LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.Best Political Blog Winner, 2007 Webby Awards, People's Voice and Jury.   Gore Vidal and Mr. Fish - Exclusive Truthdig Gifts for the Holidays
 
December 3, 2008
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Most Read

Confronting the Terrorist Within

Chevron in the White House

Tough Times Could Lead to Sex Boom

‘Daily Show’: Is MSNBC the New Fox News?

Bush Admits He Was ‘Unprepared for War’

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Financial Meltdown 101
Vetting Sarah Palin

Truthdig Bazaar
Motherhood Manifesto

Motherhood Manifesto

By Joan Blades and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
$8.97

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

Hastert Steps Down, but Not Out

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Nov 23, 2006
Hastert
cnn.com

The man who held the post of speaker longer than any Republican in history is now but one of a multitude, serving out his last days in the Congress he helped to lose.  Denny Hastert’s refusal to retire makes him a historical oddity, since House speakers typically end their reigns by either resigning or dying.

New York Times:

Defying expectations that he would immediately retire if the Republicans lost their majority, Mr. Hastert is preparing to remain in the House for at least the early months of the 110th Congress while he helps orchestrate a line of succession at home in Illinois and seeks to shape a political ending beyond his party’s defeat.

“It is not an ideal situation, but the speaker is a grounded person and is focused on serving another term in Congress,” said Ron Bonjean, a spokesman for Mr. Hastert.

Others close to Mr. Hastert say the speaker, who has said little publicly since the Republicans lost the House, is dejected and embarrassed by the rebuke. The defeat had a strong personal element, because Mr. Hastert’s role in the Mark Foley scandal became a Democratic talking point and severely limited his effectiveness as an advocate for House candidates.

Mr. Hastert is awaiting a report from the House ethics committee on whether he or his staff should have taken earlier and more aggressive steps to deal with warnings about improper conduct by Mr. Foley, the former Republican representative from Florida, toward Congressional pages.

The speaker’s supporters say Mr. Hastert, whom President Bush urged to seek another term when he might have preferred to retire, would like to end on a brighter note than losing the majority that he has led since 1998.

Link

Email Newsletter

Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.

Previous item: Where Is Dick Cheney?

Next item: K Street Hysteria

Jump to Comments

Advertisement


Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By Quy Tran, November 23, 2006 at 6:47 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

He’s right when step down but not out because he doesn’t want to make a long line at unemployment office to claim for benefits.

How’s smart he is ?

Report this

By Montie Shields USAF RET., November 23, 2006 at 6:15 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Dennis Hastert is a FAT DESPICABLE creature.
What else can someone say about a person that
allows children to be molested for the sake
of the PARTY? Don’t it just churn your guts
when you hear about the way our children
yours and mine, are being abused raped murder-
ed, and endangered. When I said our children
I ment that literally. My wife and I have a
thirty-one (31) year old totally handicapped
son. On this Thanksgiving day we are so great-
ful that he is alive is hard to express. My
son and I helped get a daycare program started
Things were fine until this one awful creature
was hired. She took a dislike to me, and dec-
ided to take it out on my son, by refusing to
pull his seat belt tight. This caused him
great pain. When I insisted that his seatbelt
be pulled tight he was kicked out of the pro-
gram. No one is willing to help. ie: the Gov-
ernor’s office of Nevada said it was not his
jurisdiction, A certain Congress Woman said
my case was local and she was Federal.There
has been MANY, MANY other turn downs. What
I’m trying to say is isn’t it about time we
got rid of these do nothing Politicians. and
judges? Every time you hear about some child
being molested or murdered the culpit always
has from THREE TO THIRTEEN priors. Think how
many lives could be saved if after ONE they
are DONE!

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!






Notify you when others comment on this article?


Are you a human?
Retype the word you see here.


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

Newsletter

Get Truthdig in your inbox

Privacy Policy

 
Click here to advertise with Truthdig
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.