Regis Philbin
Feb 5th, 2007, 07:07 PM
I could say a joke here...but it'd get me banned. :o
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2631.html
Despite Scandal, Page Program More Popular
By: Amy Doolittle
February 5, 2007 08:08 PM EST
The Mark Foley scandal, which last fall threatened to kill the congressional page program, has had the opposite effect: Interest from teenagers in the program is on the upswing.
Congressional officials attribute the increase to the old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Whatever the reason, it is now clear that the national uproar over Foley's sexually explicit e-mails -- which led to the Florida congressman's resignation and contributed to the GOP majority's rout in 2006 -- has hardly chilled the ambitions of young people who want to work on Capitol Hill.
Some members, including Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., last year called for the program's suspension or elimination amid accusations that House leaders had averted their gaze from evidence that Foley had engaged in sexually charged banter with male pages. Others thought the controversy itself would choke off interest among teenagers and their parents in both the House and Senate page programs.
But that's clearly not the case.
"Since then, there's been more interest from the general public calling about it, and there's been more interest from members on how they go about nominating someone for the program," said Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, which handles questions about the House page program.
"I don't think it's surprising," Hammill added. "It's an incredible opportunity for a high school junior to come to the Capitol and be so close to the legislative process."
Officials with the Senate page program have also handled more inquiries -- an uptick that they attribute in large part to news reports in the wake of the Foley affair.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2631.html
Despite Scandal, Page Program More Popular
By: Amy Doolittle
February 5, 2007 08:08 PM EST
The Mark Foley scandal, which last fall threatened to kill the congressional page program, has had the opposite effect: Interest from teenagers in the program is on the upswing.
Congressional officials attribute the increase to the old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Whatever the reason, it is now clear that the national uproar over Foley's sexually explicit e-mails -- which led to the Florida congressman's resignation and contributed to the GOP majority's rout in 2006 -- has hardly chilled the ambitions of young people who want to work on Capitol Hill.
Some members, including Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., last year called for the program's suspension or elimination amid accusations that House leaders had averted their gaze from evidence that Foley had engaged in sexually charged banter with male pages. Others thought the controversy itself would choke off interest among teenagers and their parents in both the House and Senate page programs.
But that's clearly not the case.
"Since then, there's been more interest from the general public calling about it, and there's been more interest from members on how they go about nominating someone for the program," said Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, which handles questions about the House page program.
"I don't think it's surprising," Hammill added. "It's an incredible opportunity for a high school junior to come to the Capitol and be so close to the legislative process."
Officials with the Senate page program have also handled more inquiries -- an uptick that they attribute in large part to news reports in the wake of the Foley affair.