For some reason I could never put my finger on, I never had much faith in this guy.
Well, to start with, he's a Republican politician. There are some real tigers in the bunch, but they're an endangered species.
Hastert was a “Jerry Ford” - a mediocre, phlegmatic, dull-witted politician who was put into power in the wake of the Gingrich/Livingston scandals, who was chosen by power-brokers because he was acceptable and non-threatening to democrats and the press.
I had the same impression. Here is a guy with “coaching” history, but he looked like a candidate for The Biggest Loser. Here is a guy who did to the budget what he did to his waist line. I broke my arm in high school wrestling and I know it is no easy sport, but Hastert never seemed to act like my coaches. He lost the fire.