info - and therefore knowingly supporting "paedophile" behaviour, while happily giving the GoP a free pass on how they handled the emails. Yeah, I'm aware, and have grasped the significance: being that if a scumbag Repub sends sleazy messages to young teenage boys it's more important to shift the blame to the messangers - whoever they may be - than lay the blame at the feet of the person who thoroughly deserves it.
 
We've all said Foley was a loser and it's good he's gone....

But it's the Dems. with the help of the media who won't let this drop....

So you better believe we have a right to dig for the fact's and talk about it also...

I believe there's going to be some people who wished they had just broke this and then just let things be taken care of.....But nooooooooo, the Dems. had to go and try to score some political points with it... And ABC and CREW I think will be the one's who are going to get spanked, because I believe they held on to this, so they could release it right before the election.....

While the Dems. might not have had a hand in this, they sure did look UGLY....

:cow:
 

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