# Dennis Hastert is an Asshole **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 20, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145 "2004-05-20T07:12:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/1 "2004-05-20T07:12:14Z")
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41083-2004May19.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41083-2004May19.html) > [@](#): > > A two-month-old House-Senate standoff over the 2005 budget burst into public acrimony yesterday, when the GOP House speaker questioned Sen. John McCain’s credentials as a Republican and suggested that the decorated Vietnam War veteran did not understand the meaning of sacrifice. > > The battle over the budget has highlighted rising tensions between a House dominated by conservatives and a Senate where moderates still wield considerable influence, with President Bush’s agenda caught in the crossfire. > > House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.) lectured McCain (Ariz.) – an outspoken opponent of Bush’s tax cuts – over war sacrifices, drawing a blistering retort from McCain, who nearly died of war wounds in a North Vietnamese prison camp. > > On Tuesday, McCain gave a speech excoriating both political parties for refusing to sacrifice their tax cutting and spending agendas in wartime. At the Capitol yesterday, Hastert shot back: “If you want to see sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] and Bethesda [Naval Hospital]. There’s the sacrifice in this country.” > > … > > McCain retorted, “The speaker is correct in that nothing we are called upon to do comes close to matching the heroism of our troops. All we are called upon to do is to not spend our nation into bankruptcy while our soldiers risk their lives. I fondly remember a time when real Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility.” Gee, how long were you in Vietnam, Mr. Hastert? Oh, that’s right - you had bad knees. Meanwhile, McCain spent 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton being tortured and even refused an opportunity to leave early. I gotta say, Mr. Hastert, you have a lot of fucking nerve telling McCain to go to Walter Reed and Bethesda. McCain served this country in a more honorable fashion than you could ever dream of accomplishing. And how do you acknowledge that? By suggesting that McCain doesn’t understand making a sacrifice for this county because he doesn’t see the wisdom in cutting taxes at this time. I’ve seen some pretty ugly politicking over the last few years. But I can’t recall be as astounding as I am at the balls it must have taken Hastert to suggest that McCain doesn’t understand what it means to sacrifice for your country during a time of war. I’m almost at a loss for words. So, Dennis Hastert, fuck you. You certainly get my Asshole of the Month Award and, even though it’s only May, have already secured a place in the final round for the coveted 2004 Asshole of the Year trophy. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/2 "2004-05-20T07:16:57Z")
He’s lucky that John McCain is the man that he is, because had he said that to me I think I would have had to be restrained from ripping his uvula out and showing it to him. That is simply unconscionable. Don’t these friggin’ guys ever even think for one second about who they’re speaking to? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/3 "2004-05-20T07:24:52Z")
What, you expected something different? These are the same people who accused a man who left three limbs in the dirt of being unpatriotic. Didn’t there used to be duels on the congressional floor? Let’s have some of those again. Or at the very least, some horse whippings. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/4 "2004-05-20T07:30:25Z")
“At the Capitol yesterday, Hastert shot back: “If you want to see sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] and Bethesda [Naval Hospital]. There’s the sacrifice in this country.”” Wow. That’s … damn. I can’t imagine a credible attack on sacrifice aimed at Senator McCain. Dennis Hastert, meanwhile, has shown his ideas on integrity and honesty. How in the world Hastert had the balls to say that to someone of McCain’s credentials and character makes me wonder if Hastert isn’t committing political suicide for a cause. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/5 "2004-05-20T11:34:21Z")
I just saw John McCain on the Today show. When he was confronted with the clip of Hastert’s comments, he calmly explained that he had visited the wounded at Walter Reed, not mentioning his own service. He also explained that he was a loyal Republican despite working and appearing with Democrats. The patent absurdity of the Hastert’s charge is match by McCain’s class. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/6 "2004-05-20T12:04:03Z")
> [@](#): > > That is simply unconscionable. Don’t these friggin’ guys ever even think for one second about who they’re speaking to? Clearly not. About the classiest these sort of things get is when the attacker says “I would never attack so-and-so’s service to our country” before attacking that person’s service. :rolleyes: On the other hand, if this jerkish behavior pushes McCain to become a Vice Presidential candidate, than I owe this moron a thank-you. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/7 "2004-05-20T12:05:25Z")
…Not that I’m expecting that to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/8 "2004-05-20T13:25:46Z")
“If you want to see sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] and Bethesda [Naval Hospital]. There’s the sacrifice in this country.” What was Hastert thinking about? Even disregarding Sen. McCain’s history, what logical point was Hastert trying to make? I think McCain showed serious class in responding entirely to the point, ignoring the veiled personal attack. “The speaker is correct in that nothing we are called upon to do comes close to matching the heroism of our troops. All we are called upon to do is to not spend our nation into bankruptcy while our soldiers risk their lives. I fondly remember a time when real Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/9 "2004-05-20T13:29:41Z")
Good point. In addition to the jerkitude, the remark was a complete non sequitur. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/10 "2004-05-20T13:53:53Z")
I lived in Hastert’s home district for a good number of years. He was the first person I deliberately voted against (2002). Hell, I call him “Hastert the Bastard,” due to the fact that he stands against just about every social/political value I hold. So, needless to say, I’m not totally surprised. Still, though. . .sheesh. At the very least I thought he had more common sense than that. Thank God he doesn’t represent me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/11 "2004-05-20T14:05:47Z")
Un-frigging-believable! How dare that, that, _PE teacher_ lecture John McCain on sacrifice for one’s country. Still, not at all untypical of what the GOP has become. McCain should have punched the sumbitch. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/12 "2004-05-20T14:24:05Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > Un-frigging-believable! How dare that, that, _PE teacher_ lecture John McCain on sacrifice for one’s country. Still, not at all untypical of what the GOP has become. > > McCain should have punched the sumbitch. I’m reminded of the senator (IIRC) who beat another with his cane. The handle broke, and he was given another one with the engraving “Hit him again” … or is that yet another bit of American folklore that’s as much fact as fancy? ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/13 "2004-05-20T14:28:31Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > I’m reminded of the senator (IIRC) who beat another with his cane. The handle broke, and he was given another one with the engraving “Hit him again” … or is that yet another bit of American folklore that’s as much fact as fancy? No, it’s fact. Here’s the [info](http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps12426/www.senate.gov/learning/min_3c.html) from [senate.gov](http://senate.gov). ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/14 "2004-05-20T14:41:02Z")
I realize that the current republican leadership isn’t ALL that fond of McCain (and he returns the lack of love) but that’s just dumb. Biden comes out a couple days ago with ‘Kerry should pick McCain for VP and McCain should agree for the good of the country’ and now this? It’s like they **want** him to bolt the party or something. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/15 "2004-05-20T15:28:03Z")
Wow. My mouth hung open and I blinked hard for a good five minutes. Just. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/16 "2004-05-20T15:31:59Z")
First they chased out the liberal Republicans (remember when those existed?). Then they chased out the moderate Republicans (an operation not yet complete, but awful darn close to). Now they’re working on the Republicans who have real conservative beliefs (as opposed to the neoconservative, religious-right version of that political philosophy). Pretty soon the Republicans are going to have made themselves about as relevant as the American Whigs. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/17 "2004-05-20T18:03:30Z")
They won’t be irrelevant as long as 40% of Americans are evangelicals, and 70% of voters consider themselves conservative. (from Frontline two weeks ago on Bush and his close personal relationship with Jesus.) ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/18 "2004-05-20T18:19:40Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > Un-frigging-believable! How dare that, that, _PE teacher_ lecture John McCain on sacrifice for one’s country Oh come on now, he was a _wrassler_ with bad knees from figure four leg locks and such, so couldn’t go fight Charlie. Hey, Angel, I’m nearby in Henry Hyde’s district. I vote against him because he’s an idiot, and that “youthful indiscretion” (in his 40’s). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/19 "2004-05-20T18:28:07Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > They won’t be irrelevant as long as 40% of Americans are evangelicals, and 70% of voters consider themselves conservative. (from Frontline two weeks ago on Bush and his close personal relationship with Jesus.) A conservative doesn’t necessarily vote Republican, especially as the party turns further away from rational conservatism and further toward Crazy Loony Rambo Absolutist Godbotherer Land. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145/20 "2004-05-20T18:51:44Z")
Three propositions applicable to the present political situation and the Speaker’s hysteria. First, the art of the politician, as opposed to the art of politics, is to stand up on your hind legs, right out in public in broad daylight, and say the most outrageous, self-serving, irrational things that God or man can think of with a perfectly straight face. The Speaker of the House has mastered that art. Second, some times there is an armed conflict that is not a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight. This is not one of them. Third, Senator McCain has always been a class act. The Speaker doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase. Lackey, however, he does understand. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dennis-hastert-is-an-asshole/246145.md?page=2)