More than two weeks ago, on August 26 the Chicago Suburban Daily Herald reported this about Jim Oberweis, Hastert’s rumored hand-picked successor, in the IL-14 Republican primary:
With the Iraq war a dominant issue in next year's election, Oberweis takes the view that the U.S. will start bringing troops home within six months because that's what military leaders will recommend. At least some troops will need to remain for 10 years or more as Iraqis start taking over responsibility for their country, said Oberweis, arguing "that's the right approach."
Ring a bell? Sound like anything you might have heard tonight?
Now I’m asking myself if George and Karl knew Oberweis has a bad habit of shooting off his mouth before they told Hastert he could share their new pathetic excuse for a strategy publicity stunt with his new puppet.
Maybe I’m just paranoid, but we’ve discovered in quick succession that:
- Hastert is not seeking re-election
- Novak is reporting Hastert will retire early and suddenly on November 6 (the day after ballot access closes in Illinois by the way), theoretically giving a strategic advantage to the multi-millionaire Oberweis in a special election
- Hastert staffers Brad Hahn and David From, and Hastert lobbyist-pal Dan Mattoon are on board with the Oberweis campaign.
- Oberweis is giving previews to the press of the latest attempt to re-spin Iraq two weeks in advance of the presidential address where the official re-spin is announced, and before "Magical September" has even dawned.
Nah. Nothing fishy there.
I should just take a deep breath, not be paranoid, and recall that Hastert voted with George Bush 100% of the time and essentially handed over control of the People’s House to this renegade administration and has found himself a puppet who says outright he wants to be Denny Hastert all over again.
Sorry for the rant, but from where I sit in IL-14, this scenario really is sort of like "Denny II, the Nightmare Continues."
Please support a true progressive voice for IL-14 in Congress. With your help no one can buy this seat away from the voters and the grass-roots activists who have been working to support John Laesch. Not even Hastert’s puppet – heh, especially not Hastert’s puppet.
Lisa Bennett
Aka Downtowner
Blogging for the Laesch Campaign
Cross-posted at Fireside 14, Prairie State Blue, Diatribune, MyDD, Open Left