Jonah, I thought it nothing short of bizarre for Robinson to suggest that the “crucial” element in this scandal was Foley’s homosexuality. The crucial element in this scandal is the pedal-to-the-metal media hype. Without that, this would be seen as a limited scandal, limited to one individual – the way the media treated Bill Jefferson, or Alan Mollohan, the way they treated Jim Traficant, Gary Condit, Edwin Edwards, Mel Reynolds. It can be plausibly argued that the prospect of pushing a hypocrisy angle on “anti-gay” socially conservative GOP regulars was the uber-delicious angle for the media. But watch those social conservatives: evangelicals aren’t so “apoplectic” that they’re considering handing over the keys to Congress on abortion and “gay marriage” and embryo-crunching stem-cell research and “medical marijuana” and faith-based initiatives to Nancy Pelosi, marching down San Francisco streets with Sister Boom Boom in gay pride parades. What kind of decision is it – in their own interest – for the religious right to let Mark Foley hand over Congress to the party of Planned Parenthood and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force?