REPUBLICAN WITH A BACKBONE ?

Senator Mitch McConnell by a very slim margin was elected Senate Minority Leader yesterday with Mississippi Senator and former Majority Leader Trent Lott as Minority Whip. While I was never very impressed with Lott as Majority Leader, and not because of the Strom Thurman comment, Lott is one of the most politically savvy Senators the GOP has known. As Majority Leader he had a weak side that allowed him to be run over many times when he should have fought if for nothing else other than principle not unlike his successor Bill Frist. But as Minority Whip his primary responsibility will be to count Senate votes and convince undecided Senators to vote for or against pending legislation based on the minorities stand on that particular bill. At this Lott has no equal. His ability to convince opponents as well as party members who may be teatering is well known and he knows the ropes in the Senate and how the legislative system within the Senate works which makes this the ideal position for him. Mitch McConnel as Minority Leader is an excellent choice. He appears to have a backbone which Senate Republicans have been in diar need for since Bob Dole left the Senate to run for President in 1996. McConnell has stated that he will not be run over and sees the minority of 49 as a strong force in for the GOP as the minority. In an interview with Hugh Hewitt at Town Hall, McConnell stated that Majority Leader Harry Reid could expect , " all the cooperation that he extented us in similar circumstances." It is obvious that McConnell does not intend to just roll over and allow Democrats to have a free hand in the Senate. Concerning the statement made by Chuck Schumer who will head the Senate Judiciary Committee, that under a Democrat majority there will be no Samual Alito appointments, McConnel countered that cooperation for any legislation by the GOP will be tied to fair treatment of Bush judicial nominees. Again an obvious reference to not being a push over. All in all a choice that will be strong and conservative in leadership.

On an additional note the choice of Mel Martinez as RNC General Chairman remains to be seen as to whether this was a wise choice or not. Martinez is an amnesty proponent which is to his detrament as RNC leader. But as General Chairman he is a spokesman and not director of daily operations as Ken Mehlman was. That responsibility will fall to others which may make this a stronger choice. There is also strong speculation the Senator Joe Lieberman is considering switching to the Republican Party. While he has not decided yet he is also not ruling it out because of the strong GOP support that he recieved in his re-election and the abandonment of him by the Democrat Party. While his more liberal stance on social issues will not help the GOP his annnouncing that he will be a Republican rather than an Independent will change the majority status of the Democrats. Both the Martinez appointment and the Lieberman situationl are worth watching closley as we enter 2007.

Ken Taylor