Vino Vito

New York City's lone Congressional Republican, Vito Fossella, is in some hot water after being busted driving drunk the other night, and registered a 0.17 on his Breathalyzer.

Not a good move, especially when he's facing a tough reelection bid.

Rep. Vito Fossella's blood-alcohol content was more than double the legal limit when he was busted for drunken driving in suburban Virginia, court documents show.

The Staten Island congressman failed a police-ad ministered Breathalyzer with a 0.17 blood-alcohol content when he was pulled over in the DC suburb of Alexandria, Va., early Thursday morning, according to Fossella's arrest warrant.

Virginia's legal limit, like New York, is 0.08.

"I was brought up man enough to know it's time to admit mistakes and apologize," Fossella said yesterday at a press conference at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island.

"I know better than to get behind the wheel of a car even after one drink."

The Republican said he had been out for dinner Wednesday evening with Giant fans from his district who had been in town for a White House event honoring the Super Bowl-winning team.

So, you ask, what's so noteworthy? Well, for one thing, he's a Republican, and is readily identified as such, unlike when Democrats get in trouble and you need to guess their party affiliation.

Let's take a look around and see if any other media outlets are identifying him as a member of the GOP.

New York Times? Yes, they do. They tend to forget those details when it's a Democrat.

The Washington Post notes it right away.

Rep. Vito J. Fossella (R-N.Y.) was arrested overnight in Alexandria and charged with driving while intoxicated, court records showed today.

This AP item from Newsday cuts right to the chase.

A Republican congressman from New York City is apologizing profusely for his drunken driving arrest, and is begging forgiveness from his family and constituents.

The NY Daily News wastes little time as well.

Democrats saw a chance to defeat Rep. Vito Fossella long before he was charged with drunken driving, but his arrest left partisan rivals giddy.

"Even before recent events we were targeting this race," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Doug Thornell said Friday.

Fossella's campaign declined comment, but a Republican operative close to the congressman warned Democrats should not exploit the Staten Islander's misfortune.

"It's a double-edged sword and it has the potential to backfire for someone who tried to use this to their advantage," the source said.

Fossella's hometown paper, the Staten Island Advance, also wastes little time.

GOP Rep. Vito Fossella's blood alcohol level was .17, nearly twice the state legal limit, when he was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Alexandria, Va., in the early hours of Thursday, according to documents filed today in Alexandria General District Court.

So there you have it. If the perp is a Republican, it's quickly, and, I might add, rightfully noted.

Why can't the media do that when Democrats are arrested?