DeLay and the NRA

Some on the left have made comments on this turn of phrase by Tom DeLay in his speech to the NRA:

"When a man is in trouble or in a good fight, you want to have your friends around, preferably armed. So I feel really good."

But is anyone really surprised? When one becomes as embattled as Tom DeLay has, you need everyone to think you have as many supporters as you can. The average American is going to look at the stories on DeLay and think that he might actually be guilty. Which is why Tom needs to appeal to the more extreme ends of the party in order to survive.

And if you don't think the NRA is an extreme wing, read no further:

The National Rifle Association, holding its annual convention in Houston this weekend, believes guns are crucial in helping Americans feel secure against terrorism. The group is so adamant that law-abiding citizens be able to purchase firearms unfettered that it is unwilling to support changing the law to keep terror suspects from buying guns.

(snip)

The NRA opposes preventing terror suspects from purchasing firearms.

"Nobody really knows who gets on this list," LaPierre said. "This is a list that somebody has just put a name on. These people haven't been indicted for anything; they haven't been convicted of anything. (my emphasis)

So it is okay to deny someone access to a flight in an airplane because they might be a terror suspect, but go ahead and give them all the guns and weapons they want. Makes sense to me.

DeLay knows he needs these images of support as well. His opening before his aforementioned speech:

"Thank you very much for the warm welcome. I hope the national media saw that."

Extremists tend to support each other. It's the only chance Tom DeLay may have to survive.