For What It's Worth

In case it isn't obvious, I still don't think that Massa was forced out by House Democratic leadership. I think he did something wrong. And by "wrong", I don't mean that he led a double life -- I could care less about that, and I'm sure that voters would come to accept it. By "wrong", I mean that he used his power and position to harm someone on his staff.

Massa is executing a typically elaborate and well-thought-out strategy to manage his reputation and salvage what's left of his credibility. Part of that strategy is misdirection: he wants us concentrating on petty details like Rahm Emanuel's naked encounter with him in the House showers. Another part of the strategy is righteousness: he wants us to believe that he's such a proponent of single payer that he'll torpedo healthcare reform to get it.

Finally, he's trying to arouse our sympathy by (literally) waving around CAT scans. All I know about this is the direct experience I have from a close family member, who had the exact same cancer as Massa, and made a similar recovery. Suspense is just part of being a lymphoma survivor. There's no way to know whether the scar tissue in your chest is harboring cancer until it grows quite large. Unless there's more to the story, Massa's not living with more suspense today than he was a year ago. I respect Massa's battle, but my family member didn't quit his stressful job over it.

The fact remains that the only cogent reason for Massa to resign is to hide whatever he did. This will officially bury the investigation, and unofficially make any leaks include questions about the motives of the leaker.

Massa will certainly lay down a smokescreen of epic proportion in the sympathetic interviews he has scheduled tomorrow with Glenn Beck and Larry King. He's clearly angling to be a "political personality" in the mold of Sarah Palin, no matter the time, money and trust invested in him by his supporters.

The one thing that could turn this whole farce around is the appearance of the person Massa allegedly wronged. If this person speaks out, and appears honest and credible, all the bullshit that Massa's been spreading for the last 36 hours will be irrelevant.

Comments

couldn't agree more. well said.

Rotters,

You have distilled the story to its fundamental essence. And spared me half a day's writing about it.

Hat off to you.

Cheers,

Philbrick

Thanks!

I agree... this kind of says it all.

Gibbs brushes off resigned congressman's complaint
(AP) – 3 hours ago

WASHINGTON — President Obama's spokesman is brushing aside allegations by a resigned New York congressman who says he was forced out by the administration and Democratic leaders because of his opposition to health care reform.

Interviewed on ABC's "Good Morning America," press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about the assertions Rep. Eric Massa made Sunday in a radio address in his home district in western New York.

Gibbs said, "I think this whole story is ridiculous. I think the latest excuse is silly and ridiculous." He accused Massa of continually changing the reasons for leaving Congress. Massa, a Democrat whose resignation took effect Monday, is facing a harassment complaint from a male staffer.

My thoughts exactly! The guy always creeped me out and that hasn't changed in the last three days