Posted on 11/29/2006 7:36:36 AM PST by areafiftyone
Sources close to outgoing Maj. Leader Bill Frist tell the Hotline that Frist has decided not to run for President.
He will make a formal announcement this afternoon, the sources said.
Frist made the decision in recent days after consulting family, friends and advisers.
IMHO, the REAL reason is that he doesn't want to drawn attention to the deal his family just pulled off, selling their hospital corporation. Frist himself made more than $100 million, and the press would dissect it...
God I hope not! I heard the buzz about Cheney stepping down - its all over the blogs but nothing about Frist. I like Frist but not for VP.
He's a limp noodle....a weenie
Great news! This significantly improves GOP chances in the 08 elections.
He is a fine Doctor.
I don't think it's so much that he's a RINO, I think it's that he's a heart surgeon and lacks the killer instinct that is required to be a majority leader. He'd make a fine governor though and would make Tennessee proud.
I hope he consulted the several faxes I sent him indicating his wimpy ways precluded him from real consideration.
Oh thank god!
Don't ever get caught between a congressman and a camera!
However, before we call him a RINO and other silly things we should remember that it was Bill Frist who came out a very successful medical practice in 1994 and beat the disaster that was Jim Sasser. A Carter Democrat who was a bumbling big government weak on national defense dolt. Frist rid the state and the nation of that hack sending him packing for China. It was Frist that helped recruit and campaign for the candidates who took the U.S. Senate back in 2002 he also rid us of Puff Daschle.
We should thank him for his service.
Agreed. He'd be a poor candidate, but he's a good man, and deserves our thanks.
I mean, I admit he wasn't great, but can anybody here name a Senate Leader we have EVER liked? The reason is our expectations are totally unrealistic. Did we like Lott? Dole? I mean, look at DU, they hated Dashle almost as much as we did, and for a lot of the same reasons.
Bottom line, their job is essentially hurding cats. Not a job that lends it's self to getting much thanks.
Actually, I just researched it. Kennedy and Harding are the ONLY two Senators directly elected President. 15 other former Senators became President, but just these two ever moved directly from the Senate to the White House.
Monroe, Quincy Adams,Jackson, Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, Tyler, Pierce, Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Benjamin Harrison, Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Nixon all served in the Senate. But were out of the Senate when elected. We are on our 43rd Presidency now. 2/43 shot of a sitting Senator winning. I like me them odds.
I also agree that Frist was not a great Majority Leader, but that is by no means his fault entirely. In theory he had a 55-45 majority, but in practice he didn't have a working majority because (1) The 'Rats abused the filibuster (2) there weren't 50 votes to stop the 'Rats abuse of the filibuster (3) too many of the 55 were not exactly willing to be led by Frist or anyone else.
The politician hasn't ever been born who could have kept McCain in line. Or Voinovich. Or the Maine Gals. Or Specter. Or Chafee. Or Hagel. Or Warner. Or DeWine. Or Graham.
The real question is WHY did the Republicans elect a Majority Leader who was leaving at the end of 2006 anyway? Isn't such a man by definition weak?
The answer is that it served the interests of the prima donnas listed above to have a weak leader that would allow each of them to take turns hijacking the Senate.
In retrospect, the Senate did manage to get most of the President's Conservative Judges through including the two big SCOTUS nominations. I can't be too critical of Frist -- or Specter, for that matter -- because they did come through where we needed it the most.
When Frist took over I thought he would be a good one for the job...but he proved himself to be spineless! The filabuster thing drove America mad...and Frist refused to drop the boom on the Dims...no guts. He was responsible for a lot of the crap over the supreme court nominees being held up forever with no vote. There were all kind of things he could have done, and then he let McCain and the gang of 14 take over....no spine. Glad he will be gone.
Regards, Ivan
I agree.
Frist is a good man , conservative and sincere but probably too wimpy and nice for the role of senate leader or even taking on the Democrats. He is better suited for a local role, say the governor office.
Whew. It's for the best!
We can keep some sort of string by running Lynn Cheney...
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