Frist can't even herd cats. If he could, according to your analogy, McCain and company wouldn't even be in the position to do what they did. "Knock it off or else." THAT is what Frist's JOB is.
If he can't do the job, he should step down. He looks like a doofus up there going on about everyone holding hands and singing Kumbaya. He is topped only by that aw-shucks crap from Graham.
Not successfully.
Where do you get THAT from?
From the fact that 7 GOP Senators signed on to that deal in which they expressed, in writing, that they wouldn't support the "nuclear" (I prefer "constitutional") option.
If he could, according to your analogy, McCain and company wouldn't even be in the position to do what they did. "Knock it off or else." THAT is what Frist's JOB is.
Sure. And after he's said it and they've ignored him, what's the next step? The Senate is not a business, and he's not the boss. He's basically "first among equals." He's got no more control over John McCain than Trent Lott did or you do.