I got to the presser late, so I don't know what Frist's actual statement was---
They were asking questions when I turned it on, and there were a lot of questions that I couldn't hear, but I would characterize all of Frist's answers as a lot less than emphatic re: making sure all of Bush's nominees get up or down votes...
He kept hesitating and thinking and then coming out with some sort of "well, when you try to take all sides into consideration and when you talk to the different Senators, in talking to Harry Reid, who is a good leader, ...."blah, blah, blah...
Every single answer started with some kind of "diplomat speak"---and my heart sank further and futher with every answer---BUT, when I heard someone specifically ask if he backed Lott's compromise (I knew that Lott had gone off on Tony Snow's show today and said he didn't care what the GOP thought), I thought he would say that unless the compromise included an up or down vote, he couldn't back it....well, he said YES he was interested---then he went on to say what I posted on the previous post....
If I was in the mood to make excuses for Frist, (which I am not), I would say that he KNOWS that with Lott acting the way he is and the other RINOS in the party, he won't have the required votes so he has no other choice than to compromise. BUT, I think just the opposite might be true.
If Frist came out and said we ARE going to vote for the Constitutional rules and Bush's nominees will get an up or down vote, then some of the RINOS would not want their names on a roll call vote going against their constitutents and the President....
But I'm guessing that Frist is playing an old game by keeping all options open.. because once he does commit to the constitutional option .. all heck will break lose with the media/press/dems
Though I can understand his reasoning there
I also have to say that this BS needs to come to a head one way or another
Because they are losing the base .. and the base is NOT the hard right wingers