Posted on 08/14/2007 7:24:38 PM PDT by RDTF
(CBS) CHICAGO Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert is in Asia, but he's scheduled a news conference in Kendall County for Friday.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports exclusively sources say that they expect Hastert to announce he will not seek re-election next year.
In personal terms, it's been a big year for him and wife, Jean. Denny Hastert turned 65, and the couple just welcomed their first grandchild, Jack Hastert, to the family. He also had to surrender the speaker's gavel to a Democrat.
While sources tell CBS 2 that he’s leaving Congress after 22 years, he’s ridiculed previous speculation along those lines.
Last January, he told CBS 2, “I just think that was wishful thinking on the part of some people. Some had me being an Ambassador some place, which had no founding at all.”
But, the sources believe this time it's real, and they point to sure signs of his decision not to run again. Several key players in previous Hastert campaigns have already signed on with other politicians this time, including important advisors and a top fundraiser. Republican State Senator Chris Lauzen of Aurora said Hastert's political Web site is now out of action.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs2chicago.com ...
Two months from now, who would know the difference? Big deal...
I’ve often thought of him as Sponge Denny Square Pants.
Goodbye Denny. Thanks for fixing that earmark thing. /sarc
He’s a perfect example of what happens once you get to DC. You become chummy (and chubby) with the lobbyist’s and get along with the RAT’s on the other side of the aisle. He had his turn and now it’s the RAT’s turn to hold the gavel for awhile. It’s how the game is played and ensures that both sides get their share.
Yeah, and let's also give him credit for being right on top of those Foley and Abramoff scandals. Fortunately, because of his proactive approach, those didn't hurt us in the '06 election, and really set things up for '08.
Thanks, Denny.
I guess there's one law for the "common" folk and one law for the law makers.
I’d like to think this will signal a changing of the guard in the House GOP caucus, but the last Minority Leader election put a bit of a damper on that.
Maybe Karl Rove will run for his seat.
I think most people have known this for months.
On some Liberal blogs I read a while back, some kooks were saying his name is on DC Madams list, thats why he is bowing out. I am sure you can find the same kind of stuff over at DU at just this moment.
Who’s Benny Hasbert?
Hastert....It’ll come to me in a minute. Uh... Was he some guy in Congress?
Go Denny!! And take the rest of the RINOs with you!!
actually, i think it would be a surprise if his name was on the madame’s
list. i think the ‘rats have had his number for awhile.
wife o’buckhead
Well Denny, thanks for not fighting back against the Rats while they were bitch slapping the Republicans around. /s
Is there any Republican in IL who can have a chance to win his seat?
It was wishful thinking on my part before the midterm elections in ‘06. He sat on his obese a** and did nothing while a pedophile GOP Congressman hit on teen age boys.
Hastert, Tom Delay, Bob Ney, Duke Cunningham and Mark “Faggot” Foley cost us control of the House in ‘06. I hope he does retire and gets his fat butt out of Washington; the pathetic lard a**.
Denny was no Newt. I do wish Hastert could have been more aggressive about getting things done. It can be extremely difficult to hold a majority together though. Well the GOP is once again the minority party. I find impatience is more comfortable with minority status anyway. It’s so much easier to obstruct than to construct.
Z-z-z-z.
“Maybe Karl Rove will run for his seat.”
Karl doesn’t swing that way.
Good riddance. That man took everything Newt Gingrich built and absolutely gutted it. Perhaps if we had some real leadership in the House it’d still be Republican today.
Denny, how’d that “Contract with America” thing work out?
PING
And I thought he was in the restroom all this time... who knew?
Ha Perfect!
whatta loser!
he didn’t know what hit him—the democrap media plantation.
yes, folks, supposedly the “dinosaur media” is dying,
but they showed ol’ fat, dumpy, pea-stained-soup-on-tie hassert
over and over and over
while detailing the “crimes” of foley, delay, etc
and the real crimes of cunningham et al
and the public voted in a democrap congress.
gee, thanks, dennis. good work. /s
It might be true that he is retiring. It seems that the FReepers posting here are only tearing him down.
As far as I’m concerned, he was a great, terrific Speaker, doing what a Speaker was supposed to do. He was a super representative to Congress.
He’s my representative. I will save my Hastert for Congress sign and I will miss him. After all, think of the Illinois senators who I have who are NOT representing me: Durbin and Obama.
good riddance.
I thought he got DEFEATED last year!! He was pretty good until he made an ass of himself over protecting Jefferson!
He will not be missed.
We need a new Newt without the Newt baggage and one who understands that lowering taxes, reducing government spending, and ending the earmark system are the roads back to Republican control of Congress. I'm afraid we will have a long wait.
Foley was NOT hitting on teen age pages....he hit on them AFTER they weren’t pages anymore. The Foley scandal was a HUGE hit for gays....most people went...YUK! So in the end, it hurt the gay loving Democrats a lot more....imho.
You can not be serious! The Contract With America was a HUGE success!!! The only thing that didn’t get passed was term limits! The American people LOVED the Contract....that’s why the Dems have been decrying it for 13 years!
Dear Denny:
Your future in a cozey vibrating Lazy Boy with a big plasma HD TV must be appealing. Should you ultimately check in with St. Peter; remember you were a great wrestling coach.
Yep. He's got the government pension and lifetime healthcare going for him. He's made all the business contacts he'll need to fatten up the old bank account. It's time to reap the rewards of "serving" the American public!!
Yep. He's got the government pension and lifetime healthcare going for him. He's made all the business contacts he'll need to fatten up the old bank account. It's time to reap the rewards of "serving" the American public!!
Darn! Itchy trigger finger...
> On some Liberal blogs I read a while back, some kooks were saying his name is on DC Madams list, thats why he is bowing out. I am sure you can find the same kind of stuff over at DU at just this moment.
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
With or without the gross stuff, ole Denny was a political-cartoon perfect rendering of a fat cat politician who didn’t think much of average American people and values. Hopefully a hungry, young Conservative Turk can rise up and replace his saggy butt.
I’m an optimist, people... :-)
>>“Maybe Karl Rove will run for his seat.”
>Karl doesn’t swing that way.
Funny, but I hope Karl doesn’t, what with his amnesty inclinations. More of the same garbage.
No doubt because Hastert knew the FBI would find something in his office.
Mr. Hastert could not keep the Republicans from spending their way OUT of the majority and into the minority.
Just LOVED how he stood up for Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana, during an FBI investigation.
Mr. Hastert, as Speaker of the House, did the very best impersonation of wall paper the world has ever known.
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”
He was a disaster on multiple levels as Speaker.
I’ll never forget, nor forgive his weird assertion that congresscritters were above the law, in defense of that scumbag Jefferson and his freezer full of cash, just before last years election.
Then there was his cowardly handling of the Foley scandal.
And of course a dramatic rise in ‘earmarks’ on his watch.
Good riddence Denny, you were incompetent, stupid, and a very poor Speaker of the House.
Four years too late old man...
Tom Delay should’nt be in that list. What has he done?
“...on top of the Foley...scandal.”
You said it. That little pederast was protected and enabled by “coach” Denny. Disgraceful.
I believe that was one of the biggest reasons the Republicans lost the House last year.
I don’t think many democrats ever got along that well with him....
I think its just what happens to too many people in DC, and also why so many of them want to get elected..... not to do what’s right, but just to make a fortune....
I wonder what he’ll become a lobbyist for?
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