In The Days

• Source: Politico
• News Date: 3/8/10
• Author: Glenn Thrush

Whatever he has done or not done, I will miss Eric Massa, for no other reason than his gift with a phrase.

To view dictionary popup window put your cursor on the blue scripture words

Perilous Times

“This know also, that in the last days perilous•Strongs 5467: chalepos, khal-ep-os´; perhaps from 5465 through the idea of reducing the strength; difficult, i.e. dangerous, or (by implication) furious:—fierce, perilous. times shall come.”
—2 Timothy 3:1-2a

Editors note about the word perilous•FYI: The Greek word (chalepos) (perilous) is only used one other time in the New Testament, Matthew 8:28. There it is translated as (fierce) when describing the nature of the devils that possess Legion and his cohort.

”But evil•Strongs 4190: poneros, pon-ay-ros´; from a derivative of 4192; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from 2556, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from 4550, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners:—bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness). See also 4191.
•Strongs 4192: ponos, pon´-os; from the base of 3993; toil, i.e. (by implication) anguish:—pain. men and seducers•Strongs 1114: goes, go´-ace; from goa¿w goao (to wail); properly, a wizard (as muttering spells), i.e. (by implication) an imposter:—seducer. shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
—2 Timothy 3:13

“Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.”
— Psalms 109:6

In an amazing, far-ranging interview/monologue with a Rochester-area radio station, Massa admits making an off-color, sexual comment to a young staffer — but still claims Democratic leadership ratted him out to kill a health care “no” vote.

That brought him to the subject of Rahm Emanuel and arm-twisting:

“Rahm Emanuel is son of the devil’s spawn,” Massa said, according to City Hall. “He is an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive.”

Later in the interview, Massa — who sits down with Glenn Beck for a one-hour interview on Tuesday — tells a bizarre story about Emanuel accosting him in the House gym — in the buff:

“Let me tell you a story about Rahm Emanuel,” Massa started. “I was a congressman in my first eight weeks, and I was in the congressional gym, and I went down and I worked out and I went into the showers…I’m sitting there showering, naked as a jaybird and here comes Rahm Emanuel not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me because I wasn’t going to vote for the president’s budget. Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man?”

Massa has never enjoyed a particularly close relationship with Emanuel, who was chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when Massa first ran for unsuccessfully, without much DCCC support, in 2006.

Massa’s near defeat of incumbent Randy Kuhl that year — he lost by 6,033 votes — attracted the attention of Emanuel’s successor Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who helped Massa defeat Kuhl in a nail-biting rematch in ’08.

Massa relationship with House leadership has been in the dumps for months, and only got worse after he bucked Democrats on the health reform vote last fall — earning him the enmity of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her ally Emanuel who personally lobbied fence-sitters. It’s not clear if Massa, who was regarded by Pelosi and the White House as a lost cause, was part of his effort.

Few tears have been shed over Massa’s departure on the Hill. Other members describe him as volatile, argumentative, the antithesis of the a team player — even though he supported leadership on many other issues, including the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

“Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.”
— Psalms 109:6