I suppose you could attribute the selection of a candidate for the U.S. Senate race to him-I'm sure that he some input-but I don't think that he concerns himself much with the day-to-day operations or internecine, GOP politics in his home state.
In fact, I'm sure that being Speaker is enough of a headache that he doesn't have the time or the political capital to expend reconstructing a state party that is in utter disarray.
Well, I know 1 thing for 100% certain: He telegraphed to the press that Mike Ditka was gonna take the run, only to embarras not only himself, but the state party as well.
I also know that he certainly didn't stop what happened from happening, and I simply cannot believe that a man with his power and presteige wouldn't have been listened to had he had a mind to put his foot down, and that goes to some of the corruption AND the senate race.
I don't know that Hastert is corrup, nor that he is incompetent. But I DO know two things: One, that he's not a good spokesman for the party, and two, that he has given me reasons not to trust him. I hope I'm wrong, but from where I am sitting, I'd sure rather have Delay, Dreier, or some other person as speaker.