[GraniteStateConservative]

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert has been opposed to granting the panel's request for a 60-day extension on the grounds that the report would be issued at the height of the U.S. presidential campaign, potentially politicizing its findings.

Some Democrats in Congress have accused the White House of only half-heartedly backing the commission's request for an extension.

But McClellan called such accusations "silly."

The White House chief of staff, Andrew Card, has personally appealed to Hastert to reconsider.

"We continue to urge Congress to grant an extension," McClellan said.

So, are we really supposed to believe this? That Hastert is putting his foot down and drawing a line in the sand against GWB? If the WH wanted this extension, I can't imagine that Bush would allow Hastert to stall it, unless Hastert is concerned about the re-election prospects of House Republicans from the release of the report.

[unspun]

There is a very stubborn "bossmanship" attitude at the top levels of the GOP in Illinois. "Tough guys."

They tend to become warlords with patronage armies and disbursements of "favors," some from their various campaign trusts and PAC's.

They try to play the Democrats' game, here in Illinois.