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Accidental SpeakerBecause of his role in the attempted impeachment of President Bill Clinton (in 1998), Tom DeLay was admittedly "nuclear in the House of Representatives" and decided not to run for the position of Speaker. He told J. Dennis Hastert, his longtime protege, that the job was his if he wanted it. After spending 18 months helping DeLay to become the Republican whip, Hastert, in six hours, had leap-frogged past him. Even Hastert (later dubbed the Accidental Speaker) was bemused by his new-found celebrity. Two days after his victory, Hastert was greeted by a crowd of photographers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Hastert's reaction? The Accidental Speaker looked behind him - hoping to catch a glimpe of whichever celebrity the photographers were waiting for.
[Hastert was not always so modest. "I'm not saying I'm a humble person," he later remarked. "I wouldn't blow my own horn on humility."]
[Trivia: Among the hobbies listed on Hastert's official bio? "Carving and painting duck decoys."]
Hastert, J. Dennis (1942- ) American politician, Speaker of the House of Representatives
[Sources: The New Yorker, Oct. 6, 2003]More J. Hastert anecdotesRelated Anecdote Keywords:
Paparazzi Fame Celebrity Modesty Surprises Misunderstandings
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