-Caveat Lector-
townhall.com
Robert Novak
May 28, 2001
Jeffords' Calculated Defection
WASHINGTON -- The puzzling question of why Sen. Jim Jeffords should
suddenly decide that, after 25 years, life as a congressional
Republican
had become intolerable was answered for some GOP colleagues by Sen.
Strom Thurmond's appearance Monday night. He looked every bit of his
98
years, prompting speculation of whether he might not survive the
ordeal
of roll call votes on the tax bill extending far into the night.
The demise of Thurmond would have instantly turned the evenly divided
Senate over to the Democrats. Jeffords crossing the aisle then would
have been interesting but hardly the cosmic event of last week. As
the
52nd rather than the 51st vote in the Democratic caucus, Jeffords
would
have lost his bargaining leverage that is enabling him to continue
among
the Senate's elite as a standing committee chairman.
Until the eleventh hour, Jeffords kept his prolonged negotiations with
Democrats secret from his closest Republican colleagues. His dramatic
announcement visit to Vermont was laid on after his deal with the
Democrats showed signs of coming undone. Intentionally or not, he
misled Senate Republican friends into hoping for a late change of
heart.
Belying Jeffords's contention that it is harder for a liberal to
endure
in the GOP when the president is a conservative Republican, he began
exploring his options with Democratic leaders last year when Bill
Clinton was still in the White House. With the Senate divided
50-50 after the 2000 election, Jeffords stepped up talks with
Democratic
Leader Tom Daschle and Democratic Whip Harry Reid.
In the gossipy Senate, not a word leaked to Republicans. Jeffords
lunched weekly with Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine but said nothing.
Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a relatively conservative friend and
supporter, last Tuesday morning discounted rumors about Jeffords
defecting.
The GOP first learned the truth Tuesday afternoon. A Republican
senator
overheard Jeffords telling a Democratic colleague he would be going to
the White House that day to inform the president he would cross the
aisle and announce his intentions in Washington Wednesday morning.
However, the deal Jeffords had secretly cut to make him Environment
Committee chairman seemed to be falling apart. According to Senate
sources, Sen. Robert Byrd, graybeard of the Senate Democrats and a
stickler for precedent, did not like it. At that point, Jeffords
postponed his announcement until Thursday morning in Vermont, and
agreed
to meet with Republican colleagues late Wednesday.
The meeting was drenched with emotion. Tears rolled down the cheeks
of
Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Finance Committee chairman.
Sen. Pete Domenici, the Budget chairman, cried a little too.
Jeffords
never mentioned supposed slights by the Bush White House but claimed
not
getting his way on education funds for the disabled in April was the
last straw. In fact, Jeffords reneged on a $150 billion,
10-year agreement after being convinced by staff that he should ask
for
more.
Participants passed the word that it was a "good meeting," and that
Jeffords would ponder his decision in the quiet of Vermont for another
two days. Thus, old Senate friends were stunned when the next morning
in Burlington, he unilaterally tilted the capital's balance of power.
As a Republican representing a very liberal state, Jim Jeffords always
has been in closer step with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy than the GOP.
His
vote on the Foreign Relations Committee in 1991 enabled Democrats to
launch their later discredited investigation of charges that an
"October
surprise" fixed the 1980 election for Ronald Reagan by delaying
release
of the Iranian hostages.
Still, when Jeffords was terrified that independent socialist Rep.
Bernard Sanders might challenge and defeat him in 2000, the liberal
senator went to Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott. The result was
passage of the Northeast dairy compact and a refundable children's tax
credit engineered by Lott, who earlier had saved the Education
Committee
chairmanship for Jeffords. Sanders did not run, and Jeffords was
re-elected easily.
Things were different this year. Republican term limits would end his
reign at Education after 2002. The 50-50 Senate gave Jeffords
infinite
bargaining strength, so long as an act of God did not give the
Democrats
the Senate majority too soon. Jeffords had to act quickly, and he
did.
=======================================================
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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