Washington Whispers
Coach Denny Now The House Principal
They still call him "Coach," but if Illinois Rep. Dennis Hastert's recent headline-making spats with the White House, his surprise trip to war- torn Baghdad, and brand-new status as the longest-serving Republican House speaker ever show anything, he's finally made it to the principal's chair. "I made a decision a long time ago that I didn't want to be the principal of a high school," the former Yorkville High School coach and teacher tells us. But last week, after he bested Joe Cannon's 7
Hastert was a surprise pick, an obscure choice meant to settle leadership fights and scandals in 1998. Since then, he's quietly built a strong bench of Republicans who've gone on to win elections to the Senate and statehouses, although lately his side has been mired in woes.
No celebration parties are planned yet, though the Air Force staff on his military flight to Baghdad last week gave him a cake. "It's amazing how time creeps up on ya," says former Illinois Rep. Robert Michel, the longest-serving House GOP minority leader. "I always think in terms of old Uncle Joe Cannon," he adds, "and low and behold, Denny has exceeded him."
Maybe Boot Camp for NFL Bad Boys
This just in from the (sports) front: Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers is a dark-horse candidate to be the next NFL commissioner. What we know: He's friends with the Kansas City Chiefs owners; he's a big fan; and he's interested in the job. And the KC native knows how to handle NFL thugs--send them to boot camp. "He'd be terrific," says a senior Defense official, who adds: "What does a commissioner need to do? Build consensus. General Myers is a great consensus builder."
A White House Stop for Fox's Idol Tour?
She taught ninth-grade English to middling but cheerful student Taylor Hicks and now first lady Laura Bush's press secretary is working to get the stars of American Idol's summer tour in for a White House visit when they pass through Washington next month. "Just for a tour or something," says Susan Whitson. Or something, indeed: We hear that the West and East Wing staffs were glued to Idol's last show. Whitson recalls that Hicks was a C student at their Birmingham, Ala., school. "He didn't apply himself, but he was very smart." She remembered that he used to bring that darned harmonica to class with him, and when the class clown acted up she'd let him play just to blow off steam. Whitson says Hicks almost ruined her first-year evaluation when, as her principal sat in the back of class, Hicks whispered during a question period: "I just want to let you know you're doing a good job." During the competition they kept up via E-mail and as he was winning the championship she wrote him, "I'm watching and I'm bawling."
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