THIS YEAR!
Kind of sums up his political life and gives a hint of what is to come should he, God forbid, be elected
Daschle tries on his non-disappointed face
Posted on 05/04/2004 8:39:35 PM PDT by formercalifornian
The Senate Republican leader, Bill Frist has created a ruckus in the Capitol by agreeing to go to South Dakota to campaign against his Democratic counterpart, Tom Daschle. But Dr. Frist seems to have a new pen pal on the other side of the aisle: John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
"I wrote Senator Kerry a note last week that said, "While you're traveling across the country talking jobs, come back and help us get this bill passed," Dr. Frist told reporters this morning, referring to a corporate tax measure under debate. "He wrote back and said, `Well, we can have a serious discussion.' "
The exchange in question concerns the tax measure that Republicans say would protect more than one million high-quality manufacturing jobs in the United States. At a time when the Senate is so wracked by partisan division that lawmakers of both parties complain the Capitol is in gridlock, Dr. Frist's letter was intended to embarrass Mr. Kerry, by reminding the senator from Massachusetts that he was a co-sponsor of the measure, and asserting that Democrats had been slowing acting on the bill.
"It is my hope," Dr. Frist wrote last Wednesday, in the kind of false politesse that governs most discussions on Capitol Hill, "that you will use your position to help convince your Senate Democrat colleagues of the importance of this legislation."
That very same day, Mr. Kerry — who has rarely been in his office in the Senate Russell Building this year — wrote back in equally polite tones, thanking Dr. Frist and urging him to take up issues that Democrats want to consider, including a plan to overturn the Bush administration's new overtime rules, which the Senate was to consider today.
"My reply, was `Yes, let's do it,' and today we're working together," Dr. Frist said, reporting the happy outcome.
All this bipartisan togetherness, of course, stirred some skepticism considering the climate on the hill. But Dr. Frist's spokesman, Bob Stevenson, wryly insisted the good feelings are real. "We're all holding hands," Mr. Stevenson said with a wink, "and singing Kumbaya."
Mr. Stevenson failed to note, however, the last line of Senator Kerry's cordial reply to Dr. Frist: "In the future, you may wish to note that my office address is 304 Russell and not 317 Russell."
THIS YEAR!
Kind of sums up his political life and gives a hint of what is to come should he, God forbid, be elected
Daschle tries on his non-disappointed face
There aren't many men of Daschle's stature in Washington. Consider Daschle the inspiration for Lord Farquaad in Shrek. They both are short and need a spouse for money and power.
Frist:
Liberal
Republican't
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