Tom DeLay’s Texas two-step on 'Dancing With the Stars' has critics hissing – first photos

In what has to be the oddest melding of popular culture and political life since television discovered Rod Blagojevich, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay – now facing charges of  money laundering and other ethics violations – is practicing with professional dancer Cheryl Burke for next month’s return of “Dancing With the Stars.”

ABC has just released the first photos of the two practicing, and the very sight was enough to send liberal critics hissing.

Humor columnist Celia Rivenbark, writing for the McClatchy-Tribune News Service, has dubbed the event “Dancing With the Creeps.”

"Somewhere Michael Vick's agent must be slapping himself upside the head and wondering why he didn't think of that,” she wrote. “What's next? An Argentine tango demonstration by (amazingly, still) S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford?”

DeLay, who was known in Washington as “The Hammer” for his hard-pounding political tactics, has reportedly lost 12 pounds in preparation for the big contest.

But will the dancing soften his image enough to convince Travis County Dist. Atty. Rosemary Lehmberg not to press ahead with the corruption case against him?

As The Times’ Matea Gold reported earlier this month, the show’s producers deliberately selected the combative conservative in hopes of broadening the audience.

"Every season, we try to change the game a little and spread the net a bit wider," said Conrad Green, executive producer of "Dancing With the Stars." "We wanted someone sort of iconic and who the audience would have strong feelings about."

DeLay would certainly qualify on that front. Already, angry viewers have protested on ABC’s message board. Wrote one: “I guess you couldn't get Bernie Madoff."

 -- Johanna Neuman

 Photo: ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars" 

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Comments

[Joe]

I've been a Cheryl Burke fan from the first time I saw her dance and I just wonder who made the decision to "Punish" her by assigning Mr. DeLay to be her dancing???partner???!!!
Cheryl, you deserve sooooooooooooo much better. Why didn't you give her at least a small chance. It will be a surprise if Mr. DeLay last beyond three weeks. Sorry Cheryl. You're certainly in the top two of Professional dancers and should have been treated with more dignity.

[Tannim]

But the real question is, was he sober during this, or was The Hammer hammered?

[Randy Dauley]

Perhaps Tom DeLay should team up Dick Cheney and demonstrate the perp walk in preparation for a well deserved term in prison.

[Puck]

It would have been a great balance if they had included maybeeee... Chelsea Clinton?

[P-Cat]

Normally a fan but I can't even look at this piece of garbage. Maybe I'll tune in next season but definitely not this year.

[Medaton]

Tom DeLay is a fabulous dancer. He was a great legislator. He is also an innocent man. Give it up haters.

[The Shining City on a Hill]

There is always hope for a disgraced conservative!

[loggr1050]

The charges against Tom DeLay were nothing but a baseless political witch hunt. One charge has been completely been dropped by a Democrat judge and it is only a matter of time for the other two charges to be dropped as well. It has been ridiculous how long Ronnie Earle dragged this thing out - but the reason? He has no evidence of wrongdoing so the last thing he wants to do is go to trial. We'll see how Lehmber (the new DA) handles the case now.

I can't wait to see the Hammer dance! I bet people will be surprised!

[Marsha K.]

SHAME on ABC's Dancing with the Stars using the likes of Tom Delay to kick the show up a notch. It was fine without him. We already know about all the corruption in Washington. Despite our best efforts to clean things up..people like you continue to feed in to such garbage. Who's next? Michael Vick. SHAME...SHAME..SHAME on you.