ConfirmThem

By Paul Zummo Posted in Analysis and Predictions — Comments () / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

If the US Senate were a parliamentary institution, Bill Frist would resign his post. Fortunately it is not, but that does not mean Bill First ought not resign the leadership.

Sorry for getting into the game so late, but you can find my thoughts on this terrible deal here if you so desire. I can't put it any better than so many of my co-bloggers, though I am perhaps a tinge less upset than some of them. Ultimately this will come down to the precise interpretation of "extraordinary" circumstances.

But the question we must ponder is what is the future of Bill Frist? Surely he has proven to be a rather ineffective leader as seven of his own Senators forged a deal right under his nose. He has assuredly cost himself any chance of the presidential nomination in 2008, much as McCain, but unlike McCain Frist still had a fighting chance entering the day.

Unfortunately the events come as no real surprise. Bill Frist has hardly been the energetic and effective leader that Tom DeLay - like him or not - has shown himself to be. Even if the Senate does not need another Tom DeLay, it could use someone who has the basic understanding of what it means to be in the majority.

I personally like Bill Frist. He seems to be a good man, and holds almost all of the same policy positions as I do. He is a solid conservative with excellent credentials. But he simply does not have the leadership qualities that the GOP needs in order for it to be an effective governing party.

As everything unfolds this “deal� may not wind up being quite as bad as we anticipate. There will undeniably be a showdown once Rehnquist steps down, and it may undue everything that has transpired in the past day or so. But if that is the case, is Bill Frist the man to lead the Republicans into battle? Can we afford him another chance?

Magic 8 ball: the outlook isn’t good.