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What happens when the party you believe in, that you dedicate your political career to, takes a turn for the worse? If you're Dennis Hastert, you resign graciously, take your kudos, and become the elder statesman you always knew you could be. Hastert resigned yesterday, bringing to a close an era of congressional Republicanism marked by increasingly bitter partisanship, an unpopular president championing an unpopular war, and a rash of scandals, both political and personal that wracked a party who represented so-called traditional values in these modern times.
Elected in 1986, Hastert represented Illinois's 14th Congressional District with the grace and form befitting a former high school wrestling coach who led his team to a state title in 1976. Sometimes referred to as the "accidental speaker", he was elected Speaker in 1999, and held that position until the GOP lost the majority in Congress last year.
There is no need to rehash the controversies surrounding his tenure; every pol has them, and Hastert was no different. Chicagoist prefers to remember J Dennis Hastert as the prairie Republican he strove to be - bemoaning intrusive government and working to bring civility, fairness and open-minded solutions to a political process that is often marred my mean-spiritedness and backstabbing. In his farewell speech, Hastert reached out to both sides of the aisle, imploring his colleagues to stand for their beliefs, but to be fair and open minded. As he walks off into retirement, and the next stage of his life, he won't be in Congress to advocate that position. In his wake he leaves behind a heated race to replace him, with Republicans jockeying for a previously unfathomable congressional seat, and Democrats expecting to be competitive. Here's hoping that civility reigns in the 14th.
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Can we bury the "down home" cliche of the high school wrestling coach (30 years ago!). Hastert epitomizes fair play and sportsmanship like coal mining epitomizes safe working conditions. Don't let him become a folksy "elder statesman". He helped lead the charge over your rights and mine.
ya proud of yer self over that piece Kevy Kev Kev?
but keep it up, WBEZ is starting a online magazine
Course I would have juxtaposed his old fat A$$ in a wrestling suit with that hammer, but that's why I aint got many friends :-)
give me a break ferdy. Kevin practically has a toe curling moment when the metal heads from daily kos come to town, and now your getting on him for begrudginly writing a pathetic obligatory piece on one of the nations most important leaders because kevin didn't try to disparge him even moreso?
Take a breath a relax for once.
pffffft!
Well some body's got to keep Kevin honest, he has been known to listen to too much Public Radio, next thing you know he will be writing about the "pro's and con's" of the Bush Administration.
Haster was a major cog in the Empire, hey may not have cold shoot some one like Gangsta Cheny but he is just as culpable
Huckeyes - If there are any other members of the media reading, my comment was as much for them as for Kevin. This "wrestling coach" thing is as stupid a meme as ever there was, but it just won't go away. Why? Because it brings this powerful neocon down to earth and makes him "one of us." And the media keep shoving it down our throats every time they mention Hastert, like it's boilerplate copy to fill up column inches.
Just think if you were constantly referred to as a former whatever-you-did-30-years-ago. Think of it former drug and alcohol abuser/National Guard absentee George W. Bush. Hmmmm, come to think of it...
bemoaning intrusive government
Unless you're pushing that government to bring you over 200 million dollars to build the Prairie Parkway right next to that land you happen to own so you can make a quick 2 million selling it. Typical conservative hypocrite, free market for the regular folks, socialism for the rich.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Boom!
Come on Kevy, rewrite rewrite you know you should
This is your conscience speaking!
Ferdy; and I'm assuming for you its ok for the media to portray Obama as an outsider, and that Edwards is an 'everyday' kinda guy- ya know that everyday kinda guy neighbor who gets $400.00 hair cuts. And yes, Kevin it does speak to who he is despite what you think, not everyone thinks like you.
Fredy: Hastert wasn't perfect, and I was never a supporter.
There is a time and a place to slam a pol for his positions and policies. His retirement party is neither that time, nor his place.
Fredy: Hastert wasn't perfect, and I was never a supporter.
There is a time and a place to slam a pol for his positions and policies. His retirement party is neither that time, nor his place.
I'm not OK with the way the media portrays any of the candidates. I don't like all the "packaging," the memes the candidates try to foster for an expedient media and a bored-to-tears public. Why do you suppose that I'm only critical of GOP memes. They all serve to dumb down our body politic and encourage people to vote for images instead of substance--if they can be bothered to vote at all any more.
Kevin, were you supposing that you were drafted to give Denny a gold watch? This is exactly the kind of misplaced politeness and distortion of the record that leads to the rehabilitation of image for people like Nixon. They don't deserve it. Let his friends throw him the retirement party with all the champagne and good wishes. We certainly weren't invited to the party or to the spoils of his war on our freedoms.
On hand one we have;
"There is a time and a place to slam a pol for his positions and policies. His retirement party is neither that time, nor his place"
On hand two we have;
"...bringing to a close an era of congressional Republicanism marked by increasingly bitter partisanship, an unpopular president championing an unpopular war, and a rash of scandals..."
Which way is it going to be?
Damn Ferdy, word, son! You went from WBEZ to Air America
Kevin, you would have fit right in with the Vichy Regime with your.....
"There is a time and a place to slam a pol for his positions and policies. His retirement party is neither that time, nor his place"
That makes me sick, this is why I hate the Democratic Party, nothing but Cowards, yea you can act all holier than thou, because you don't have to deal first hand with the hardships the "Grand of Party" has wrought. Maybe if you did, you would not be so "balanced" I'm not saying that I have to deal with it either, but can we show some solidarity with the folks catching hell on the streets in America? Or what about the women and men dying in Iraq, because of these fools!
Spook- I sense you are the type of person that gives whatever organization you are a part of a bad name? Do people give you that half hearted chuckle a lot when you are talking with them? Are most things you say negative rather than positive...do people point this out to you? Start asking yourself these questions, your negative ego driven self with improve tremendously in your relations with the world.
Don't hate me, I'm just the messenger.
why thank you Dr. Phill, wish I could say that I loved your book, but I didn't read it.
Oh and I'd love to hear about the organizations you're part of Hucko, but some how you dont' seem the type to be part of projects to make the world a better place, sorry, I don't include a fantasy foot ball league.
I grew up in Denny Hastert's district (though I now live in New York). I don't have much love for Hastert (although his son's a cool guy who used to own a pretty good punk record store and DIY concert space in DeKalb many years ago), but the real issue is no one from that bread basket district is going to elect anyone better. He's a crook, a fat cat, he's a cog in the machine...but his absence will make no difference. He's cut from the good ol' boy Republican mold and some other "former wrestling coach" with "down home values" will replace him and the voting record from that district will be no better.
Spook Ferdy navin are you as disturbed by obama real estate deals with rezko as you are with hastert. Spook cheny may be evil but the guy he shot lived what about vince foster. Thats one of the few things I like about the clintons there efficant.
I'm not disturbed by O'Bama's realestate deals at all. Remember I'm not a liberal, I know O'Bama is just a fake front created by liberals for liberals, who are his only base, well lets not forget middle class and upper income materalistic Black folks with out a soul yet pretending to be all religous. This is why O'Bama will never be able to creat a Harold Washington Movement on a national scale
Navin, you are right about that stupid, sprawl-tastic Prairie Porkway, er, I mean Prairie Parkway. That is exactly what northeastern Illinois does NOT need.
Perhaps, without Hastert to promote it, the Prairie Parkway will go away for a few decades. One can hope.