With two Republican senators who, at least officially, remain undecided about whether to execute the nuclear strategy, a dozen national groups — from both sides — are “turning a frantic onslaught of advertisements, phone campaigns, demonstrations, film screenings and petition drives” on Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Simultaneously, Bill Frist has been keeping the pressure on, trying to encourage the two New England moderates to toe the party line.
It doesn’t seem to be working.
Dr. Frist, who is traveling in the Middle East, sent two private e-mail messages to Republican senators this week advising them that he intended to try changing the rule soon, according to Republican aides who were briefed on the messages. In one, he lauded the start of an advertising campaign in Maine and other states by a group with close ties to the Bush campaign urging support for the rule change in Maine and other states. In the other, he applauded the placement of an opinion article in two newspapers, including one in Maine.
“I thought it was so strange that I got that e-mail,” said Ms. Collins, noting that as one of a decisive handful of the 55 Republican senators who have not yet taken on a position on the rule change, she was a target of the advertising campaign her party leader had endorsed. Dr. Frist might have sent it only to those senators who had already agreed to support the idea, she said.
“I guess that says where Dr. Frist stands on the issue, that he is going to use every means possible to garner the votes that he needs to win,” she said.
Hmm, might there be a hint in there about Collins’ intentions? It hardly sounds as if she’s enjoying the fight that Frist has picked with Senate Dems. When lawmakers start describing emails from their chamber leader as “strange,” it’s rarely a complement.
In the same article, Collins indicated that there were more calls coming into her office opposing the nuclear option than supporting it. Sounds encouraging.
If Collins follows through and opposes the nuclear option, that would bring the total opposition to 49 votes — 44 Dems, Jim Jeffords (I), and Republicans Sens. McCain, Chafee, Snowe, and Collins. Opponents will still need two more votes to succeed, which suggests a new round of attention on Arlen Specter (Pa.), John Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.), and Gordon Smith (Ore.). Stay tuned.