The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> NICKLES PLUGS LOTT br> Things were moving fast and furious on Monday on Capitol Hill and around the country as Republicans attempted to get a handle on exactly how to play out the Trent Lott /leadership soap opera. Things got off to a rousing start when CNN reported mid-morning that Sen. Bill Frist had thrown his support behind Sen. Don Nickles , who on Sunday was the first GOP Senate caucus member to call for a new election for leaders. /p>

Quickly, CNN retracted the report, although it's unclear why. "It was a misunderstanding of what Frist actually said," says a CNN Washington staffer.

Perhaps the confusion is because Frist, who is also mentioned as a possible leader candidate, is on record as supporting elections and a possible change in leadership. No more, no less.

Conservatives in Washington were somewhat surprised that it was Nickles taking the lead over the weekend. He is someone who has played the political game cautiously throughout his career, and who went out of his way to be deferential to Lott's leadership while serving as his No. 2. Despite the fact that he was term limited as Republican Whip, and a number of conservatives hoped he might challenge Lott in the recent leadership elections, Nickles chose not to do so.

"It's surprising in a way," says a prominent conservative in Washington. "But with Nickles, the timing has never been right. He's always played by the rules and understood his place when it comes to leadership. This unfortunate mess has presented him with really the first opportunity to make a play if he wants it."

The operative word is "if." Nickles, despite media spin, has not stated definitively that he will challenge Lott should things come to that. Monday it was very clear from his comments when read in full, and without spin from Lott backers and media suckups, that Nickles was not pushing for a caucus vote for himself. Rather, he was calling on the caucus to do the right thing for itself and the national party.

topics:
John McCain, Television, NATO