Tom DeLay announced he would resign, and the political pundits let it fly. asap's CARYN ROUSSEAU decided to get a bunch of them to answer the same question: What's next?
Earlier this week, one of the Republican Party's most powerful figures -- Texan Tom DeLay -- announced he wouldn't run again for his Congressional seat. Now DeLay finds himself jobless at age 58, with 11 terms under his belt.
What to do?
"I plan to begin focusing on the next phase of my life as a private citizen," DeLay said in announcing that he would resign in mid-June, though he added that he would find "new ways" to contribute to the conservative cause.
asap asked bloggers, professors and political pundits the same question: What should DeLay do next?
"Get sized for prison blues. Slink back to Sugar Land and start reading the dictionary. He obviously needs a refresher on the meaning of words. In announcing his resignation he said: 'I am proud of the past. I am at peace with the present. And I am excited about the future.' If those are the adjectives he uses when announcing bad news, what's left for good news?" -- Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post.
"If Meredith Viera moves over to the Today Show, I think DeLay has a great opportunity to add some kick to The View. Alternatively, I'd like to see him star in a sitcom with (Georgia Congresswoman) Cynthia McKinney." -- Alex Pareene, editor of Wonkette.
"Mr. DeLay should contribute back to his community and back to his country in any way he sees fit." -- Lyda Ann Thomas, mayor of Galveston, Texas, which is in DeLay's congressional district.
"Rather than lobbying or being a political consultant it would be nice to see him do some sort of public service." -- Julian Zelizer, professor of history and Congressional expert at Boston University.
"Tom DeLay should go back to work as an exterminator. The pay wouldn't be quite as good as he's used too, but it would probably be more fun dealing with the critters under people's houses than the Democrats in Congress. Plus, as an added bonus, publicity-hungry district attorneys in Texas don't generally launch politically motivated prosecutions at exterminators. So, that's at least two ways his old profession would beat his current one." -- John Hawkins, of Right Wing News.
"He should start blogging. Blogdelay.com or something. I would totally read it. Every day. Seriously." -- Dylan Stableford of New York, editor of Fishbowlny.
"He should join the PorkBusters campaign against wasteful federal spending. It's never too late!" -- Glenn Reynolds, conservative/libertarian blogger at instapundit.com
"Start a brand of potato chips -- DeLay's." -- Claire Zulkey, Chicago humor writer and editor of Zulkey.com.
Caryn Rousseau covers the Midwest for asap from Kansas City, Mo.
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