(SNN Washington) While many stories have been circulating the hill about Rep. Mark Foley, one thing is known for sure: Foley is a Republican congressman from Florida.

Senior members of the GOP were surprised to find out that Mark Foley was a sexual predator, or they have been trying to cover it up for several months, or they warned pages to stay away from Foley as many as three years ago. While Foley himself has called predators sickos, many members of the GOP say that what Foley did was no big deal, or at least not as bad as what Clinton did or utterly indefensible.

While cruising for tail, Foley would go on Internet chat sites with different user names and talk dirty with young men, as in the transcript below.

Maf54 (7:55:02 PM):Have you ever been in a Turkish Prison?:

[redacted screenname](7:55:12 PM): well ya

Maf54 (7:55:21 PM):very nice

[redacted screenname](7:55:24 PM): lol

Maf54 (7:56:55 PM):Have you ever seen a grown man naked?:

Maf54 (7:57:15 PM):Do you hang around gymnasiums?:

Maf54 (7:57:32 PM):Do you like Gladiator Movies?

However, Press Secretary Tony Snow defended Foley in an interview with Soledad O'Brien. “Look, I hate to tell you, but it's not always pretty up there on Capitol Hill and there have been other scandals than simply naughty email,” said Snow. “For senior members or the Republican party, sodomy is practically a way of saying hello. And as far as closeted homosexual tendencies, most men consider you smoking hot and would be rock hard just by being this close to you. However, I am entirely flaccid right now, but give me a piece of sweaty man meat like Robert Novak... Where was I?”

posted by NewsBlog 5000  # Monday, October 02, 2006