Dennis Hastert's "retirement" timing vis-a-vis Larry Craig (et. al.)

[DemoTex]

Just asking. Discuss, please.

[liberalmuse]

1. I'm thinking Flynt has something on this one.

Noxious Republicans don't go away this easily. Someone has some dirt on Hastert.

[ISUGRADIA]

2. It's rather simple

Hastert is not the minority leader. If by some miracle the Repubs take back the house in 08 he will not be Speaker. He's a backbencher without even a committee chair. Why not retire?

[peacetalksforall]

3. Isn't he the numero uno intermediary (after DeLay) in the Abramoff deals?

His Foley cover-up doesn't seem to count anymore.

[Raskolnik]

4. The timing of Hastert's retirement

might have something do with the fact that he's a nearly crippled, gigantic fat old man who's health is apparently declining at a shocking rate.

[Atman]

5. Look at the fat fuck. He's surely not getting it from any women.

Only the cheapest of street whores would let this pig put his diabetic shriveled tool inside them. Glory hole sex is probably his only hope. He was probably in the stall on the other side, tapping like a mofo..."PICK ME! PICK ME!" Until the commode crumbled under the weight of his disgusting self.

.

[MADem]

9. I have a few gay friends, and a gay relative, and I rather doubt they'd fuck that guy

Really, many, no, most, gay people have standards too.

I suppose the only ones who would screw the likes of him would be the equivalent of one of Larry King's wives--you know, the old "seductiveness of POWER" idea. Either that, or he pays well and promptly...?

[Atman]

11. Oh, I didn't say any gay men would knowingly do him, either.

That's why I said "glory hole sex." Except of course his big huge gut would never let him get Little Denny close enough to the glory.

.

[MADem]

6. Denny lives with a couple of "young fellers" and never goes home to the missus.

It has been a subject of quiet discussion up on the Hill. A fast Google will reap tons of links.

See: http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2006/10/how_to_out_without_really_tryi.php

and

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/12/91034/293 for starters.

He's gonna have to find a new DC job to hang around the old townhouse, I guess...

[seemslikeadream]

7. Hastert has a male roomie

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/1467

There are plenty of odd couple Congressmen who have roomed together on Capitol Hill, but I have never heard of a chief of staff who rooms with his boss. It is beyond unusual.

[EST]

8. Hastert has an enormous amount of dirt on him.

His decision to retire is not prescient, although it can seem so. With the circus of scandal emanating from the nutters, his own will take on less importance as well as lower priority. Unfortunate but pretty predictable.
He has been cited in many whistle blowers' accounts with receiving bribes in many forms, cash, contributions, gifts, travel... the list is quite long and rarely bubbles up enough to get a lot of attention.

Add to that his connections to and collaboration with DeLay and Abramoff in both quid pro quo and direct intervention is being exposed, albeit slowly.

His ascension to the speakership was not even a peter principle inevitability, being, in fact, merely installing a malleable sock puppet for DeLay and a few other influence brokers and providers.

If the nation's outrage is sufficiently aroused, he will suffer some instakarma, but without someone like Fitzgerald in the pilot's chair, not nearly enough.

[Gabi Hayes]

10. I could not care less about his sexual proclivities. I want the M$M to start

covering his obvious financial misdealings, starting with this, which has been discussed at great length here, but never makes it onto national TV, which means, of course, it didn't happen:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200610150001

[Skittles]

12. there is soooo much dirt on that corrupt bastard

I find it disconcerting that DUers must resort to making comments about his weight

[Venus Dog]

13. Yes, considering Craig was busted back in June and the story didn't surface until now

coincidentally (OR NOT) with Hastert's news(**cough** confession)! Larry Flynt, is that you?