Congressman Mark Foley's Virtual Townhall Meeting

Yesterday, Florida Republican Congressman Mark Foley was forced to resign after revelations that he had sent sexually explicit instant messages to underage male congressional pages. For many in Foley's district, this news was quite shocking. But constituents who attended Foley's online "town meeting" back in June were perhaps less surprised...

Maf54: hi im congressman Mark Foley and welcome to my first live chat!

my apologies for the delay in getting started...i just rode 25-miles on my bike so im all hot and sweaty...but totally pumped about answering your questions!

lets get to it!

Marsha: Hi, Congressman Foley.

Maf54: hi marsha!

Marsha: I have a question about education. As the mother of twins who just completed their first year in high school, school funding is a big concern of mine.

Maf54: m or f?

Marsha: Huh?

Maf54: sorry...are your twins male or female?

Marsha: Oh. Not quite sure why it matters, but they're both girls.

Maf54: well marsha...im not on any of the education committees this year...but if you like...you could send your question to my staff and they might get back to you later...ok?

Marsha: Ok.

Maf54: thanks!

Peter: Hi, Congressman.

Maf54: hi peter!

Peter: Given the last response, I don't know if you can answer this, but I have a question about student loans.

Maf54: go ahead!

Peter: I've been thinking about applying for college aid next year.

Maf54: cool...how old are you now?

Peter: I'll be 18 in December.

Maf54: wow...from the tone of your question you sound much older...

Peter: Uh, thanks, I guess.

Maf54: what do you want for your birthday? what kind of stuff do you like to do?

Peter: ????

Maf54: ok...student loans is a very complex issue...but if you want... there are some documents i could send from my computer...do you have AIM?

Peter: Uh, Congressman, I really need to get back to studying. Thanks.

Maf54: but its summer break!

ok,,,,who else has a question?

Denise: Hello Mark!

Maf54: hi denise...are you the denise i think you are?

Denise: Sure am. I do have a question, but first I want to brag on you a bit!

Maf54: im blushing already!

Denise: Whenever someone says to me there are no decent people left in Congress, I always say, "You haven't met Mark Foley." He is what some of my Jewish friends here in South Florida call a mensch. When my son had a big soccer game, Congressman Foley was there. When my other son was competing in a wrestling championship, the congressman dropped everything he was doing and flew back to the district. When my daughter came back from serving in Iraq, Mark couldn't be there - both his grandmas were having surgery - but he sent a very nice note! That's just the kind of man he is.

I tell you, sometimes I think we don't need to re-elect Mark Foley, we need to clone him.

Maf54: haha now i have to rethink my stance on cloning! but trust me...theres more than enough of me to go around!

seriously,,,denise...i have a big night ahead of me...whats your question?

Denise: More a statement than a question: I've been having a lot of trouble with e-mails to your website. I wrote you from my personal address a bunch of times last year and it took me forever to get anything back. But when I sent an e-mail from my son's account, I got a response within an hour, asking for photos and if I wanted tickets to see Good Charlotte.

Maf54: oh...sorry about that...

Denise: I'm just hoping your webmaster isn't a Democrat or somebody trying to embarrass you.

Maf54: dont worry about it,,denise...that person has been disciplined very severely...and thank you for those pictures you sent

Denise: Anytime! Did you like my haircut?

Maf54: of course...i love the new pageboy!

Peter: Sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick

Maf54: peter...your back! you have a question about health care?