From The Morning GrindSenate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) is learning that it is nearly impossible to run the Senate at the same time exploring a White House bid. Every decision, utterance and move is scrutinized by Democrats as well as his potential GOP rivals for the Republican presidential nomination. To say Frist has had some major stumbles in the past two years would be an understatement. But one thing Frist is intent on doing is not going out a loser. When he retires at the end of the year, the Tennessee Republican wants to make sure he hands a majority over to his successor, a source close to Frist tells the Grind. (At this point it looks like Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) will be that person).
In the short term, holding onto the majority could perhaps give Frist's presidential campaign a much needed jolt as he heads out the door. In the long term, maintaining the majority ensures he would not go down in history as having squandered a five seat advantage.
"The most important thing is that he is majority leader and he wants to turn over a majority," the source close to Frist said.
Last week, Frist sent out an e-mail to his political supporters urging them to support three GOP senate candidates: state Sen. Tom Kean (N.J.), Rep. Mark Kennedy (Minnesota), and business executive Mike McGavick (Washington). Frist also criticized Democrats for abandoning the principles of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy with ideas being promoted by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts).
"The truth is that an extreme liberalism has seized the Democratic Party," Frist wrote. "Given such extremism from my colleagues across the aisle, how can we move America forward?"
Helping these candidates in their races this year has the dual benefit of possible reciprocation should Frist take the plunge and decide to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
