No time to write much, but a pair of articles from the Washington Post to bring to your attention on the current Speaker of the House Micheal Grunwald and Jim VandeHei, Hastert’s Team Mentality to be Tested as Foley Scandal Unfolds, 10/16/06) and the woman who would like to replace him (Lois Romano, The Woman Who Would be Speaker, 10/21/06) . Nice analyses of their respective leadership styles.
Also, see this fun one on the origin and scope of “October surprises.” (Linton Weeks, Boo! An Inevitable October Surprise, 10/21/06)