Tom DeLay: "Conservatives Can Have Fun Too"
Yesterday, ABC announced that the former Republican leader known as "The Hammer" will be a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" this Fall.
Today, DeLay was on ABC's "Good Morning America" to explain why he decided to join the show.
"I love dancing … you've got to love dancing if you're from Texas," DeLay said. "Conservatives can have fun too… Conservatives can let their hair down, and open their collars, and put on some dancing shoes."
DeLay has been known as a fan of the show. He previously called on supporters to vote for country star Sara Evans.
DeLay added that he's "in it to win it" and indicated he's willing to use his political skills to his advantage.
"I'd be a fool not to use that skill in this," he said.
He's already transformed his personal Web site into a forum for his new career, "Dancing with DeLay."
"I'm going to go out to the American people, show them that I can dance, and hopefully they will vote for me," he said.
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DeLay has already been seriously practicing for the show. His daughter, Dani DeLay Ferro, who is a professional dancer, told Politics Daily that he's already lost 12 pounds during workouts.
Emily Miller of Politics Daily, who used to work for DeLay, also says she has first-hand knowledge that he can dance. DeLay's wife Christine told her that her husband can dance the two-step, polka, waltz, country swing and disco.
"I've been dancing all my life," DeLay told GMA.
DeLay, who resigned from the House in 2006 after he was indicted on campaign finance law charges in Texas, also addressed the case in the interview.
"My political opponents have had their day… They don't want to go to trial because they know they abused the grand jury system and they indicted me on laws that don't exist in Texas," he said. "We'll prove that someday, but I'm moving on. I'm not going to let modern-day politics hold me back."
You can watch more of the ABC interview here.
