Sorry, Jim (Jeffords would be "happy to caucus with the GOP")

Washington Times ^ | 11/20/02

[kattracks]

James Jeffords surely must be the loneliest senator on Capitol Hill. Just six months after the Republican leadership pulled out all the stops to get the Vermonter re-elected in 2000

[Coop]

Yep, Lott and the Republicans should tell Jim to climb on board. As long as he RESIGNS FIRST and STANDS FOR RE-ELECTION so that the voters of Vermont can have a say, he can come back. There's nothing more despicable than messing with the results of an election.

If you don't want to mess with the results of an election, then you should not ask him to resign. You should demand that he declare himself a Republican again, since that's what the voters elected.

Having said that, I hope the GOP tells this self-centered piece of trash to go pound sand.

[xzins]

It seems to me that letting him come back just could be better revenge on him in the long run

There are benefits, but only if he returns to the Republican fold. None of the caucus stuff. Your comment above is excellent.

Realpolitik has its place.

We would automatically get a 2 vote margin in every committee if he were to come back. That makes the Landrieu/Terrell election in LA important, but not almighty important.

I think I'd offer him committee membership but not chairmanship.

[Yankee]

Give him a rope, point out a sturdy tree, and tell him to do the honorable thing.

Judas had the right idea.

[Petronski]

From a purely Machiavellian point of view, I think they should take him back, with two provisos:

a) No seniority (so that he is junior even to the freshmen of 2003) or committee assignments of consequence, and
b) NEVER EVER forget his former treachery.

[Ole Okie]

"....Jeffords was one of only 9 or 10 senators. Even most of the RATs did not take that stand.

Does this mean that even most of the Dumbocraps are to the right of Jumpin' Judas Jim?

[Samwise]

I read on here somewhere that Dick Cheney refers to him as "He whose name is is not spoken."

[duckbutt]

hmmmm....Jeffords thinks "tide" goes left, he goes left. Now that he thinks the "tide" is shifting right, he wants to rejoin GOP......

I guess that makes Jeffords the flotsam and jetsam of politics - - I just wish the tide would take him out to deep sea.......


(although the tide of the American people has never gone that left, just the Hollywierd and Lamestream media types think so).

[fatboy]

One of the talking heads, I think it was Cal Thomas, said on FOX News, that when Sen. Jeffords looks in the mirror in the morning, all he sees is an idiot.

I think that is funny.

Tom

[pray4liberty]

The networks no longer have the credibility nor the clout to present such opposition to the President's mandate.

You can say that again. They've angered a lot of Americans by refusing to put President Bush on TV when he addresses the people. Why should we listen to them anymore, they sure don't listen to us common, unenlightened folks.

The American people are a lot smarter than the news media gives us credit for. Refusing to air the President's address isn't a slap in the face to him. It's a slap in the face to us.

[johnny7]

Thanks. I knew Teddy would be a nay. 90-9 means one primadonna didn't vote.

I live in MA with a whole nest of snakes. They bend you over, take your wallet and laugh.

I'm convinced Byrd is in the latter stages of alzheimers... the mean kind.

[Lady Heron]

4. The GOP will appear magnanimous, and not the stereotypical mean boogeymen the media like to present.

The media will have a field day with this guy. He will no longer be a good guy standing up for his beliefs, but be a looser willing to sell his votes for the highest bidder. They will tar him until he leaves office!

[Sweet Hour of Prayer]

", the election results were barely in before Mr. Jeffords' office put out feelers to his former party's leaders."

My take on this is that, Jeffords made the offer over a week ago and it was turned-down, thus he voted Democrat to show his "independence."

[pray4liberty]

One of the talking heads, I think it was Cal Thomas, said on FOX News, that when Sen. Jeffords looks in the mirror in the morning, all he sees is an idiot.

Very astute and very polite of him to say.

[AmishDude]

I think Jeffords was rebuked shortly after the election. He knows now he's nobody.

[AmishDude]

Nope. Let him run as an independent. Split vote, real Republican gets elected.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Senator Murkowski (R) of Alaska did not vote. I believe he was away from the Senate, dealing with being Governor-elect of Alaska.

[AmishDude]

I'd consider letting him chair a standing subcommittee of some sort, but he'd never get an actual chairmanship. Also, he'd have the lowest seniority of anybody in the caucus. Then maybe I'd let him back. Maybe.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I read on here somewhere that Dick Cheney refers to him as "He whose name is is not spoken."

Wouldn't that be Senator Voldemort?

Oh, well. Close enough.

8>)

[AmishDude]

I don't think Jim Jeffords makes a reflection in mirrors.

[aristeides]

90-9 means one primadonna didn't vote.

No, the one who didn't vote was Murkowski of Alaska, who was just elected governor of Alaska and is therefore leaving the Senate two years before his term ends.