Wherein Tom DeLay Says Things of Note

There are many things that can be said of Tom DeLay, and many of them are conjugation of four-letter root words, but the guy knows how to operate. He played as much of a roll in the creation of the contemporary republican party as anyone and knows intimately its strengths and weaknesses. He's not an "idea guy" or wonk in the manner that Newt Gingrich prefers to advertise himself, DeLay's a tooth and nail political brawler -- policy be damned. So if you're a Republican and he is assessing the political meteorology of the season, it's best to heed his forecast:

"Don't kid yourself. She will be the next nominee, and if Republicans don't get their act together and it is pitiful she will be the next president," [DeLay] told a crowd of Britons and Americans at the Oxford Union, a 184-year-old debating society.

[...]

"She has, over the last six years, put together the most powerful political coalition I have ever witnessed in my career," he said. "It's not a left-wing conspiracy, ladies and gentlemen, it's a smart, very impressive political coalition."

Then again, it might be wise to take with a grain of salt someone who says this:

"By the way, there's no one denied health care in America. There are 47 million people who don't have health insurance, but no American is denied health care in America," he said to derisive laughter.

See what I mean about the whole policy thing?