Those of you saddened by Lott’s resignation, let not your hearts be troubled. Lott’s resignation has positive effects:
1. This shakes conservatives out of their post-election complacency. As I’ve said before, there will be a conservative backlash that will make us fight very hard in the very important 2004 election cycle. One test of this new conservative resolve will be the way we handle Patty Murray’s comments on Bin Laden. Already, conservative media outlets from the Wall Street Journal to Sean Hannity are hammering Murray. We should not let up on this. Just as Republicans have a reputation as being soft on racists, Democrats have a reputation as being soft on terrorists. We can push this to maximum advantage in the days ahead.
2. Bill Frist will likely be the new majority leader. I’d prefer him to just be a senator for now and run for president in 2008 without the ideological baggage a majority leader accumulates. However, as majority leader, Frist will bring his tireless, meticuluous, imaginative mind to bear on thrashing Tom Daschle. Make no mistake, Frist is a rock-ribbed conservative (ACU rating 100.) He just knows how to soften his conservatism with the right rhetoric, like George W. Bush. He will bring conservatives some major legislative victories in the years to come.
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