The GOP is going through some tough times.  Raise your hand if you feel sorry for them?  No one?  Politico did a recap of the Repugnant Class of ‘94 to see how some of them have fared.  They have discovered that not only Mark Sanford and John Ensign (both from that notorious class) but 71 other freshman families have suffered some devastating damage.  The holier than thou gang (under the tutelage of Newt Gingrich) that professed family values, Christian morality, apple pie, ice cream and Mom turns out to be rotten to the core.  Read this fascinating article that includes names such as:

-  Rep. Jim Bunn (R-Ore.) who, not long after taking office in 1995, divorced his wife, married one of his political aides, and later elevated her to chief of staff. Bunn lost his 1996 reelection bid.

-  Rep. Enid Greene, who became the first female member of Congress from Utah in 1994, spent most of her single term in the House dealing with a scandal of her husband’s making. Joe Waldholtz, who married Greene in 1993, embezzled millions of dollars that he used to help finance her campaign. Once authorities finally caught up with Waldholtz, Greene filed for divorce and took custody of the couple’s daughter. She did not run for reelection in 1996.

-  Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.) got divorced in 1999.  Yes,  this is Morning Joe.

-  Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio) and his wife, Susan, divorced after she accused him of having an affair with his former chief of staff, who he later married.

-  Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who resigned his seat in 2006, was in a class by himself — he was forced to step down after becoming embroiled in a controversy involving sexually explicit messages he sent to young Capitol Hill pages.

-  I have not been a fan of Kirsten Gillibrand from day one.  I did not like how she was selected by wacky Governor David Paterson to fill Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat. I did not like what she stood for, her reputation or hopes for  the future.  Now, as I have stated before, the big shots in the Democratic Party are arm twisting any Dem that wants to challenge her in the primary. Chuck Schumer (who has been on my shit list for quite a while) is front and center in this bullying tactic.  Those that have shown an inkling of interest in the Senate seat have gotten phone calls from as high up as President Obama.  Something smells rotten here.

My Congresswoman, Carolyn Maloney is defying the odds and attempting to go solo and challenge Gillibrand in the Primary. I support her efforts and have written to her.  The NY Times addressed this issue in both an article in Friday’s paper called,  For an Insider, a Lonely Road to Senate Run and in an opinion piece in yesterday’s paper called Let Them Run.

If you want to encourage Carolyn Maloney to move ahead with her challenge, why not write to her as I did at her website.

-  People are talking about Sarah Palin and her latest headline grabbing move.  I heard a newscaster say yesterday that just last year, on July 4th almost no one had heard of Sarah Palin outside of Alaska.  Then I realized that she had not been plucked out of obscurity until last August when John (thank goodness he is not President) McCain chose her to be his running mate.  Raise your hand if you think that Ms Palin has had way more than her 15 minutes and it is time to move out of the spotlight. I also began to think that there are some people that need the heavy spotlight of attention.  They adhere to the idea that there is even bad press is good press.  As long as the microphones and high beams are on them they are feeling the glow.  In this aspect, Sarah Palin has a lot in common with the recently departed Michael Jackson.  Both of their stories will dominate the headlines this week.  Anyone vote for reruns of Law & Order or NCIS?

-  In the always leave ‘em laughing mode, watch this bulldog kissing an orangutan.