Congress

Mild-mannered DENNY HASTERT was never going to be like his outspoken predecessor NEWT GINGRICH. But last week, in the House’s first big vote since impeachment–on a resolution to support the NATO air campaign against Yugoslavia–Hastert’s leadership was nonexistent. At a meeting with other lawmakers in the White House the morning before the vote, Hastert told PRESIDENT CLINTON that enough Republicans would vote yes on the resolution to ensure its passage. Just hours before the vote, Hastert’s chief of staff, SCOTT PALMER, advised the Democrats’ chief tallyman, Representative DAVID BONIOR, that about 90 Republicans would vote in favor. But in the end, only 31 Republicans did, and the measure failed to pass in a 213-213 tie. Hastert voted yes, but instead of trying to persuade Republicans to join him, he remained seated while majority whip TOM DELAY lobbied members to vote no. “Hastert is Speaker in title only,” a G.O.P. leadership aide said. “DeLay is running rings around him.”

–By James Carney/Washington