Doolittle: I'm a Duke lacrosse player

Stunning audio from John Doolittle's press conference today. The key part of the transcript:

I have been an effective representative for the region and shall continue to be one despite this situation. Finally I will just say that if there is anything we should have learned from the Duke lacrosse case, it is that the destruction of the reputations of innocent people can occur when the government, the press and the public jump to unfounded conclusions. I ask everyone to withhold judgment until the all facts are known and the truth can prevail.

I've come up with a new slogan for him. Vote Doolittle '08: he didn't assault that girl!

This statement, by the way, is the standard Republican template of scandal denial, handed out via Republican National Committee fax to any corrupt Congressman who requests it. There's a blank line for your name (Cunningham, Ney, Doolittle, Renzi) and your state, and the martyr du jour that you can compare your situation to (Duke lacrosse case, Anna Nicole's baby daddy, Joan of Arc Sanjaya Malakar, Richard Gere kissing an Indian woman, Jesus Christ).

It comes in very handy.