[montag813]

I don't buy this. Moderates like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have tremendous respect for President Bush. His public statements against Lott the other day stunned the liberals. I even heard Mario Cuomo call Bush "a different kind of Republican" on Hardball, much to my surprise.

There will be no moe defections.

[hchutch]

And I think Daschle is still smarting from the fallout of the Jeffords switch.

If he obstructs as Majority Leader, he turns off the center. If he cuts deals, he ticks off his base. I think he'll be wary of any defection this time around.