Tom DeLay

[piimapoika]

DWTS has just started showing here in Blighty. This Tom DeLay sounds important. Leader of the House of Representatives - what does that mean? Is he your equivalent of the Prime Minister?

[etp777]

He wasn't that important, and been ages since I studied british government. As house majority leader, maybe compare to deputy speaker of house of commons? Somethign along those lines (and yes, very rough comparison. :) )

[j_alexandra]

He wasn't that important, and been ages since I studied british government. As house majority leader, maybe compare to deputy speaker of house of commons? Somethign along those lines (and yes, very rough comparison. :) )

Title was important; Majority Leader is in charge of the party in the majority (duh) and basically wrangles them into line. Delay was very powerful, though, when he was in office, a huge power behind closed doors, an arm twister with an agenda, not a paper pusher. Nicknamed The Hammer -- a tough guy who made sure you did what he wanted, and got even with you if you didn't.

[etp777]

Oh, he was important, was just trying to say his position wasn't as important as PM. Though yes, he had influence based on his own personality that went beyond that of just the position of house majority leader

[RickRS]

Delay was the equivilent of the top ranking majority party member of your House of Commons. If there any sort of position for MP leader in the House of Commons? We consider the Prime Minister the equiv of our President. Gordon = Obama.

Delay was forced to resign from Congress by his own party after being charged with conspiring to violate campaign finance laws and rumors of his involvement in the Jack Abramoff scandal surfaced. You could check Wiki for references.

[danceronice]

And really, compared to what some people on the Hill get up to, what he may or may not have done was fairly tame. I believe Delay was the Whip before he was Majority Leader, and IIRC there may be something similar in Parliament--basically you keep your members in line, if possible.

Delay's wife and daughter are apparently huge DWTS fans so when the casting director called he decided to do it. Apparently the dream casting "get" would be Bill Clinton, but his office hangs up on them.

[dlgodud]

Apparently the dream casting "get" would be Bill Clinton, but his office hangs up on them.

How much they have to pay him if he decided to do it? They probably have to pay him entire salaries for the celebrities+professionals for one season plus extra. I want to see my professionals get paid more than watching Bill Clinton doing Chacha with pro ladies. ;)

[Chris Stratton]

Re recruiting Clinton, when you are talking about a big guy who iirc already had some knee issues, I think learning some relaxed, dignified dancing for the sake of enjoyment would be a more appropriate initial target than diving into a high pressure TV spectacle that has had a high injury rate.

[danceronice]

Again, legal, no one died, national security wasn't compromised, and he's never been tried or convicted of stealing. Compared to what some people on the Hill get up to without so much as a reprimand (some even get lauded as "lions" at their funeral), it makes the GOP look like they absolutley overreacted. I'll worry about gerrymandering first when the Michigan Democrats stop doing it and second when it IS illegal, and about Delay being the WORST THING EVER when people who should have been in jail get tossed from left side of the aisle in both houses and out of their appointments.

And I give him major props for being willing to be the 'old guy in a suit trying to dance' this season. Given the number of people with way more debilitating prior injuries Clinton should give it a go--and he could point out that it's good exercise for people who've had heart problems! (Plus, come on, attractive women in scanty Latin outfits? Right up his alley and as far as his tomcatting rep goes, for the most part I kind of see where he's coming from and think he deserves to have a little legal fun.)

[fascination]

guys...pre-emptively...let us drop the political rhetoric...thanks

[jennyisdancing]

How much they have to pay him if he decided to do it? They probably have to pay him entire salaries for the celebrities+professionals for one season plus extra. I want to see my professionals get paid more than watching Bill Clinton doing Chacha with pro ladies. ;)

Oh man...I would love to see Clinton dance. But you know it ain't gonna happen. :p

On the other hand, John Edwards is probably available. ;)

[fascination]

that is an official request

[fascination]

erm...let's just stick to tom DeLay's skill or lack thereof...thanks

[jennyisdancing]

that is an official request

No rhetoric implied on my part. Personally I think it's an amusing and harmless discussion to speculate which politicians could appear on DWTS....no need to discuss their political viewpoints though, I agree.

[fascination]

no problem discussing a person's proclivity toward dance...just asking pre-emptively that folks monitor themselves in making assessments that include inflammatory insinuations....no particular target , no particular problem...just a pre-emptive request b/c this is a forum about dance, not about politics...and we aren't going there...thanks all for appreciating that an ounce of prevention is often the best way to proceed

[jennyisdancing]

no problem discussing a person's proclivity toward dance...just asking pre-emptively that folks monitor themselves in making assessments that include inflammatory insinuations....no particular target , no particular problem...just a pre-emptive request b/c this is a forum about dance, not about politics...and we aren't going there...thanks all for appreciating that an ounce of prevention is often the best way to proceed

Agreed...I think it's interesting enough to discuss strictly dance-related proclivities. I wonder sometimes which politicians know how to dance and I think we had a thread on this before. Presidential chief of staff Rahm Emanuel studied ballet for years, so it would be interesting to see him ballroom dance. I'm racking my brain to think of female politicians with dance interests; I'm sure there must be some.

[fascination]

probably...though I can't think of any off-hand...if I had to pick one whom I would like to see dance it would be Queen Noir (sp) of Jordan

[Chris Stratton]

Given the number of people with way more debilitating prior injuries..should give it a go--and he could point out that it's good exercise for people who've had heart problems!

Dancing for its own sake could be a good idea; subjecting yourself to a lot of un-natural pressure and expectations, being expected to try to do things that students being taught to dance would not attempt without months to years of building skill and specific strength (remember it is first and foremost a show) sounds like a very good way to get hurt.

I think it was Warren Miller who said something to the effect of nothing lowers a skiier's IQ faster than a camera... and the meaning was specifically about doing things that increase the risk of injury

[danceronice]

See, Clinton (like all politicians) is a competitive guy. I would think it's right up his alley. And with a bad knee all you have to do is be careful. I tore mine up really good when I was fourteen and I just have to be careful twisting. I still wear 3" heels.

But then I never see the point in doing anything that takes so much work if you're not going to show off, and a TV show is a great place to do it! Especially if (like Delay and Clinton) you're pretty much done with elected office.

(And I won't say anything else. But I may start hitting "report" on any posts I find politically offensive, meaning anything not dance-related that's negative about Republicans including snide asides or remarks about current and former GOP politicians and appointees. Not everyone around here is a liberal and it's offensive and when I see it I will respond in kind if it's not removed.)

[Chris Stratton]

But then I never see the point in doing anything that takes so much work if you're not going to show off, and a TV show is a great place to do it! Especially if (like Delay and Clinton) you're pretty much done with elected office.

The problem with DWTS is that you are pushed to show off regardless if you are ready to yet or not - the whole premise of the show is built around suspending good judgment. Seeing people make fools of themselves is part of the fun. But having people injured - be it on TV or in practice while struggling to try too much too fast, is not part of the fun.

[fascination]

See, Clinton (like all politicians) is a competitive guy. And with a bad knee all you have to do is be careful. I tore mine up really good when I was fourteen and I just have to be careful twisting. I still wear 3" heels.

But then I never see the point in doing anything that takes so much work if you're not going to show off, and a TV show is a great place to do it! Especially if (like Delay and Clinton) you're pretty much done with elected office.

(And I won't say anything else. But I may start hitting "report" on any posts I find politically offensive, meaning anything not dance-related that's negative about Republicans including snide asides or remarks about current and former GOP politicians and appointees. Not everyone around here is a liberal and it's offensive and when I see it I will respond in kind if it's not removed.)
when I made my remark, I made it in general ...regardless of leanings, this staff will not appreciate personal remarks on either side...never have never will...that has always been the case to my knowlege...and am not appreciating any suggestion otherwise

[fascination]

moving right along to the thread topic...which was tom delay...no one else...b/c he is dancing...let us only discuss his dancing....I have wasted enough time editing this thread...it will be locked if I have to do it again