Hammer Slammer Ding Don't

With the news today that a Texas judge has thrown out part of the indictment against former House majority leader Tom DeLay, cries of support for the former bug exterminator turned congressional Hammer were heard across the right-wing blogosphere, or at least over at Free Republic.

Granted, Judge Pat Priest kicked out only the charge of conspiracy DeLay had faced, leaving in place the counts that will have DeLay on trial for money laundering in connection with 2002 campaign fundraising. That was reason enough to have DeLay's fans rewriting the chorus for Hammer Slammer Ding Dong.

”Delay for President.” (We can think of others who'd like to slow down that scenario.)

Wrote another: “ok...put him back in his leadership positions in the HOUSE. NOW!

Or maybe this correspondent just summed it up: “BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It's Hammer Time!

The discussion over at Democratic Underground, sort of the inverse to Free Republic, was about as elevated.

Here's sample: ”I say we throw completely unrelated charges on...just for fun because we know he derserves them.” (That's a joke, right?)

Or: “the pig deserves a lot worse than anything we can throw at him” (Probably not really kidding, that one.)

The folks at Democratic Underground took heart in legal dramas yet to come. ”This is just the start for Tom,” one wrote. “The money laundering case is air tight. . . .They have the checks. And this does not touch his buddies Abramoff & company.”

Right, that Abramoff lobbying scandal, Wampumgate, the big one, the really big one. Here's what you need to know about that one, courtesy of Ward Harkavy's Bush Beat.