John McHugh: I'm Not Going Anywhere

Speculation is always a dicey game for those of us in the Fourth Estate, particularly when it comes to congressional retirements.

One lawmaker who was rumored to be joining the roster of recent GOP retirements issued a press release Monday to end chatter that he's stepping down.

“Had any reporter bothered at any time to ask, I would have told them quite simply that at this time, I fully expect to be a candidate for re-election in 2008," New York Rep. John M. McHugh said in the release. "I have never told anyone otherwise and I have never at any time told anyone I was thinking of retiring and, as the Washington Post put it, ‘wanting to go home.’

The rumor-mill on Capitol Hill had the New York Republican calling it quits at the conclusion of his eighth-term in the House, joining a group of fellow moderates who have grown weary of the travel, the partisanship and the grind of tough reelection fight every two years. But not so, the veteran Republican said.

"My campaign is going forward on those matters necessary to wage another successful effort and when the time comes, we will be ready," McHugh said.

Although, it's worth noting that "at this time," "fully expect" and "going forward" often amount to weasel words that give lawmakers some wiggle room to change their minds. I'm just saying...