RUN AWAY!

It's pretty obvious that the pending tossing of "The Hammer" off the H.M.S. Bounty is an inside, preemptive job. The GOP doesn't want DeLay around during the 2006 elections.

So what to do.

Well, I think it is important to remember who, just a few days ago, was on their knees fellating the Republican Yagoda (Stalin's Malignant Dwarf).

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) challenged his liberal critics yesterday to "bring it on," as major conservative groups organized a formal defense against questions about DeLay's ethical conduct.

The groups -- led by David A. Keene of the American Conservative Union and including the Heritage Foundation, Leadership Institute and Family Research Council -- met privately with DeLay last week and pledged to use their grass-roots databases and networks to try to mitigate the damage from news accounts of DeLay's travel and relationships with lobbyists.

The groups' leaders, who said they regard the attacks on DeLay as an attack on the whole conservative movement, also have talked about holding a salute or tribute dinner for DeLay. They said the proceeds would benefit a children's charity not associated with the majority leader.

Oh please, oh please fight for him.

Conservative leaders say defending House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is a litmus test for any Republican lawmaker seeking their support, even as a liberal advocacy group announced yesterday it will run commercials questioning Mr. DeLay's ethics in some House Republicans' districts.

And let us hope that some prominant Republicans join in:

After all there is THIS little nugget to tar them with repeatedly,

House Republicans proposed changing their rules last night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders.

The proposed rule change, which several leaders predicted would win approval at a closed meeting today, comes as House Republicans return to Washington feeling indebted to DeLay for the slightly enhanced majority they won in this month's elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered a grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature's redistricting actions.

Or remember when the House Ethics Committee was reorganized to protect DeLay, the GOP said:

Ron Bonjean, Hastert's communications director, said the party's leaders have no intention of giving in. "It's very clear we're at an impasse caused by Democrat partisan politics," he said. "The House has already voted on rules for this Congress, and there is no credible reason to do it again."

And there are so many, many more.

Let's start accumulating "I Love the Hammer" quotes from GOP House members shall we?