Web pundits digest DeLay news

Web soapboxing picked up with Wednesday's news that one of the most powerful Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives had been indicted on campaign finance conspiracy charges.

Texan Tom DeLay, who could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if found guilty, said he'd temporarily step aside as majority leader.

Within hours of the announcements, his name snagged the No. 2 spot on site-tracker Technorati's most frequently searched terms. (New York Times op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd, whose content now requires a paid membership for access, led the pack.) A search on DeLay's first and last name returned more than 50,000 posts from the left, right and all shades between.

For some, the news proved reason for gleeful exclamations. "It's not even my birthday, and Tom DeLay's indicted! La la la la laaaa laaaaaaa!" wrote one Livejournal user, and another one posted, "Do a happy dance!"

Others merely dismissed the charges. "Taken on face value, it appears that Tom DeLay is guilty of knowing two other guys," mused a blogger at the site PunditGuy, referring to the two political committee directors indicted with the congressman.

"They are charging him with conspiracy in what I call freedom to play the game of politics," wrote a blogger at the site ConservativeLaw. "I guess Delay took a contribution from some corporation, put it into the wrong account, in an effort to win back the state legislature. Now please tell me what the hell is wrong with that."