In case you hadn't followed the latest in Tom DeLay's trial fiasco, he reported to some local precinct in Texas to go through the pro forma booking, photographing and fingerprinting. DeLay enemies were salivating, rubbing their hands together. Some of them were close to swooning. A DeLay mugshot. Gritty. Frowning. The measuring scale background. The little black placque. Yep. Pure political bliss. Even if DeLay is not, indeed, proven guilty of the indictments against him (and whatever the truth of the case, Prosecutor Earle, one must admit, is running an absolute circus), the sort of mugshot they envisioned would work great in the attack ads his political opponents were dreaming up.
All that being said, DeLay surely knew precisely for what his enemies were salivating: the mugshot. So, what did Delay do? He deprived them of their bliss. You can guarantee that this mugshot will not find its way into any opposition ad.
Freakin' brilliant.
Posted by Clifton at October 21, 2005 08:33 AM | TrackBackUnless, of course, he's found guilty...rendering this the "I'll get away with.....OOPS!" picture.
Posted by: Bro. James at October 21, 2005 08:58 AMJames:
Well, yes. Very, very true.
But politics, very regrettably, is the art of the "now." If he is found guilty, I'm guessing the "perp walk" (in handcuffs) will trump this little political gamesmanship.
Posted by: Clifton D. Healy at October 21, 2005 09:05 AMIsn't that hilarious? When I saw this mugshot yesterday I nearly spit my coffee all over my monitor at work. He turned his mugshot into a campaign poster.
Posted by: Doug at October 21, 2005 09:46 AMSay you're pro life and we'll just cover our eyes and ears to even the possibility you did anything wrong.
The released mugshot seems to be a crop of a real mug shot: add two inches to the side and you get the height markers. Add Two inches to the bottom and you get the card with the numbers.
My guess is advanced spin masters and photoshop.
Posted by: Huw Raphael at October 21, 2005 10:30 AMInteresting, Huw. Are there online views of the uncropped photo?
But of course the mugshot is spin. That's my whole point.
Posted by: Clifton D. Healy at October 21, 2005 11:33 AMNo, no cropped photos... in fact the sheriff's office he picked doesn't use slates. But we agree on spin. Mores the pity.
I'm waiting for Neocons to attempt to make Delay a martyr equal to the Left's President Clinton.
Posted by: Huw Raphael at October 21, 2005 11:46 AMDoesn't use slates? Texas is a whole 'nother world, that's for sure.
Hmmm. Wonder how many staffers it took to research that info?
Posted by: Clifton D. Healy at October 21, 2005 11:53 AM