I THINK Tom DeLay's days are numbered. Consider the signs in this article from yesterday's New York Times.

DeLay's "news conference" to announce that the House Judiciary Committee, on his orders, will be "investigating" the decisions made by the federal judges in the Terri Schiavo case is such a transparent attempt to distract attention from the ethical cesspool he is in that he just looks desperate.

DeLay may say that the criticism of his personal behavior is the "Democrats' agenda," but Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are not Democrats.

Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, said in an interview with CBS News that it was time for Mr. DeLay to stop blaming Democrats and address the American people.

"Well, that's the famous Hillary Clinton defense," Mr. Gingrich said. "This is the vast left-wing, you know, conspiracy as opposed to her description of a vast right-wing conspiracy."

DeLay needs to sit up and take notice when Newt Gingrich says something like this.

Even the White House is distancing itself from DeLay.

Asked if the majority leader and the president were friends, Mr. McClellan replied that the president does consider Mr. DeLay a friend, but suggested he's more a business associate than a social pal. "I think there are different levels of friendship with anybody."

I think Shakespeare called that "damning with faint praise."