61%. That is the number of American adults who believe the Republican leadership has been covering for Foley. That is from the latest Rasmussen poll.

Other interesting numbers include:

• 61% say they are following the Foley story somewhat or very closely.
• 47% will vote for a Democrat this fall as opposed to only 34% who will vote Republican (Democrats up 5-8 points from August).
• 45% would allow their child to serve as a House page and 35% would not.

The Republicans are in big time trouble and it is no one’s fault but theirs. They have tried to cover for Foley, it has now become public knowledge and Americans are interested. In turn the scandal has provided severe damage to the page program and to the Republicans chance of holding power this fall.

The news right now is that Republicans are defending Hastert and other leaders, but if this bad news continues then they will have to turn on him for their own self survival. They say these races are all local, but something as powerful as the Foley scandal will help overshadow even local politics. Already returning incumbents are facing tough questions on Foley and those are the first questions asked.

To sum it up – America wants answers – answers the Republican party does not want to give. Our government is “by the people for the people” and if the Republicans don’t want to answer to the people then they will be fired. This is there mess. Democrats had absolutely nothing to do with it, no matter how hard the Republicans try to spin it that way. The American people know that, but the Republican party is once again in denial of what their constituents are thinking. There is no doubt that they are not a party meant to lead.