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by Matthew Hay Brown and Christi Parsons
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert bid farewell to the House of Representatives this afternoon with a mix of gratitude for the opportunity to serve and concern for growing partisan rancor in Washington.
“I continue to worry about the breakdown of civility in our political discourse,” the Illinois Republican said from the House floor. “When I addressed this chamber for the first time as your Speaker, I noted that ‘solutions to problems cannot be found in a pool of bitterness.’ Those words are as true today as they were then.
“We each have a responsibility to be passionate about our beliefs – that is healthy government – but we also have a responsibility to be civil, open-minded and fair – to listen to one another and work in good faith to find solutions to the challenges facing our nation.”
Aides say the 65-year-old Hastert will resign this month, a deadline he wanted to meet so that a special primary can be held on the same day as the regular primary this spring. He said in August that he would not be seeking re-election next year.
Under state law, it's up to Gov. Rod Blagojevich to call a special election, setting the date within five days that the congressional seat is vacant. By law, the seat must be filled within 120 days of the congressional vacancy. That means, at the very least, that a general election to fill Hastert's unexpired term will be held later in the spring.
There are vigorous primary fights shaping up on both sides. Democrats think a favorable election cycle for their party could make them competitive in the far west suburban district, which has been a traditional stronghold for Republicans.
In his farewell remarks, Hastert listed legislation passed during his tenure of which he was proud: creating tax-free health savings accounts, expanding presciption drug coverage for seniors, passing “the two largest tax relief packages in our nation's history.”
He spoke of becoming a “wartime speaker” on Sept. 11, 2001, and said he had no doubt “that the American people are safer today because of the heroic actions of our men and women who serve in our armed services and intelligence agencies and because of the actions taken here, by our Congress.”
“We tried to bind the wounds of those victimized by the attacks,” he said. “And then to make sure it never happened again, we demanded that our intelligence agencies do a better job of sharing information. We gave law enforcement more effective tools and resources to guard against attack. We made an unprecedented investment in Homeland Security.
“Did we get it 100% right? Of course not. Only hindsight is 20/20. But through those efforts, and the grace of God, we have avoided additional attacks on American soil.”
He called the Republican caucus “a vibrant minority … that has demonstrated to this country that it should, and I think will, lead this House again some day,” and praised President Bush: “I believe history will judge him as a man of courage and foresight, as well as resolve.”
Hastert asked his successor as speaker, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, to preside over the House during his farewell.
“All of us are called honorable by dint of the office that we hold,” Pelosi said. “Mr. Hastert is called honorable because of his character and his leadership for our country."
A former schoolteacher and wrestling coach from Aurora, Ill., Hastert served as speaker from 1999 to 2007. He was the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history – "Long may his record stand," Pelosi said on the House floor – and the first speaker since 1955 to remain in Congress after losing the speakership.
Hastert was elected to represent Illinois’ 14th Congressional District in 1986. A lieutenant to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, he succeeded Newt Gingrich as speaker at the end of 1998.
Friends say Hastert is considering several opportunities in the private sector, and that he wanted to resign before the end of this year so that he could get to work on them.
If Blagojevich chooses, there could be two primaries for Hastert's seat on Feb. 5: one for the short-term vacancy and one for the term that begins in January 2009. Just as for the regular primary, candidates will have to file candidacy petitions to get on the special primary ballot.
The dual nature of the campaigning – for the special election and the regular primary – could become costly for candidates who will be forced to intensify their efforts since it is unlikely that a primary voter would vote for two separate candidates for the same office to cover different time spans.
Hastert has given indications that he favors the moneyed businessman Jim Oberweis as his successor and his resignation could be aimed at helping the boutique dairy owner and investment manager overcome the more grassroots support of state Sen. Chris Lauzen. Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns also is seeking the Republican nomination.
Hastert's resignation could prove costly to election authorities in the 14th Congressional District, who will be forced to foot the bill for at least a special general election, including printing ballots and finding poll judges, in a vast territory.
In a statement today, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole said he was "committed to keeping this seat in the red column."
"The NRCC has been working with Speaker Hastert, local officials and Republican activists in Illinois in preparation for a competitive general election," the Oklahoma Republican said. "There are currently three quality candidates vying for the Republican nomination and any of them would be in a strong position to retain the seat."
Comments
Hopefully he can still find time to take care of his body in retirement. His washboard abs are dreamy.
Posted by: rachel republican | November 15, 2007 12:29 PM
At last.
Posted by: Janstress | November 15, 2007 12:42 PM
GOOD riddance to bad rubbish. As a true conservative, it's time we take back the Republican Party away from the this right wing, religious fanatical facists who are destroying this nation!
Posted by: realconservative | November 15, 2007 12:55 PM
Just another fat white Conservative male who will no longer pander to bible-thumpers.
Posted by: Rob S. | November 15, 2007 1:09 PM
These comments are unfair. While i am a democrat and was not supportive of overall reublican politics, I though Mr. Hastert was a good and decent publi servant and did a lot for Illinois.
Posted by: R Jones | November 15, 2007 1:46 PM
Too bad he didn't lead impeachment hearings and criminal hearings to bring Bush and Cheney to justice. Two more murderers get away with war crimes.
Posted by: Rudy | November 15, 2007 1:47 PM
GOOD RIDDANCE and thanks for cowtowing for Tom Delay all those years, Dennis.
Posted by: John E | November 15, 2007 1:56 PM
Dennis Hastert was never more than the cuddly, avuncular front man for the truly scary types who really ran things - Tom DeLay and Dick Armey. That said, he always struck me as a decent man who did the best he could for his district, his state and the nation. I'm not sorry to see him go but I certainly wish him well in retirement.
Posted by: Steven Weikert | November 15, 2007 2:01 PM
Fully agree with R Jones above. The amateur comics and the jackals on both far right and far left don't know what the hell they're talking about. Denny Hastert has always been a decent, reasonable, grounded public servant, with no ego getting in the way. We'd be much better off with more like him, and we'll miss him when he's gone.
Posted by: Kurt | November 15, 2007 2:11 PM
Are you folks totally out of your minds?
You make it appear as if Denny Hastert was a cuddly bear who didn't do anything wrong while in office. Gee that's not the way I remember him representing my district.
Let's see. This was the same man who removed a Republican representative when he started to push an investigation into DeLay too strongly. This is the same man who prevented the Democrats from being able to vote/discuss issues time after time. The same guy who wanted to put in a toll road through western Kane county that most people were opposed to, but he would have made tons off of his land investments. The same guy who pushed the Republicans into impeaching Clinton for having sex. The same guy who prevented an investigation into Rep. Foley's sex scandal (no hypocrisy there, right?). The same guy who prevented ANY oversight of President Bush's actions. The same guy who presided over a couple of the MOST do nothing Congresses ever. The same guy who time and time again put the best interests of the Republican party over the interests of the country.
And finally a representative who can't be bothered with serving another year, so that the voters in Kane County, and the rest of his district, can pay to have a special election to fill his seat.
Yeah, I really wish there were more like him around.
Posted by: dogjudge | November 15, 2007 2:29 PM
This guy was worthless even when he was just another nobody in Illinois politics.
Posted by: Trunk | November 15, 2007 2:30 PM
Quick - someone name one politician who has left office recently, Republican or Democrat, who didn't hear a loud chorus of "Good Riddance" coming from somewhere. When people line up to take shots at a good man like Dennis Hastert, it makes me wonder why anyone in their right mind would want to go into politics. I didn’t agree with everything he did, but then again, I don’t have all of the information that he did either. None of us do.
Dennis Hastert is an honorable man who deserves respect. Well done Mr. Speaker. Enjoy having a life again.
Posted by: Ted Carlson | November 15, 2007 2:48 PM
I agree with dogjudge, Dennis Hastert was a monster. The icing on the cake was his turning a blind eye to Foley molesting young boys in the page program, which he even admitted was a mistake. I don't know how any well-informed, reasonable person could call someone like that a "good and decent public servant."
Posted by: Mark | November 15, 2007 2:58 PM
Dennis Hastert is an honorable man who deserves respect. Well done Mr. Speaker. Enjoy having a life again.
Posted by: Ted Carlson | November 15, 2007 2:48 PM
Ted, please, he wasn't forced into politics, and he made his own choices once he was there. He was far from a victim who had his "life" taken away.
Posted by: kb | November 15, 2007 3:02 PM
Dogjudge, if you want to look at a do-nothing Congress, the current one is a good place to start.
Regarding Mr. Foley. Hmmm, Rahm Emanuel knew about Foley a year before his misdeeds became public. Just in time for the election, too.
Also, while Foley NEVER slept with a page, Demoncrats re-elected a true page molester in Gerry Studds time after time after time. Re-elected six times after it becme knowledge Mr. Studds slept with a 17-year-old make page.
You criticize Hastert for not letting Demoncrats discuss issues, hmmm, well the Demoncrats did that to the Republicans before 1995 and are doing it again.
And I love seeing the previous comments from alleged conservatives and Republicans again in here. Nice to see John E., Janet, dt and other Loons posting as others again.
Posted by: John D | November 15, 2007 3:09 PM
John D. Ah the non-partisan voice jumps in.
Please don't confuse different priorities with non-accomplishments.
Presidential oversight, as much as you might dislike it, IS actually a responsibility of Congress (despite what the Republicans thought for six years under Dennis Hastert). Passing spending bills as opposed to leaving them for the next Congress to handle is the job of Congress as opposed to what happened last year under Dennis Hastert. Working five days a week instead of two is really something we want our representatives to do.
The Republicans gave us such wonderful legislation as Terri Schaivo, a new dollar coin, lots of earmarked new spending, etc. Real legislation was absent for the most part.
The Republicans, under Hastert and Bill Frist actually locked the Democrats out of the legislative process. The Democrats have not done that at all.
And as far as not accomplishing things, try looking at the Republicans in the Senate for the root cause. They readily admit to forcing everything to a super majority to prevent the Democrats from accomplishing anything meaningful. They've stated that as their intent.
You point to the Democrats prior to 1995 and state that the Democrats are doing it again. You care to give us any actual examples comparable to Bill Frist's nuclear option, or when the Republicans simply locked the doors so the Democrats couldn't attend committee hearings?
So please save us the lecture about do nothing Congresses.
Posted by: dogjudge | November 15, 2007 3:47 PM
Mark, can you name on boy Foley "molested"?? Please provide the name one one male page that Mark Foley slept with.
Posted by: John D | November 15, 2007 4:20 PM
Regarding Mr. Foley. Hmmm, Rahm Emanuel knew about Foley a year before his misdeeds became public. Just in time for the election, too.
Posted by: John D | November 15, 2007 3:09 PM
Lil Johnny Traderag copyboy,
Since when is it Rahm Emanuels job to watch over all of the Grand Old Perverts?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32052247@N00/801123408/
Posted by: John E | November 15, 2007 4:24 PM
"DENNIS HASTERT SPEAKS" I WAS HOODWINGED BY THIS PRESIDENT AND NOW I HAVE TO GO"
America Thanks you Speaker Hastert.
We thank you for the Patriot Act. We thank you for George Tenet. We thank you for the Foley Cover up. We thank you for allowing a group of thugs turn the four branches of government into a backyard sand bowling fiasco. We thank you for all the bills you allowed to come to floor that took away our rights. We thank you for allowing Surveillance Laws go uncheck. WE thank you for the 1.4 trillion dollar deficit that you allowed to happen on your watch.
YEA IT'S TIME TO GO HOME. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, TIME TO GO BE WITH THE FAMILY, SO SO SORRY AMERICA.
Posted by: Roger Morris | November 15, 2007 5:00 PM
Goodbye Planet Denny. We'll observe a couple of weeks silence as your vast globular cluster passes in front of the sun.
Note to the children...please keep your hands and feet to yourself when Planet Denny is in feeding mode. Planet Denny is not responsible for ingesting smaller food items in his vast cake hole when not blathering Republic talking points.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | November 15, 2007 11:13 PM
In Memoriam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QRy-PEgbls
Posted by: Bubba | November 16, 2007 1:05 AM
I sympathize --slightly -- with Hastert's defenders. He was NOT a monster. He was just a reasonably dishonest front man for some people who played very rough. It is true that he showed no discernible interest in his overall obligations to the nation. Nonetheless, he was a loyal soldier in the Republican cause, who just happened to be constantly on the lookout for ways to make a little extra spending money.
Isn't that what Congress is supposed to be about? Establishing a "family" that protects and enriches each other at everyone else's expense....whoops, that's also organized crime, isn't it?
Posted by: max | November 16, 2007 2:39 AM