Frist React
We just happened to bump into a buoyant (well, for him) Sen Maj Leader Bill Frist in the Peabody lobby this morning. Chatting with us as he and his wife, Karyn, walked out to their car, last night's victor sought to downplay the magnitude of the straw poll.
Still, though, he admitted with a grin: "Any politician likes to win."
He said he was encouraged by the show of support, but added that he would use it to boost those Republicans up in '06, and particularly those vying to replace him in the Senate. Keeping his seat in GOP hands, Frist said, was important to his legacy. What he didn't say was that the prospect of a Dem taking it over would diminish his future prospects.
Asked if Sen. John McCain's gambit to have the SRLC delegates write in Pres Bush's name rather than his backfired, Frist observed that the delegates did want to support their President, but noted that many of them had "driven 6 to 8 hours" to participate and wanted to take part in choosing their party's next WH nominee.
As for how he will parlay his "w" in Memphis, Frist was on message: The Senate takes up debate on the FY '07 budget tomorrow and he is focused on that and other Senate business. With that, it was into his car, on the way to the airport, and back to the less friendly terrain of DC, Harry Reid and, well, budget resolutions. But as he left, the always even-keeled Leader went with a smile.