The Senate's Real Leader [The bitter, little POW from AZ]

The Washington Post ^ | May 25, 2005 | By David S. Broder

[johnny7]

The Monday night agreement to avert a showdown vote over judicial filibusters not only spared the Senate from a potentially ruinous clash, but also certified John McCain as the real leader of that body.

In contrast to Majority Leader Bill Frist, who was unable to negotiate a compromise with Minority Leader Harry Reid or hold his Republicans in line to clear the way for all of President Bush's nominees to be confirmed, McCain looks like the man who achieved his objectives. U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., May 24, 2005. Fourteen U.S. Senate moderates struck a deal on Monday to avert a historic showdown vote over U.S. President George W. Bush's stalled judicial nominees, crafting a bipartisan compromise that includes a commitment to clear the way for confirmation votes on three of five disputed nominees. The agreement was reached less than 24 hours before the Republican-led Senate was to decide whether to strip Democrats of their power to block Bush's candidates for federal courts.

[johnny7]

“I learned the futility of looking back in anger."

No John... not by a long-shot!

[FlipWilson]

WaPo wish piece. He he, this deal is so much Bravo Sierra that it is laughable. One thing became clear yesterday, nobody knows what the foxtrot this deal means. Once this thing is put to the test it will collapse and the gang of seven will look like the village idiots.

Therein lies Frist's real power. He can force vote after vote after vote on judicial nominees and force the dems to make extraordinary look like an everyday occurence.

[clintonh8r]

Crash McCain....senate traitor.

[speedy]

Well, here is McCain's reward -- a puff piece in the Washington Post.

[Ikemeister]

Liberal spin. McCain isn't the leader of anything. Wait until 2008 to see how far he gets in the Presidential race.

[sarasotarepublican]

He had better enjoy the adulation, from the press, for this short moment. Because once he tries for the 2008 Presidency, they will destroy him.

[Pukin Dog]

Oh that aint all, the SOB has got a puff piece movie coming out too.

[DTogo]

Surrendering is not leading, but what would the Liberal Media know about leadership?

(A rhetorical question, the obvious answer to which is NOTHING!)

[cats2dogs]

McCain might be a well meaning man, but his is not the brightest bulb in the box.

[zerosix]

Actually, Broder got it right - McCain did wrestle control of the Senate from Frist, who after declaring that he, nor most of the "leadership" of the Senate did not sign that agreement, should have taken his statement a step further to state that the vote is still on for the "Constitutional Option."

Not to come out with all 48 Republican Senators not signing that, so called, Agreement, behind him standing at the the microphone during prime time, was a total captulation of Republican Leadership under Frist to a McCain/Byrd leadership of the Republican led Senate.

Frist would hide behind Hillary's big behind in any Presidential Debate. "Frist for President 2008" not while I'm still standing!

[The_Victor]

Accolades from the left. McCain's getting what he wanted, but it won't get him elected president (unless he runs as a deomcRAT).

[Red Badger]

John McCain, the Manicurean Candidate........

[johnny7]

...nobody knows what the foxtrot this deal means.

It takes longer for some people.

[Rosemont]

McCain is the #1 Senator in the Lib media. However, your only a star to MSM when you backstab (or to use a better verb, Voinovich) Conservatives. What a fool. He was outsmarted by the Libs. He really Voinoviched Frist, Allen and the rest of the Conservative movement.

[ShowMeMom]

the SOB has got a puff piece movie coming out too.

Call me cynical, but after watching his performance at the press conference and subsequent TV interviews, I think that promoting that movie and his book was his main agenda.

[An American In Dairyland]

Well, here is McCain's reward -- a puff piece in the Washington Post.

Only part of his reward. Just knowing he'd undercut GWB again was reward enough but this time it had the added benefit of undercutting Frist as well.

[An American In Dairyland]

McCain might be a well meaning man, but his is not the brightest bulb in the box.

I don't believe this bitter and vindictive little man has a well-meaning bone in his body. He did this to further his own agenda, not the Republican agenda.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You are dead on...
Frist can't or won't lead. His dithering has emboldened the "moderate" Republicans to find their own way. McCain won this by default.
What to do now ? Get rid of Frist and elevate someone who can get things done. W has exactly 2 years left to get his nominees to the bench and Frist is of absolutely no help.

[johnny7]

Don't have to convince me pal... I saw it 'wit me own eyes Monday night. 'Lotta others here still don't get it.

[johnb838]

Haven't the rats already claimed that anybody Bush appoints is extreme? oh, except for these three, because they agreed to them. Last week though, they were extreme.

Oceania is at war with Eastasia. Oceania as always been at war with Eastasia.

[An American In Dairyland]

Oh that aint all, the SOB has got a puff piece movie coming out too.

It's on this weekend on A&E (owned in part by ABC). It will be one of those "dramatic re-enactments" that is often short on facts. It is telling that the MSM would do a full length TV movie on any war hero much less a Republican (?) one. Further, the timing of this thing being aired is almost too good to be true for McCain.

[Don Corleone]

Wait until 2008 to see how far he gets in the Presidential race.

With any luck he won't survive his next senate run.

[johnb838]

He did all that and still had time to have a press conference touting a bill with his name on it to control steroid use, plus the McCain-Kennedy bill Amnesty for illegals bill. He is really running amok right now. Someone needs to cut his political legs out from under him. He's a danger to himself and to the republic.

[Tacis]

"Therein lies Frist's real power. He can force vote after vote after vote on judicial nominees and force the dems to make extraordinary look like an everyday occurence."

You give Buffoon Bill Frist FAR more credit for brians, guts and integrity than he has EVER demonstrated or deserves! Tom DeLay could do it, Buffoon Bill can't get permission from Fat Teddy or Sphinctor!

[johnb838]

Yeah, I hear people still going "What's the hurry if we get what we want?" Well the hurry is that the democrats will do everything in their power to run out the clock now.

[hermgem]

McCain simply hijacked the Senate to endear himself with the electorate for a presidential run.
Will voters agree with him when realizing that McCain is not representing his party's voters while dealing away majority rights expressed at the voting booth.
Will such renegades find reward or rejection?
Can McCain be relied upon and trusted?
He just supplied voters of his party, and the opposition with an answer:
Opportunist first.

[ElPatriota]

The little man with the big ego
The Democratic Vice President
The Darling of the MSM
The bitter, twisted, confused, attention seeker, unprincipled weasel

Who, me bitter? :)- Aren't you glad I am learning my html? LOL

[TYVets]

"John McCain, the Manchurian Candidate........"

His handlers keep pulling the cords and the puppet dances.

[steve8714]

Frist brought this on by wasting time and not pressing the cloture votes.

[Defiant]

McCain is Insane,
But Frist is Pissed

[Red Badger]

I wrote, MANICUREAN, not Manchurian........

[squarebarb]

Yes. Frist wasted and wasted and wasted time...it seemed to go on forever.

I've got to get his organization to stop sending me his time-wasting e-mails.

The guy is an empty suit.

[John Valentine]

McCain should get this WaPo puff piece framed. It probably the nicest stuff he's going to see in print for years to come.

[Mamzelle]

re: Well, here is McCain's reward -- a puff piece in the Washington Post.)))

Wait for Krauthammer...he used to do all kinds of McVain puffery...

[Dane]

Usual puke from Broder.

[Bahbah]

This may actually be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. I will never see David Broder again without laughing.

[johnny7]

McCain will get free, glittering accolades from the MSM until...

1.) He drops out of the 2008 Republican primaries
2.) He wins the Republican 2008 nomination
3.) He looses as an Independent candidate in 2008
4.) He wins the 2008 Presidential Election
5.) He blows his brains out

Whenever this happens... the stories of him being crazier-than-a-sh_thouse-rat will surface again.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Laughable, sad, but laughable.

So, all they wanted was to preserve the rules and comity of the senate.

Then comes the night of the long knives, a cabal of fourteen led by a Brutus. They stab the president in the back, break all the senate rules, wrest control from the hands of the elected majority and minority leaders. State openly they are now in control and any new nominees, appointment's, deals, bills or legislation has to pass their smell test, or it won't fly.

Now we are now told by the MSM this is all in the finest senate traditions of rules and comity to protect minority rights.

[johnny7]

State openly they are now in control and any new nominees, appointment's, deals, bills or legislation has to pass their smell test, or it won't fly.

They got their 'template' from another kangaroo-court... The 9/11 Commission.

[pookie18]

I recall that Broder floated a compromise a few weeks ago...don't recall the details or how close it came to the eventual compromise.

[leprechaun9]

Charles Keating backed McLame speaks out------again! Arianna Huffington, the co-chair of the losers convention must be very proud of him!

[ninenot]

McCain is rapidly becoming the Norman Thomas of the Pubbie Party--a perennial candidate (and LOSER) for the Presidency.

Of course, Norman Thomas was actually honest--unlike his political descendant, McShame.

[Orca]

McCain behaves as if his Vietnam service gives him lifetime tenure as a patriotic American. Benedict Arnold was also a one time patriot.

America would have been better off if we had left him behind in Hanoi.

[ClancyJ]

Well-meaning man? Why would we think that?

Does he well-meaning stab us in the back three times and still get a pass?

This man is not presidential material and not even senate material. His thinking is irrational. He has turned on us every time we needed his vote for his own personal goals.

Afraid that is not what I look for in a senator.

And I am sick to death of this POW, hero, nonsense. He does not get a pass from me. And, never a vote for anything as I don't vote into power those that stab me in the back.

[FormerACLUmember]

McCain is a corrupt (the last of the infamous "Keating Five") mega-narcissistic politician. His current hobby is destroying the Constitution, via "campaign reform" restrictions on free speech and now saving the obviously illegal judicial filibuster.

[Jim Verdolini]

So call Frist and demand punishment. Time to shift some committee positions. A leader rewards his friends and punishes his enemies!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

First is the problem.

[notigar]

Pretty sick comment.