WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS?
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.
“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.
RAHM CHARGER
When Rahm Emanuel showed up in Washington as a
special assistant to President Bill Clinton, he put off many of
Clinton’s own staffers because of his brash and overconfident
manner. “He was an a—hole, but a competent a—hole,” says a
Clinton staffer.
Emanuel is apparently proving no different his the second time
around now that he’s been elected to the House. The Chicago native
was swept into office to hold the seat formerly held by convicted
felon Dan Rostenkowski. In fact he was one of the
few Democratic candidates who had Bill Clinton campaign for him and
didn’t end up losing (which would have taken some doing in his
thoroughly Democratic district). And on the basis of that victory
and his experience in the White House and on Capitol Hill, Emanuel
is looking for a leadership slot in the upcoming congressional
session.
According to several Democratic staffers, Emanuel has told
incoming minority leader Nancy Pelosi that he’d
like to be considered to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign
Committee, the position that helps recruit prospective candidate,
fundraises for them and helps the campaigns shape policy and
message.
“Only a guy like Emanuel would have the chutzpah to pull
something like this,” says a Democratic House member. “And you know
what? It might not be a bad idea. Who else have we got? If he can
bring us a fresh set of recruits who will help us win, I’ll learn
to deal with his personality.”
New York Rep. Nita Lowey served as DCCC head
last time around and was by all accounts a disaster. Rep.
Martin Frost previously held the position and he’s
looking for something to do now that he’s out of leadership.
Rep. Ed Markey is said to be a finalist for the
job now, along with Rep. Bill Jefferson. As
reported here yesterday, both are ultra-liberal — no less so than
Rahm Emanuel.
