Big news this week out of Illinois where former House Speaker Dennis Hastert has announced he will not seek re-election.

Rep. Dennis Hastert became speaker of the House by a twist of fate, and ended up holding the post longer than any other Republican and throughout a tumultuous period of American history.

He announced Friday that he will not seek re-election, making official what had been suspected since last year’s Democratic takeover of Congress cost him the powerful speaker’s position.

“Together, we have made a difference. We have made history, and I thank you,” he told supporters in front of the Kendall County courthouse in the northern Illinois district he was first elected to represent in 1986.

He was certainly part of history. A former wrestling coach and history teacher, Hastert, like everyone else, expected Bob Livingston to become speaker after Newt Gingrich announced in 1998 that he was stepping aside.

But when Livingston abruptly announced he would retire following disclosure of marital infidelity, Hastert became speaker. It was a post he would hold from 1999 to 2007 - longer than any other Republican in American history. Democrat Sam Rayburn of Texas held the post for a record 17 years.

From ABC News:

Edwards, D-N.C., was railing against the right-wing media — including Fox News and Rush Limbaugh — when he reminded a crowd in Burlington, Iowa, that his wife stood up to Coulter in a public spat earlier this summer.

“We know these people. We know their game plan. They’re going to attack us personally,” Edwards said. “They attacked Elizabeth personally, because she stood up to that she-devil Ann Coulter. … I should not have name-called. But the truth is — forget the names — people like Ann Coulter, they engage in hateful language.”

* Democratic Hopeful Biden Says Son Is Heading To Iraq

* Joe Biden Says Democrats Have Been Too Fearful to Discuss Religion

* Russia and China to hold joint military exercise

* Romney returns to Florida, Giuliani opens campaign office

* Romney’s Edge

* Romney Answers Questions on Wealth

* Rudy Giuliani And The Solubility of Illegal Immigration

* Giuliani Swings Through Iowa, Too

* Edwards backs wife’s criticism of Hillary, ‘holier than thou’ Obama

* Editorial: Obama’s Facts and Afghanistan’s Casualties

* Barack Obama Caught on Tape Accusing U.S. Troops of ‘Killing Civilians’

* Obama and Clinton Find Pluses in Poll

* CBS Poll: Lack Of Experience Hurts Obama

* Opinion: Most Articulate Presidential Candidates

From the Associated Press

The Edwards campaign on Thursday called on Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama to co-sign a letter to party leaders decrying the connection between political donations and Washington’s lobbying industry.

“There are now more than 60 lobbyists for every member of Congress. The system is clearly rigged against the people who make our country great,” Edwards wrote to Obama is seeking his support.

First of all let me point out that the AFL-CIO which Edwards had nothing but praise for in the last debate, spent over four million dollars to have lobbyists work on their behalf in 2004 when Mr. Edwards ran for Vice President.

Second this has to be one of the dumbest moves I have ever seen and it puts the DNC in an incredibly awkward place in which it has to offend one of its candidates and a chunk of its far-left base. Why can’t the Democratic Party as a whole stop taking lobbyists money whether directly or indirectly? Because it needs to win elections.

Read the rest of this entry »

OK I will admit, I am a snob. I think candidates appearing on shows like Tyra Banks, Ellen DeGeneres, Letterman, Regis & Kelly, etc. etc. are a waste of time. Why? Because absolutely nothing of importance usually comes from them. The appearances get hyped throughout the rest of the MSM machine, commented on in blogs and dished on morning radio, meanwhile policy speeches go unheard and policy position papers go unread. It wouldn’t bother me so much if I didn’t have to listen to, read about and constantly hear the chatter claiming the candidates have no substance and don’t take positions. Stop watching them on Oprah & READ THEIR POSITION PAPERS AND SPEECHES!

I know these are the shows people watch and so candidates MUST go on them in order to reach voters. It doesn’t mean I have to like it.

END RANT

So anyway Barack Obama will appear on Tyra Banks soon & Hillary Clinton will make it onto Ellen’s show according to ABC News. I won’t be setting my Tivo BUT you might want to.