Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Hastert to Japan?

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With the Dems slated to win back the House what's a "husky" former wrestling coach turned Speaker to do? Besides Disneyland, we mean (The Corsair puts on Sting's superior new collection of John Dowland's Early Music, "Labyriths"). According to our favorite Dickensian villain Robert Novak:

"A question asked on Capitol Hill is whether the Mark Foley scandal will kill House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's longtime ambition to be named U.S. ambassador to Japan. Even if Republicans retain control of the House this year, Hastert is considered unlikely to get a fifth term as speaker. Hastert as a young man was a summer English-language teacher in Japan and would like to return as his nation's diplomatic representative. What is in doubt is whether the Foley scandal casts a cloud over his confirmation."

There does seem to be prestige -- or, as the Japanese say "face," in Tokyo, recall that former Vice President Walter Mondale returned to government as Clinton's Ambassador to Japan after, reportedly, turning down The Court of St. James.

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