NYT: Frist, His Authority Questioned, Says He'll Prevail in the Long Run

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, June 4 - With lawmakers returning from the Memorial Day recess, the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, faces a crucial test of whether he can re-establish his authority after a rapid sequence of events that many say diminished his standing and exposed a lack of experience in Congressional intrigue.

Adversaries, independent analysts and even some allies say the Senate leader was wounded by a compromise on judicial nominees achieved last month by a handful of Republicans who bucked him, including Senator John McCain, a potential presidential rival in 2008. The damage to his image was made worse, they say, when Democrats blocked another important White House nominee just a few days after the judicial agreement.

"It is recognized that this gang of seven has weakened him," said Paul M. Weyrich, a veteran conservative activist and Frist supporter, referring to the Republicans who circumvented the majority leader to avert a potentially explosive showdown on prohibiting filibusters against judicial nominees.

(snip)

But in an interview, he said he believed his stewardship would be vindicated in the days ahead once he shepherded through a string of legislation and judicial nominees. That should begin this week, he added, with votes on Janice Rogers Brown and William H. Pryor Jr., two federal appeals court candidates whose nominations have been filibustered by Democrats.

"The short-term evaluations, I believe, will prove to be shortsighted and wrong after we get judge after judge after judge after judge through, plus at least one Supreme Court nominee and an energy bill," Dr. Frist said after a lecture at Harvard, where he received his own medical education. "And we will get Bolton."

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/politics/05frist.html?pagewanted=all

[acmavm]

1. Frist's authority? What authority? He's only a representative of the

people. Who or what does he think he is????????????

[Clark2008]

2. Fucking idiot.

Once again, I apologize to America as a Tennesseean for foisting this twerp on the rest of the country, even though I've never voted for the Cat Killer.

[salin]

3. guess he hadn't yet read the latest Bolton news

before he spoke to this reporter. The WH hasn't been forthcoming with the senator per what all lurks just behind the surface of bolton that has the power not only to derail the nomination (and further diminish frist's power) - but has the potential to sow great distrust of the admin and by default the GOP leadership. Not bolton per se - but how the most recent revelation of bolton activity supports other ugly news items suggesting even to the public that doesn't pay close attention that yes, Virginia, the administration DID lie us into war.

[Pachamama]

4. Frist sure has a lot of confidence...in the Diebold machines n/t

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. A legend in his own mind. n/t

:evilgrin:

[aquart]

6. I'd say BushCo made him a promise.

But he didn't get it in writing.

[wallwriter]

7. Hm. *What* goes before a fall?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. Trent Lott said that, too.

[Straight Shooter]

9. "... after we get judge after judge after judge after judge through ..."

He really likes to make a point, doesn't he?

Why do I get the impression that Frist was one of those neighborhood kids who said things like "nyah-nyah-nah-nah-nyah"?

[gademocrat7]

10. The cat killer is using words

like stewardship and shepherding? Is he a preacher? What crap.

[Champion Jack]

11. Frist should be locked into

a 20x20 concrete room with a 2 year old american bison male that has been ram fed viagra and L.S.D.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

13. ouch

i suppose with most laws of humanity and nature having already been broken, what the hell?

[Horse with no Name]

12. Something I keep noticing about cat killer

In several of his latest interviews etc...he keeps referring to his role of Senator as "stewardship".
This is more pandering to the fundie extremists--this is a term you hear in church, and shouldn't be used in the Senate.
I wish someone would deflate his pompous little balloon and let him know his "stewardship" to this country shouldn't include raping it.