In Perspective: Good riddance, Bill Frist

Thursday 30 November 2006

Good riddance, Bill Frist

I name current US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist loser of the day (or two days since it applies to today and yesterday). Yesterday, it was reported that Sen. Bill Frist, who give up a cushy political position in the GOP and powerful US Senate seat representing Tennessee in this last election in order to run for president, will not run for president. As a reminder, Frist still has his job until the new Congress — with a Democratic majority — is sworn in this coming January. Frist was far in front of front runner Sen. John McCain in a Republican straw poll and is very firmly on the political right. Sen. Frist is no friend of human rights, and is anti-immigration, meaning he is more conservative than President George W. Bush on the immigration issue and at least as conservative on most all others. Frist agrees with the president on most all issues with the excepton of immigration and possibly the separation of powers/executive power issue, where the Bush is obviously for immense White House power. No surprise, he uses a biblically assorted quote in his announcement:

"In the Bible, God tells us for everything there is a season, and for me, for now, this season of being an elected official has come to a close. I do not intend to run for president in 2008," Frist said in a statement -- his only planned comment on the decision.

... possibly to overshadow his ethics problems. There are plenty of other people who can fill his shoes, so he lost his chance. Good for America, bad for him.