…Paul M. Weyrich, a leading conservative, calls Mr. Frist “the best majority leader in my lifetime.”
But, political analyst Charlie Cook has this to offer:
“The most classic case of the Peter Principle I’ve ever seen in American politics,” Mr. Cook said, in an uncharacteristically brutal assessment. “In a business where eloquence and rhetoric is important, he is a man of no talent whatsoever.”
Of course, Cook is restricting his analysis to Frist’s political talents. Frist is an accomplished surgeon and killer of felines. It’s just that, as a majority leader, he is a bum.
It isn’t just his diagnosis of Terry Schiavo or his being a “subject of a Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry into his sale of HCA stock.” Frist came to power when the administration orchestrated a coup against Trent Lott after Lott made his idiotic comments about Strom Thurmond. And Frist has never shed his image as a man totally beholden to the White House. He has been unable to accomplish anything as Senate leader, unless you’d like to run on this record:
Besides the two Supreme Court confirmations, he gave himself credit for the Medicare prescription drug bill, tort law changes including legal immunity for gun manufacturers and a class-action bill, and transportation and energy legislation.
Frist wants to win the Republican nomination for the Presidency in 2008. He is not running for reelection to the Senate and so he has only 280 days to do something that the electorate might admire. I think Republican strategist Bruce Reed put it best:
“I imagine he’ll take a good hard look at the reality of winning and find another mountain to climb,” he said.
I hope he climbs that mountain with his good buddies Tom DeLay and Rick Santorum. Good riddance.
