Vice president contender says Congress is full of commies

Rep. Allen West, the man who Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and Herman Cain have all touted as a good potential GOP vice presidential candidate, said at a town hall event in Florida that many House Democrats are Communist Party members: "I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democrat Party who are members of the Communist Party." The freshman Florida congressman and Tea Party favorite declined to name names, but his spokeswoman said today he was referring to members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who she said are communist "allies." For its part, the Communist Party USA says it has no senators or representatives among its members.