CNN's Inside politics report that Rove offered Nelson (D. Ne) Sec of Agriculture..Rove is BRILLIANT

INside politics..CNN

[ken5050]

Judy (hmmm?) Woodruff just had a report that Karl Rove had offered Nebraska Sen Ben Nelson the post of Secretary of Agriculture. Nelson is up in 2006...and facing a hard race from popular GOP Gov Mike Johanns. Nelson is among the most conservative of Senate Dems..Does this make sense, because Nelson votes with the GOP on most of the key issues..?

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

I think Spectre Insurance is a sister company of Ghostbusters.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

Bill Nelson, Head of NASA......

Is he related to the astronaut, Tony Nelson?

[Red Badger]

No, but he played one in real life.....

[SoDak]

Great choice for either, I doubt he can do much damage as Sec of Ag. Plus, more potential good news, rumours are that our Rep Herseth is contemplating switching parties. That rumour doen't come from the media, that rumour comes from mutual aquaintances.

[Graybeard58]

Miller is 73 years old and I believe him when he says he is retiring to be with his family.

[Hank Rearden]

And who cares about Ag!

I do. They squander hundreds of billions just like the rest of Big Stupid Government.

[Defiant]

What has the TNR been smoking?

[OneTimeLurker]

Which state looses a senator ;)

[Bluegrass Conservative]

I'd love to see that. Herseth is a very attractive candidate (in more ways than one, I might add!). From what I've heard she's to the right of center. However, isn't her family a VERY prominent Democrat family in South Dakota? Would they let her switch?

[lysie]

Y'all see this?

[bourbon]

nice! great minds think alike, right?

[comebacknewt]

Hard to see Herseth switching, but she did say she would vote for GWB if the election were to be decided in the House. Maybe there is hope for her.

[ez]

It may take 56 historically to demand a two seat advantage on committees...that would explain the need to flip a chair.

[graf008]

The defections might be Jeffords-style without the caucusing. To me if we look at straight party line and assume that everyone in their party votes their party line, you are correct that it makes no sense to defect.

However, I think the dynamic of this next Senate will be different than previous. It is a VERY polarized (politically) Senate where moderates in both parties have left. In that environment, true power may come from a third group. If a centrist block is formed (and it seems the DLC is trying to accomplish this - although I am not sure how they are reaching out to Chafee and Snowe and other moderate Republicans) Chafee's influence will not be tied to his current party.

If the Dems gain two seats, and the Senate remains polarized, you can bet your farm that you will see overtures towards Snowe, Chafee.

[Walkingfeather]

Oh man....NOW that is Brilliant

[milltech]

Even if we lose a couple seats in the Senate in 2006, we still have a majority! I don't agree with the analysis that we are exposed in 2006. I think we will pick up 1 or 2 seats in 2006 but even if we lose we still control the Senate.

[KingPin]

Is it just me or does it sound like Judy Woof-Woof is making a subtle insult at the President. Rove doesn't "offer" cabinet positions to anyone. That is a job for the President.

[SoDak]

She is, but apparently she's discovered she has very little in common with her caucus when it comes to actually voting legislation. As I said, its rumour. However, the way she has voted so far is promising. Her pop is a democrat, but he probably has a lot more in common with Zell Miller than Tom Daschle. He's an old school dem.

[graf008]

I thought Judy was a Republican.

[alwaysconservative]

Herseth is thinking about switching parties? I'll believe that when I see it; she comes from a long line of Dems, and I don't see it happening.