FELON Why is Tom DeLay smiling? Because the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy told him to do it. The above picture is Tom DeLay's mug shot. As you likely know, Tom DeLay, the Republican House Majority Leader, was recently indicted on felony charges on conspiracy and money-laundering. DeLay is smiling because the Republican PR machine correctly predicted that Democrats will want to use the mug shot in campaign ads next year. Their idea was that a smiling DeLay doesn't pack as much punch. However, DeLay goes beyond smiling here. It's an astonishingly maniacal grin more worthy of a madman than a congressman. It makes DeLay look 100% phony. It also makes him look like a bit of a fool. Nice try Mr. DeLay, but we'll be seeing this picture for a long time. If a Democrat did what Tom DeLay has done, there would be no discussion about his political future. He would have none. The corporate media and their right-wing allies would be making this the #1 story each and every day of the week. The Democrats lack the ability to use a complicit news media to further the attack on DeLay, but the Democrats still need to make a more consistent case against Tom DeLay. Each and every day several congressmen and other important Democrats should be giving speeches railing against 1) corruption in general and 2) DeLay's corruption in particular. Further, the Democrats need to point out that Tom DeLay's behavior is the rule, not the exception, when it comes to Corporate Republican politics. Finally, Democrats need to connect Bush with DeLay as much as possible. The message should be clear: if Bush won't condemn DeLay, then Bush and the rest of the GOP approve of massive corruption. Tom DeLay's felonies provide the perfect ammunition to obliterate the Republicans at the ballot box next year. Democrats must seize the moment and point out these essential truths to the American people.