I think Bush and Rove clearly want "loyal" followers. I do not think that it is any co-incidence that Elizabeth Dole, Cununu Jr., and Lamar Alexander all won Senate seats. I am from Tennessee. Rove interfered in our Republican Senatorial primary by asking the more conservative Ed Bryant to drop put and let Alexander have the nomination. Bryant refused but Alexander won anyway.
I do not have much liking for Frist. He is part of the Belle Meade gang here in Nashville along with Alexander, Al Gore, and newly elected Governor Phil Bredesen. Frist hacked me off because many of his own family and friends financially backed the Democrat Bredesen over the conservative Republican, Van Hillery.
Frist's family started Hospital Corporation of America which has gobbled up most hospitals across America. He is too far left for me but probably fits waht Bush wants. The Bushes have always been attracted to the more moderate, big money Republicans. Frist is a good spokesperson and certainly won Bush's favor by leading the Republican Senate election campaign this year as well as selling the Bush message about bio-terrorism and smallpox.