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In the Crossfire

Neither Democrats nor GOP claims Traficant

(CNN) -- After U.S. Rep. James Traficant's conviction on bribery, racketeering and tax evasion charges, GOP strategist Alex Castellanos and Democratic consultant Peter Fenn stepped into the "Crossfire" with hosts Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson to discuss the legal troubles of the nine-term congressman, a maverick Democrat from Ohio.

FENN: [Traficant] was never part and parcel of the Democratic Party. He didn't vote with us. He voted for the other speaker, [Dennis] Hastert, last time. So he's in your lap now, baby.

Now, he who laughs last is the way I look at this.

BEGALA: Jim Traficant joins Gary Condit as the other favorite Bush Democrat. The two guys who voted with Bush more than anybody else in my party -- Gary Condit and Jim Traficant.

So you're welcome to him.

CASTELLANOS: Well, I think there's no doubt, first of all, that he's going to get elected prison president [laughter] ... that's what he can do there.

But look, the only crime that Traficant has committed that [House Minority Leader Richard] Gephardt can't forgive is that he voted for Hastert. He voted for a Republican.

It's been the same Traficant for years, and the Democrats had no problem with him all that time. But now it's all about politics. It's about control of the House.

So finally the Democrats have the courage to do the right thing when it helps them politically.

BEGALA: ... He went and voted for Hastert. He voted for all of Bush's agenda, so he's a Republican.

CASTELLANOS: Well, I think we all agree, it's time for him to go.

But it's interesting that the Democrats only find their voice when it's politically beneficial for them.

FENN: No, now Alex. That's the biggest bunch of nonsense.

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a duck. It's a Republican duck.