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A Gadfly in the House

Amid all the pulse takers and poll watchers in Congress, Rep. Henry Hyde, who died this morning, was more interested in being right than in being popular.

Marvin Olasky | posted 11/29/2007 10:52AM

This article was originally published in the March 9, 1992 issue of Christianity Today.

The walls of U.S. Representative Henry Hyde's outer office sport all the trappings of democracy and reveal much about ...

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H. D. Schmidt

Posted: December 02, 2007 9:10 AM

Yes, for sure I like what this article says. However, republishing it without that "else" about Hyde, actually in a way, hurts this great Magazine, and most certainly, Mr. Olasky himself. No question, if you please, it hurts Christianism itself. Yes, we are sinners and come short of God's glory! Nevertheless as a sinner repents and confesses and ask forgiveness, and may I say especiallly when it is a sin that has to do with stabbing, in figure of speech, through the very heart of a spouse, one could almost say that, that shortness actually tends to get less short? No for sure, no credit ever whatsover is earned by a sinner. The previous comments would never have taken place! Yet, they became a must, in reality in true fairness to Hyde himself and to Christainism as a whole. Question: Did Mr. Hyde openly confess and ask forgiveness from the America people? Or did he just quietly go?

John	Posted: November 30, 2007 2:02 PM

I agree with Patrick and strut2k. How can you discuss Hyde without discussing his hypocritcal piling on in the Clinton impeachment with his own dirty laundry? ALL politicians of any stripe are at their heart narcisistic and self-indulgent, and Hyde was no exception. They may adopt positions you like, which makes them useful, but never doubt who they are. To note his passing in CT like that of Rex Humbard or Jerry Falwell is ridiculous.

Patrick Gann

Posted: November 29, 2007 6:12 PM

This is a great article, but strut2k is right: a reprint from over a decade ago doesn't do the man justice. Some treatment of the Clinton scandal is almost a must in any report. And all I've heard on the radio about Hyde's own extramarital affair is his personal reply of "it was a youthful indescretion" ... which makes no sense, since the man was nearly 50 years old when the affair took place. I think Henry Hyde, partisan as he may be (again looking at strut2k's comments), was an excellent politician, and made good decisions for the sake of the greater good *despite* his personal convictions.

strut2k

Posted: November 29, 2007 2:04 PM

Reprinting a 1991 puff piece paints an incomplete picture of Henry Hyde. Since then, he was part of the ruling majority after 1994's "Contract With America". He became a powerful Republican Committee Chairman. He was quick to pile on when a Democratic President was impeached, nowhere to be found when Randall Cunningham, Tom DeLay, Mark Foley, Scooter Libby, et al were charged and subsequently fell. Sadly, the man presented as "...married to one woman for 43 years" will be remembered for coining the term "youthful indescretion" while admiting an affair in his 40's. Truth is, Henry Hyde was a partisan politician. His positions resonated strongly with conservatives and with Christians. He worked well with friends and foes alike, and had an impressive career in politics. He was no statesman, but an effective Representative widely respected for how he conducted himself. He had a good run.

Carl T. Fynboe

Posted: November 29, 2007 12:56 PM


I believe that Henry Hyde was truly one of the greatest congressman elected to the United States House of Representatives. We need more men and women in the United States Congress who stand firm on Constitutional foundation and principle rather than relying on temporary poll results or cultural whims and passing popular trends.

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