Why are conservatives turning on Hastert so soon?

[roostercogburn]

I am shocked that so many are turning on Hastert so quickly. Is it due to a sense of anger that much of the conservative agenda has not come to pass? Or is it a true sense that he is lying to everyone about how much he knew?

[roostercogburn]

I doubt personally that Hastert knew any more than what he has said. And I am guessing that he may have had real concerns that any investigation would have been portrayed as a witch hunt against a GOP member that had long been rumored to have been gay. Further allowing the media to portray our side a middle aged gay HATERS. Curious if these IM's would have seen the light of day if Hastert had made a serious move to investigate Foley first? I think the left and their accomplices in the MSM would have loved to have had that as a story. Back to the apparent split among some mainstream conservatives and their handling of this situation. This is not the time to air these concerns. Hastert HAS to be taken at his word. He has been, for the most part a strong and respectful Speaker. He is not a limelight guy. Just a serious man who has done the best he could in the face of a constant barrage of any GOP legislation being riddled by the MSM as harsh, child depriving, senior citizen depriving, war mongering, earth destroying and minority hating bills. We (GOP/Conservatives) as all know are NEVER given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to national dialogue on any debating of legislation. I am ranting now, but please. Hastert has earned our trust. If he says he didn't know I believe him. And I can understand that in light of no REAL evidence that Foley was stalking pages for sex, Hastert not going after him. So I hope the rhetoric being thrown about by some on our side of the aisle is toned down. We have more important threats to deal with that truly threaten our childrens future. Islamic terrorists and the RATS that would allow them to gain control of a region we must not lose. PS - I would love to catch a drunken Kennedy alone in a chat room one night. Wonder if I could get him to admit Mary Jo was alive when he left her to drown? OK, that was harsh. :)

[Revolting cat!]

Uhm... I dunno.

[msnimje]

Name some conservatives who have turned on Hastert (the press does not count).

[Echo Talon]

I think Denny is safe.

[Paladin2]

Hastert is definitely not Newt. Not much vision or passion to get the gov't back to where it belongs.

[KJC1]

Prove Hastert knew anything beyond the non-sexual emails.

Signed up today to bash Hastert? LOL.

[Soul Seeker]

Welcome (not) to FreeRepublic.

[SteveMcKing]

Welcome to FR.

[rocksblues]

Ok Mary we will go with your assesment. ZOT

[GoBucks2002]

Although the Washington Times is a conservative newspaper, its owners sometimes have their own agenda. And the owners can control whatthe editorials say.

WT ownership saw the need for a newspaper with a conservative point of view in DC. The place is the world per-capita leader in news junkies. The Post's bias is so bad that not only do they slant the news, they spike important stories completely.

Nature abhors a vaccuum, and there you go...

[kingu]

Turning on Hastert now? Nahh; that's just plain stupid. But being ticked off because we have bloated budgets, we've sunk billions into questionable 'relief' operations, we've constantly raised the debt, and there's little to no leadership.

Can someone name the Republican plan for next year? What proposals are supposed to be passed? As much as we make jokes about Democrats not having any plans, we're just as guilty half the time.

It won't be able to go on forever. Because of the last two decades of folks trying to stay in power, they've tried hard not to bring forward the next generation of party superstars. They've virtually nuked the California GOP.

There's plenty to be ticked off at Hastert for. But over Foley? A joke. But for some, it's just the last straw in a long, long camel ride.

[BikerJoe]

I turned on Hastert years ago. Like it or not, the Republicans MUST have a SQUEAKY CLEAN LEADERSHIP to prevail, and Hastert ended up compromised, although to less of an extent than Newt.

I think he's been relatively useless as a majority leader and he bears as much of the blame for the drift from conservative principles as anybody. If anything, he's followed the conservative initiatives started by representatives, rather than leading them.

[IslandJeff]

Welcome to FR.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

I think what you'll see is that Hastert will be around until after November. After that, he'll be replaced as Majority or Minority leader. The Wall Street Journal, for example, would love to get rid of Hastert and Boehner and replace them with more illegal-friendly leaders.

[o_zarkman44]

This is nothing but a feeding frenzy for the democrat loving media. If our Republican leadership cannot deal with this with a quick, efficient and decisive conclusion, they need to be replaced with some conservatives who have balls. Maybe something will get done, but not before the next election cycle.

Our leadership is a disgrace for not squashing this immediately. Unbelievable. no wonder the Democrats have pretty much carried the agenda.

[HitmanLV]

Why are conservatives turning on Hastert so soon?

A pathological need to lose, so that they can always claim the moral highground without ever bearing the risk of actually accomplishing anything. The strong desire to be a perpetual outside or critic at best, or loser at worst.

[CWOJackson]

I don't hold any of this Foley crap against Hastert. I do, and have all along, held against him:

1) His flat refusal to do anything to help Tom DeLay from being railroaded.

2) His insistence that some Congressmen are above the law when he demanded the FBI return files to Jefferson's office.

3) His utter lack of active leadership in the House. We see the House MINORITY Leader on the news every day. Except for defending his actions in this fabricated Foley mess, when was the last time you recall seeing the SPEAKER of the House on TV? The last time I can recall is when he was defending Jefferson.

For me, Foley has nothing to do with it, I've wanted Hastert to resign for years.

[unkus]

marydoc, I'll look for you after Nov. 7-doubt you will be here. Let's see-Oct. 3- Nov. 7.

[freeangel]

"Hastert is finished"

Mmmm. Getting a page drunk and sodomizing them didn't finish up a dem==in fact, it got him re-elected. You must think, because he is a Republican, he should slink away into the sunset. BTW, welcome to FR.