Judging by the broadsides that have been coming his way of late, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's honeymoon is over. Now he seems to be fair game for the same sort of second-guessing and criticism weathered by his immediate predecessors: Republican Newt Gingrich of Georgia and Democrats Thomas S. Foley of Washington, Jim Wright of Texas, Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. of Massachusetts, and Carl Albert of Oklahoma.
Hastert's ascension in January to the top job in the House was greeted by both parties as a much-needed break from the polarization and controversy surrounding the post in recent years. While the affable Illinois Republican and former high school wrestling coach remains personally popular on both sides of the aisle, his passive role during the debate leading up to the House's April 28 213-213 vote on U.S. and NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia seemed to lower the truce flag on criticism. Hastert, who voted to support the air strikes, privately conceded to colleagues at last week's Chowder & Marching Society breakfast that he had made a mistake by not lobbying Republicans
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