PILLAR OF THE SENATE:

For Lott, a Complex Relationship With the President Gets Trickier (RICHARD W. STEVENSON and DAVID FIRESTONE, November 16, 2002, NY Times)

Allies of both men said their political dance was tricky and sometimes awkward, and one that some Republicans said Mr. Lott had not yet fully mastered. But in a way, they said, Mr. Lott's pirouettes will be less important than Mr. Bush's emerging assertiveness in dealing with Congress--a product of his comfort in his office and his recent demonstration of electoral muscle.

One senior Republican aide on Capitol Hill said Mr. Lott was learning that even as majority leader, his power would be diminished relative to that of Mr. Bush.

"Lott sees the writing on the wall that Bush is the master of the universe in Washington," the aide said. "Ultimately he's as much of a pragmatist as Bush is. The days of Lott as the conservative revolutionary are long gone anyway--what he understands now is who holds the power."

Paul Weyrich, a conservative activist and the president of the Free Congress Foundation, said Mr. Bush had been annoyed at times that Senate Republicans under Mr. Lott had not fought as hard for the administration's agenda over the last two years as had House Republicans.

"Generally, the president thinks that senators are much too much oriented toward keeping their own prerogatives rather than acting on behalf of the common good," Mr. Weyrich said. "And my understanding is that Bush doesn't like Lott all that much personally."

But Mr. Weyrich said Mr. Lott and the president would be able to work together as long as there was a clear understanding that Mr. Bush was in charge.

Unfortunately, living Republicans just don't have that much experience running the executive and legislative branches at the same time. But you'd think they can figure it out, hopefully quickly. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 16, 2002 5:46 AM