[ken5050]

There was an earlier report that Nelson would be asked to switch parties, and stay in the Senate but that if he did so it would have to include an agreement that Jophanns not run against him in the GOP primary in 2006.

Either option seems a good bet for Nelson..If he runs as a Dem..it'd be hard race, no guarantee of winning, and even if he won..he'd only have another 6 years in the minority to look forward to..

Sounds to me like Rove is either trying to bump up the GOP numbers..56 sounds better than 55, or possibly stock the larder in case there's a defection or two in the near future..in either case..getting Nelson OUT, and getting a conservative GOP in the Senate seat makes a lot of sense NOW..

[Red Badger]

Specter Insurance:^/.....

[bushisdamanin04]

Rove is brilliant. Maybe he can add another GOP seat to the Senate. And who cares about Ag!

[Greg the Republican]

Well did he accept it?

[anniegetyourgun]

Yep....good assessment, ken. And Ag is a great shelf on which to set anyone aside, while making them feel good about it.

[KeatsforFirstDog]

is the gov in Nebraska (R), I assume?

[mrs9x]

This is a brilliant move...IF Nelson accepts the post. Does Nebraska have a GOP governor (I assume they do). The GOP could just appoint a Pubbie Senator in Nelson's spot. Watch them whine and cry about it, but notice how not a peep was made when Zell Miller was installed in Georgia.

[EagleUSA]

We need three or four more "Rove" clones working in the top ranks of the party. On the other hand, the libs are getting easier to beat since they are losing control faster than we can keep track of....ala the latest sliming of Condi Rice which was one of the MOST STUPID THINGS THE RADICAL MSM COULD HAVE DONE....

Go Rove! Too bad Zell Miller will not switch...or maybe after today, he might...

[Dems_R_Losers]

Excellent strategery. Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore did this a few years ago, appointing two Democrat state senators to cabinet positions. The GOP picked up both seats in special elections.

I'm pretty sure Nelson has a conservative record on agriculture issues. He would be a fine choice for USDA.

[billorites]

Is a Cabinet post Rove's to offer?

[graf008]

I think Rove is facing some possible defections from the GOP - as well as wants to remove the Dems from putting a more centrist face on their leadership.

I wouldn't say the Dems will be in the minority for the next ten years, though. We have at least two years - but I think the numbrs (as far as re-elections) are stacked in the Dems favor in 2006.

[Bluegrass Conservative]

Alright, I'm feeling pretty proud right now. I suggested this idea on an earlier post here two days ago: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1280539/posts (see #10)

Either 1) Karl Rove and I think alike or 2) Karl Rove reads FR and liked my idea. : ) Either way, not too bad! lol

[West Coast Conservative]

Also, according to TNR, Lieberman is a possibility to take over from Rumsfeld.

But with Powell's departure, what members of the Bush team knew as soon as the first shot was fired in the Iraq war became apparent to the nation at large: The argument has been settled in the latter's favor. Not because of the Pentagon's bureaucratic weight (Rumsfeld and the neoconservatives around him will be departing soon enough--replaced, in all likelihood, by a Senator, perhaps even Joe Lieberman).

[SNIP]

Nor will the expected departure of Rumsfeld and his lieutenants at the Defense Department dilute the president's robust foreign policy preferences. Were a Joe Lieberman or, by an outside chance, Paul Wolfowitz catapulted to the top Pentagon post, the new defense secretary may end up promoting an even more aggressive foreign policy stance than the president himself. But, even at the cabinet level, ideology's no longer the point.

TNR

[Lunkhead_01]

Incumbency often translates into sufficient name recognition to give the incumbent a few points on election day. If Nelson is Secretary of Agriculture and Governor Johanns appoints himself to finish out the last two years of Nelson's term, Johanns becomes the incumbent with no strong challenger on the horizon.

In addition, if Nelson decides to become Secretary of Agriculture, the Senate becomes:
Republicans: 56
Democrats: 42
Independents: 1

[OldFriend]

It was long rumored that Nelson was going to switch.

I am wondering too if Breaux will become Energy Secretary.

There are good people who can serve their country well and I welcome them.

[Numbers Guy]

Couple points: First, John Breaux was offered Secretary of Energy 4 years ago, but turned it down since he would have been replaced by a Republican. There was tremendous pressure applied to him by the Democratic Party not to take the job because the Senate was 50-50 at that time.

Second, by making it sound like a Rove idea, CNN has pretty much guaranteed that the Dems will put a tremendous amount of pressure on Nelson not to take the job.

[SoDak]

I think he should offer it to Senator Tim Johnson(D), so that Governor Rounds can appoint Larry Diedrich to the Senate. Getting rid of two rat Senators in SD in a matter of weeks would be too much to ask?

[Savage Beast]

You gotta admire Judy Woodruf for carrying on so bravely while in the throes of an advanced case of PEST.

[Bikers4Bush]

If he takes it this would be the perfect time to reign in the moderates. Specter included.

[MahaMarty]

2 simple words...Tom Osborn.

[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.