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The Daily Herald and the AP had a package of stories on retiring Congressman Henry Hyde the other day. Here’s a brief rundown.
* Hyde kept focus on district’s needs
While U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde was known for his views on national issues, he never lost touch with what’s important to residents in the 6th Congressional District. […]
•Opposed expansion at O’Hare International Airport, supporting instead the building of a third regional airport in Peotone.
•Brought back $200 million in federal aviation funds for soundproofing schools and homes around O’Hare.
•Secured $300 million to control flooding in the Des Plaines River watershed. […]
•Gained permission from the federal government for I-355 to be built.
* For 32 years, Hyde stood his ground
Henry Hyde made a name for himself as a freshman congressman battling government-funded abortions.
More than two decades later, as chairman of a powerful committee, he made the case for President Clinton’s impeachment.
For 32 years, the Republican from Wood Dale has been a leading spokesman for conservatives on Capitol Hill, even as he softened his views on several issues.
But in a few weeks, his career will come to an end — on his own terms, not at the hands of voters.
* Reflections on six presidencies
• President George H.W. Bush: “Caretaker. No great advances, except Desert Storm was an important event that resulted in an amalgam of different countries to work together against a Muslim state.â€
•President Clinton: “The word ‘tragic’ is too melodramatic but he had a generally failed presidency, I think. He could have been a great leader. He had too many personal problems. I don’t think history will go beyond the asterisk that will appear after his name.â€
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 9:08 am
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“Right now, President Bush is in great difficulty in getting recognized for the job he’s done under very difficult circumstances. But I think historians in decades ahead will recognize that he confronted a horrendous situation — a Muslim jihad that he intended to surmount by inculcating democratic ideals and visions into a part of the world that never knew them before. Whether or not he overshot his mark or not, those years will tell.â€
But it doesn’t look like you can impose democracy on a part of the world that seems to not want to be dragged kicking and screaming into modernity. It has to come from the ground up instead of top-down, and I think someone needs to finally realize that.
All Bush was able to do is curb some of the threat in the region by removing the dictator from power (not a bad thing, mind you), but there’s no plan to win the peace. Not that the Democrats know how, either, but that was not well thought out. We have the firepower to take out dictators successfully, but you have to win the peace afterwards in order to bring about stability.
And the USA cannot do the 911 (as in the emergency number, not 9/11) thing alone. Gotta have a ton of help on the national stage.
Comment by Angie Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 9:42 am
*international stage, that is
Comment by oops Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 9:42 am
Read and listen to this man. Regardless of your political persuasion, we can learn from a man who has served in this capacity for decades. He is sincere.
He is a first hand witness to over 30 years of history in the front seat of national government. We can learn a great deal from anyone who has been in his position. Democrat or Republican.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 10:21 am
In the article, Hyde calls Iraq another Vietnam. He is one of the great congressmen of his era.
Comment by respectful Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 11:41 am
Hyde is a partisan jerk.
Clinton had too many personal problems?
Whatever. Hyde and his buddies in the GOP leadership tried to accentuate and inflate every single personal issue they could find or manufacture.
Hyde will be remembered for impeaching Bill Clinton for foolish reasons and out of partisan motivations.
The unwillingness of the GOP to hold Bush accountable for *anything* makes the Hyde impeachment look even more absurd. There were no principles at stake. Hyde got together with people like Tom DeLay and they talked themselves into the need to impeach Clinton.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 11:59 am
Henry Hyde is a legend.
It is just too bad that he was never nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Comment by Establishment Republican Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 1:59 pm
I agree with Carl.
In twenty years, the only thing Hyde will be known for is his role in the disgraceful politically motivated impeachment of Pres. Clinton. The punchline will always be the sanctimonious Hyde’s “youthful indiscretion” and the complete hypocricy of the Republicans.
Comment by Objective Dem Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 2:09 pm
I became a democrat directly because Hyde and his fellow GOPers tried to bring down a good president for political gain. Say what you want about Clinton the man– but Clinton the president was good for America.
Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 2:57 pm
Doesn’t the whole Bill Clinton was spying on Princess Di thing, sort of take the luster away?
Comment by Establishment Republican Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 3:21 pm
Establishment Republican,
Your statement really proves you are an establishment Republican. You can’t give up on trying to blame everything on President Clinton. Yes, someone was spying on Princess Di, but I haven’t heard anything indicating that Pres. Clinton knew anything about it.
The reality is history will show President Clinton a very good president. Your boy, George W., is quickly going down as one of the worst, if not the worst, of all time. And part of the blame for George W.’s failure rests on congressmen like Henry Hyde who did not fulfill their constitutional (and patriotic) duty to act as a check and balance.
Comment by Objective Dem Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 4:44 pm
Henry Hyde’s views on President Clinton should only be offered after he earnestly apologizes to Fred Snodgrass. I do not accept the excuse “youthful indiscretion” from a 46 year old. Of course, this personal note pales in comparison to the Clyde Savings and Loan fiasco(he sat on the board for 3 years)–which the Congressman took ZERO of the $67,000,000 blame. The only thing I learned from this hypocrite is not to trust him around my girlfriend or my money.
Comment by Master of the Obvious Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 5:18 pm
Yeah, I forgot about how Hyde completely dodged responsibility on Clyde.
This may be b/c the media let him avoid answering questions about the whole deal including how *all* his fellow directors took the fall, but federal regulators decided not to punish Hyde with his peers.
But Hyde was a genius b/c he brought money back to the district. No Congressman ever figured out how to do that before.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 5:37 pm
Even if Clinton was spying on Di b/c he thought it would be hot to have an affair with her, so what?
As Glenn Greenwald explained there’s a difference between intercepting phone calls of a foreign national in a foreign country (allowed under U.S. law) and Bush wiretapping U.S. citizens in the United States without a warrant (illegal under U.S. law).
Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 5:40 pm
I just took another look at Hyde’s “accomplishments”. He brought in money to soundproof homes for people who bought homes too close to O’Hare and money to pay for flood control created by inappropriate development. I thought the republicans were all about taken responsibility for oneself and not looking to government to solve the problems you created by your own mistakes? Hyde is nothing but a big hypocrite.
Comment by Objective Dem Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 6:46 pm
good riddance to hypocritical rubbish. Hyde will not be missed
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:07 pm