1.   As chief deputy majority whip, Hastert is responsible for taking the temperature of lawmakers on key votes and dealing with legislative favors.

2.   As chief deputy whip, he would almost certainly lose his leadership standing if he were to break with his fellow Democrats on health or other key issues.

3.   Blunt, of Springfield, is chief deputy majority whip in the House.

4.   A spokesman for Hastert, who is the chief deputy whip, said the congressman would consider being drafted only if it looked as if he would win.

5.   Congressional aides switch bosses often, and Hastert, then a deputy House whip and a subcommittee chairman, had a job opening a year ago.

6.   Democratic Rep. John Lewis, the chief deputy whip for the minority party in the House, maintains the hopefully named House Majority Fund.

7.   Democratic leaders tapped another Texan, Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco, as chief deputy whip.

8.   Hastert, the chief deputy whip for House Republicans, said he was not worried by such negative reaction.

9.   Hastert currently serves as chief deputy whip, a job that involves gauging the sentiment of rank-and-file Republicans.

10.   He was one of four chief deputy whips named by Minority Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri.