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Friday, July 25, 1997

Armey appears combative, DeLay relieved in wake of GOP airing

By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT / Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - As seismic shocks from an aborted rebellion against Speaker Newt Gingrich ripple through House Republican ranks, Texans Dick Armey and Tom DeLay have emerged from the intrigue with starkly different attitudes.

In separate interviews Thursday - the day after they stood before GOP colleagues to apologize for their lapses during the failed coup - the majority leader appeared combative, the majority whip relieved.

Walking into the extraordinary late-night caucus of House Republicans on Wednesday night, both Texans' hold on power was shaky. They emerged from the three-hour session humbled but with their jobs intact, at least for now. But it remains to be seen how a leadership divided by shifting loyalties will function as a team.

On a day when most House Republicans praised the new spirit of unity flowing from a meeting they described in near-religious terms, Armey signaled a continuing lack of trust in the leadership team below him - though he mentioned no names.

The "disappointing lesson," the majority leader told Texas reporters Thursday, is: "I must check out everything for myself or my own staff ... You can't rely on reports from other people."

"Ninety-nine percent of the whole world who loves me is my family or (is) on my payroll," the Irving lawmaker said.

Relations between Armey and DeLay, who historically have been friends and allies, were frayed during the post-coup maneuvering.

Armey blamed DeLay for signaling during a July 11 meeting with the anti-Gingrich forces that the leadership backed their cabal. Appearing before the conference Wednesday night, DeLay confessed that he had promised the rebels his vote - a statement he said he regretted the moment he made it.

DeLay's camp was furious that Armey sought to shore up his eroding support by casting blame elsewhere. The majority whip's loyalists said Armey separately had telegraphed his support for the rebels, pulling back only when he calculated that he wouldn't become speaker if Gingrich were toppled.

Armey, whose version of events was challenged by some, continued to insist Thursday that he had done nothing for which he should be ashamed. "I'm very satisfied that I have done and acted in accordance with the sound principles of ethics, morality and responsibility," he said.

DeLay, for his part, had a bounce in his step after two difficult weeks.

"It's a great day," he said in an interview.

Breaking his public silence, the Sugar Land lawmaker said he was immensely relieved that he had unburdened himself before his colleagues.

"They could have drummed me out in a minute," he acknowledged. "I put a lot of trust in the members last night in baring my soul and they delivered."

Recalling the Bible passage "The truth shall set you free," DeLay said: "When I finally realized that yesterday morning, I was set free ... The burden was lifted off of me like you wouldn't believe."

Even as Republicans were heartened by the airing of their squabbles, DeLay said it would be a mistake to think problems are solved and dissension over.

"The frustrations are still there and I recognize that," he said, vowing to spend the weekend in his Sugar Land back yard figuring out how to improve the leadership's dealings with the rank and file. "If we don't understand that and deal with that, the next time it will be even worse."

DeLay and Armey both said they can put their rift behind them.

"We can work together. We are professionals. We are friends," DeLay said.

Armey said the two "know we can both do our job and do it well." But when asked if the two are friends, Armey was silent for a long time. "Tom DeLay and I will get along just fine," he finally said. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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