From the day he was indicted last week, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) kicked a media strategy into action, with a heavy dose of right-wing talk radio as part of the plan.

DeLay’s been accepting a stream of interview invitations — from sympathetic hosts, such as talk radio’s Rush Limbaugh, and shows on Fox News, to a mainstream show, CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”

DeLay’s crisis management means he makes daily appearances on talk and political shows, on the apparent theory that he is his own best defender and could do better than or as well as surrogates, who are out there.

Meanwhile, DeLay’s press secretary, Kevin Madden, is flagging these shows for political writers and sending out transcripts of pundits who are DeLay defenders. The key is to try to discredit Travis County, Texas, prosecutor Ronnie Earle by accusing him of being, as DeLay said, a “partisan fanatic.” Earle surprised everyone by filing a second indictment Monday. He is charging DeLay with funneling corporate political donations — banned in Texas — into war chests for Texas legislative candidates.

The media campaign of the Houston-area lawmaker is succeeding in generating stories hooked on the question of whether Earle is on some kind of a vendetta.

DeLay’s schedule suggests he is playing to a few targeted audiences: GOP insiders who could influence future leadership elections, nervous donors and potential jurors in Houston. Consider the schedule, provided by Madden:

Last Wednesday, the day his first indictment was announced, DeLay was booked on Fox’s “Special Report with Brit Hume,” MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and Fox’s “Hannity and Colmes.”

On Thursday, DeLay was on Blitzer’s new CNN show and was booked on four Houston radio talk shows: KTRH and radio shows hosted by Mike Gallagher, Sean Hannity and Tony Snow, a former Fox television host.

Friday, DeLay was on the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Houston ABC affiliate, KPRC in Houston and Mark Levin’s show on WABC in New York. On Sunday, he headlined “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.”

On Monday, DeLay was on KSEV in Houston. He stepped up the pace Tuesday, after the surprise second indictment came down. DeLay was on KSEV and KTRH in Houston, as well as Limbaugh.

Republican opinion is crucial if DeLay is acquitted and wants to reclaim his leadership seat. Though he said he was only stepping down temporarily, if the case is not resolved by January some in the GOP will insist on leadership elections. Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) promised to revisit leadership questions in January. That gives him and DeLay some time — but not a lot — to rally members and public opinion.

There is some pressure on acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to prove himself quickly. Other GOP House members who can see themselves in leadership — or who think a DeLay replacement should not be selected by Hastert’s fiat — are already looking toward January.

Complicating factors for them is the decision by DeLay and Hastert to allow DeLay to continue as an untitled adviser. DeLay was asked on the Wallace show how, on a practical basis, he can retain his prominent role.

“What that means is I get to continue my partnership with the Speaker,” DeLay said. “The Speaker and I have been leading the House for, what, eight years now, doing some pretty amazing things, and it’s because we get along together. We think the same. I mean, we are simpatico, if you will.”

Sweet is the Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it