THE PARTY OF DECEIT AND OBSTRUCTION:

Frist Has Busy 1st Day As Majority Leader (ALAN FRAM, 1/07/03, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Frist said Democrats, who favor more generous benefits, had informally agreed Monday evening to let the measure pass. It eventually did after nearly two hours, but only after initial Democratic objections threatened to derail the GOP drive to rapidly pass the bill and move to other issues like President Bush's plans for new tax cuts.

"I guess this is what I can come to expect," a clearly frustrated Frist said to his colleagues when it looked like Democrats might delay the measure.

As the delays continued, Frist returned to his office and said in an interview that he believed Democrats would eventually realize they could not block the new benefits.

"I'm not going to leave them in charge," he said. "I sat there and listened to them for 45 minutes, but I'm not going to sit there for three hours."

Eventually, Democrats relented and the Senate passed the measure by voice vote.

"This should send a signal we're all about action, we're about accomplishment," he said afterward, claiming the first of what he hopes will be many GOP victories on his watch.

One can hardly blame the Democrats for gumming up the works, it's pretty much all they have left, but their lack of honor is embarrassing. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 7, 2003 11:54 PM