The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS? br> Despite denials by his staff, Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords did approach several colleagues in the Republican Senate Caucus about returning to the fold. According to several Republican Senate leadership sources, Jeffords himself floated the idea to Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee and to Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe in the aftermath of the Republicans' regaining control of the Senate. /p>

"It wasn't a half-joking conversation," says a Senate leadership staffer. "The senators thought it serious enough to go to their caucus leaders and raise the issue. At that point it became a joke."

Soon to be Majority Leader Trent Lott found the possibility of a Jeffords return humorous, according the sources. "In fact as soon as we won Missouri and it was obvious we'd regain control, one of the first things we thought of was when Jeffords was going to come around looking to cut a deal for his committee chairmanship," says another Senate leadership aide, referring to Jeffords' role as head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

The promise of that plum chairmanship was what sent Jeffords over to the dark side to begin with. And keeping it is ostensibly why Jeffords wants to come back. A few years ago, Republicans might have been willing to listen, but with hardliners like Mitch McConnell, Larry Craig and Rick Santorum gaining greater influence over the Republican caucus, it's doubtful many of his former fellow Republicans would be willing to forgive and forget the spectacle Jeffords created when he abandoned the GOP to vote with the Democrats last year.

p> RAHM CHARGER

topics:
Nancy Pelosi, Bill Clinton, Environment, NATO