(CNN) - Tom DeLay's dancing days have come to an end.
While miraculously escaping another round of elimination on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Tuesday night, the former Republican House majority leader voluntarily withdrew from the widely-watched competition on recommendations from his doctor and the show's producers.
The man once known as "The Hammer" on Capitol Hill said he was just too injured to continue, developing stress fractures in both his feet that made it very difficult to endure the rigors of the competition.
Delay originally remained defiant in the face of such pain, declaring last week, "nothing's going to stop me from doing this dance." But this week's round of competition proved too taxing on the 62 year-old, evidenced by a wince-inducing performance Monday of the samba to War's "Why can't we be friends."
In the end, the man who gave in to few fights in Washington had to call it quits on the ABC hit series.
"If you can't practice, you make a fool of yourself out here," DeLay said. "I don't want to do that to [my dancing partner] Cheryl."
Carried out on wheelbarrow on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Tuesday night, DeLay appeared slightly embarrassed over the development: "A boy from Texas breaking his feet dancing...," he said to laughter.
Still though, DeLay remained confident his skills could have carried him forward.
"Can you shake your booty like I can?" Delay asked a skeptical Kimmel.
Asked if he his performance will inspire other indicted politicians to dance, Delay - who was charged with criminal violations of state campaign finance laws but never convicted - said "hey, it keeps you out of jail."
"But God for bid if you end up in jail, it's not a good thing for the inmates to see on reruns," Kimmel replied.
From CNN Politics
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He can't do anything right.
Yeah, now I can watch Dancing With The Stars.
How many years and still no trial. Prosecution by Democratic party DAs surely is a very slow process in Texas.
Delay's dancing was a great laugh. But his moves did not help the GOP!
I thought I had the CNN Political Ticker not National Enquirer.
Please send him to jail.
Good thing he has HEALTH CARE.
He was a joke anyway!!
Too bad his mouth never gives out...
He was making such a fool of hisself.
Some will stoop to any level to get recognition and headlines,
Think this backfired on him as he let his ego overtake ability.
Did he say you "WILL" make a fool of himself?
Too late... he was a fool before the show, now he is a buffoon in red pants and probably Depends under them
Join the ranks of Bob Dole and his E.D image .
This was our leadership?
He was actually quite personable on the show. But symbolic of the Republican extreme right wing with two broken feet and ending up dropping out of the picture.....ooops!
Too bad for him. Now can this stupid show go off the air?
Regardless....Tom DeLay is disturbing on so many levels that even this venue for him does not remove his overall creepiness. In fact it enhances it even more. This whole thing has been a stunt and one that is just flat out weird.
Creepy, manipulative, slimey, and yesterdays news. Go away DeLay and take your danceskins and tutu with you.
Asked if he his performance will inspire other indicted politicians to dance, Delay — who was charged with criminal violations of state campaign finance laws but never convicted — said "hey, it keeps you out of jail."
Hmmmm, before all the liberals start spewing their disgust, let us consider ALL of the campaign funding fraud, corruption and deceit that we have recently seen. ACORN, Rangle, Edwards, Daschle, Geithner, Clinton's, Ensign, Delay and Obama included. I don't think that the Republicans have the corner on political corruption by any stretch of the imagination. America needs to stand as One to take back control of our State and Federal Governments, they are supposed to work for us. They are not exempt from our laws, I don't care how many lawyers argue the meaning of IS!
For all the damage he did to our country, he deserves to be in a little pain ...
Who cares
He did a good job...better than everyone thought he would.
ironically he got more votes on the show than he did in his political career.
Now he can join Palin, the other GOP quitter.
Good; can he withdraw to obscurity now?
Please - enough about this crook. He is probably faking the foot issue just like he did with us Texans when in office. What he won't do for attention - arrogance reigns.
Another quitter from the GOP. Big surprise.
First Sarah nor this. Republicans are a bunch of quitters.
This is very funny. Why does the media focus on stupid stories like this?? Delay is and always will be a joke. The damage this man did not only to his party, but tio the American people ~ Good, glad U got hurt, serves your butt right. Now, Go peacefully into the night.....