Jeffords may feel a chill

The New York Times via The Rutland Herald ^ | Nov 7, 2002 | JOHN TIERNEY

[11th_VA]

WASHINGTON — Colleagues on both sides of the aisle have some advice for Sen. James Jeffords: Now is probably not the best time to get money for a new bridge in Vermont.

Officially, the word from the Republican leadership is that there will be no public retribution against Jeffords, the Vermont senator whose defection from the party last year cost Republicans the control of the Senate. Unofficially, Republicans are amusing themselves with other scenarios as they return to power.

Would Vermont’s Mount Snow be a good spot for the national depository of nuclear waste? Could that controversial bombing range in Puerto Rico be moved to Lake Champlain? Will Jeffords still have an office when he returns to Washington?

“I was a little worried that I’d find my desk out on the street the day after the election,” said Erik Smulson, the spokesman for Jeffords.

The senator himself was not joking..

“I know there were some people pretty angry with me last year, but that has dissipated with time,” Jeffords said on Thursday in a telephone interview from his office in Vermont. He said he was not expecting retribution. “The Senate’s a pretty collegial group. You learn it’s best to get along.”

Republicans, though, were not necessarily buying the no-retribution line. “That sounds like the Taliban’s analysis on Sept. 13th,” said Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform and a prominent conservative strategist. “I don’t think Republicans will blockade the state of Vermont, but if Jeffords asks for anything and there’s any way to say no, then no will be said, because they won’t want to give him anything to put in a press release. If I were a liberal environmentalist with an issue to push, I would not want Jeffords anywhere near it. You’d be better off giving it to Teddy Kennedy. Kennedy’s a liberal, not a traitor.”

John Breaux, a D-La., said that any retaliation against Jeffords would have to be discreet to avoid alienating moderate senators essential to the slim Republican majority. “I think Trent Lott is too smart to lead a public charge against Jeffords,” Breaux said, “but the leadership can quietly tell him, ‘We didn’t like what you did, so that project you wanted ended up on the cutting room floor instead of in the bill.’ That’s normal politics, and his case left an especially bad taste with many Republicans. I respect what Jeffords did, but there are a lot of Republicans who lost their chairmanships because of him.”

Jeffords defended his defection as a decision to be loyal to his principles, and many of his constituents applauded him at the time for courage. Now he is in roughly the same situation as the Woody Allen character in “Bananas” who bravely pushes a gang of thugs out of a subway car as the doors are closing, only to have his moment of heroism abruptly end when the doors open to let the thugs back in.

Other senators, like Strom Thurmond and Richard Shelby, have switched parties with relatively little retribution, but their defections did not tip the balance of power in the Senate, said Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and the author of a 1999 book, “Friend and Foe in the U.S. Senate.”

“There’s much more seething resentment at Jeffords than at other senators who defected,” said Baker, who has worked for half a dozen senators over the past two decades. “It’s not as if the other senators won’t say good morning in the elevator, but they won’t go out of their way to help him. That passive-aggressive approach can be a huge obstacle, because a senator’s most powerful weapon is causing things not to happen. Jeffords’ legislation is not going to the head of the queue, and even having his name as a cosponsor might condemn it in the eyes of some Republicans.”

Vermont’s problems in the Senate go beyond Jeffords. Republicans also have a bitter grudge against the state’s other senator, Democrat Patrick J. Leahy, for using his chairmanship of the judiciary committee to block the confirmation of Republican-backed judges. Jeffords, who was rewarded with the chairmanship of the environment and public works committee when he defected last year, said he and Leahy have spoken about their new supporting roles in committees chaired by Republicans.

“Pat and I, obviously, have commiserated,” Jeffords said. “But we don’t feel that we’re being cast out into oblivion. The other senators know that the situation could switch again the next election. The most effective senators are ones that don’t get angry. They grin and bear it and get the job done.”

In May, Jeffords commemorated his one-year anniversary as an independent by quoting Robert Frost’s poem about taking the road less traveled by. “Frost,” Jeffords said, “does not specify precisely what difference his choice made, only that he would not choose to turn back. I feel the same way.”

On Thursday he was asked how the road looked after the election.

“A little lonelier,” he said. “But I have no regrets.”

[11th_VA]

"I have no regrets"

Still in denial ...

[KSCITYBOY]

Evil Republicans will destroy his state to get back at him. Typical liberal hit piece.

[KQQL]

Judas should resign and let the NEW GOP gov appoint a GOP senator...

After all the VT voters voted for a Republican senator, not a JUDAS

[Mo1]

“I know there were some people pretty angry with me last year, but that has dissipated with time,” Jeffords said on Thursday

Hmmmmmmm .. when is he up for relection??

[Quicksilver]

2006

[Joe Bonforte]

Now he is in roughly the same situation as the Woody Allen character in “Bananas” who bravely pushes a gang of thugs out of a subway car as the doors are closing, only to have his moment of heroism abruptly end when the doors open to let the thugs back in.

These guys have no shame when slamming Republicans, do they? If liberals were compared to thugs in any newspaper in the country, the rest of the media would be up in arms. Here's betting we don't hear squat when the NYT does it.

[MinuteGal]

Sorry, Rush. I'm GLOATING!

Hahahahahhahah!

Leni

[Cicero]

Well, Republicans are hardly likely to tell The New York Times that they are vindictive and plan to get Jeffords. They just won't ever do him any favors. None. And I can't think of any "moderate" senators who will object. Why should they?

[Quicksilver]

Cast aside like a spent condom.

[Madcelt]

After jumping ship, then attending a Democratic party fund raiser... Now he feels a little "lonely"? Mr. Jeffords - Buh Bye.

[Mo1]

Well one of the good thing about the elephant being the republican .. we have looooong memories

And we don't forget that easily

[ApesForEvolution]

“I know there were some people pretty angry with me last year, but that has dissipated with time,” Jeffords said on Thursday in a telephone interview from his office in Vermont.

Mr. Jumpin' Jerk(off) Jim Jeffords: The only thing that has dissipated is your worth to your state and the democr@ps...

[Bedford Forrest]

“Pat and I, obviously, have commiserated,” Jeffords said. “But we don’t feel that we’re being cast out into oblivion. The other senators know that the situation could switch again the next election. The most effective senators are ones that don’t get angry. They grin and bear it and get the job done.”

Two political zombies, Senator Depends & Benedict Jeffords. As ever, the most striking attribute of evil little men is their wretched banality.

[Righty1]

Vermont will get what they deserve i.e. no pork. Let'em swill maple syrup!

[PhilDragoo]

Pilgrim, you caused a lot of trouble this morning; might have got someone killed and someone ought to belt ya in the mouth. But I won't...I won't! The hell I won't!

[Quicksilver]

As the old saying goes Revenge is a dish best served cold. No, we won't forget. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he opts not to run for re-election.

[ApesForEvolution]

Jumpin' Jerk(off): "YOU ah the weakest link...good bye!"

[fooman]

When is leaky Leahy up? 04?

[Welsh Rabbit]

In May, Jeffords commemorated his one-year anniversary as an independent by quoting Robert Frost’s poem about taking the road less traveled by.

Don't make me puke. He can keep claiming he made his choice due to deep personal convictions until his tongue falls off, but no one with a brain is buying it...

[flaglady47]

I also gloat. I'm gloating this very minute. I'm enjoying my gloating. Bush & the White House are playing it right NOT to gloat, but then, they don't have to, they've got us. We will gloat for them, and they can enjoy it vicariously. I wish the democrats great discomfort, in particular Benedict Jeffords. I hope they stick it to him (subtly, but nevertheless constantly) BIGTIME. (Sorry also Rush, but my guess is in the privacy of your Florida pad, you too gloat BIGTIME!

[Billthedrill]

He said he was not expecting retribution. “The Senate’s a pretty collegial group. You learn it’s best to get along.”

Well, yes, it is. But bolting the party publicly, humiliating your erstwhile party, and copping an attitude of insufferable moral superiority while doing so is hardly "getting along," is it?

Vermont’s problems in the Senate go beyond Jeffords. Republicans also have a bitter grudge against the state’s other senator, Democrat Patrick J. Leahy, for using his chairmanship of the judiciary committee to block the confirmation of Republican-backed judges.

I don't really think the Republicans blame Leahy for using the power he was granted by Jeffords' defection - he is, after all, a Democrat. He would never have been in that position had Jeffords not cheated his contributors, stolen the efforts of his unpaid campaign volunteers, and lied to the people in his party who sacrificed to help get him elected.

[ambrose]

A Republican won the governor's race in Vermont. This may save Vermont from being completely cut off by Washington. Jim Douglas may be the man to take Jeffords out in '06.

[Fracas]

Excellent point. An elephant can also tromp that much smaller - after Tuesday (grin) - donkey into the ground.

And bigger ears to hear those in flyover country who are ignored by those eensy weensy pointed donkey ears.

[MCFujiTanker]

When knucklehead deserted last year to the enemy, the NY POST had him on the front page in a redcoat captioned "Benedict Jefford". Best case of hitching your wagon to the wrong horse I've ever seen. I used to live in the 11th (Burke), I have my house rented out while I'm overseas. DAVIS and WARNER had no rat opponents this year (I did get a kick out of WARNER having to jump off the train in Alexandria).

[88keys]

Evil Republicans will destroy his state to get back at him. Typical liberal hit piece.

Totally agree.

(as if, for goodness sake! Any person with a modicum of sense would never say these things out loud, on the record!! LOL!)

[Malesherbes]

Jeffords is just a dumb weasel; Leahy is a nasty weasel.

[leilani]

Yep, Jeffords looks like one of those doddering, mentally-challenged seniors wearing stained raincoats who keep getting on the wrong bus. But the good news, is that the rest of us will see significantly lower prices for milk & cheese! (No more of those stupid price supports to "help" the corrupt Vermont senator curry favor with his greedy dairy-monopoly constituents anymore.) ALLELUIA, there is justice!

[Lancey Howard]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if he opts not to run for re-election.

Oh, I think he'll run for re-election. The question is, what will the scumbag Democrats do? They can be pretty sure that whatever vote-splitting happens will not favor them. Could be an easy Republican victory.

On the other hand, maybe Jeffords will make the full switch to scumocrat and run as one. But if he does that, there are probably a whole lotta lifelong scumocrats who have been working their way up the ladder and biding their time who will resent this old traitor coming along to essentially try to steal their opportunity.

Yeah, that next Democrat primary in Vermont could get interesting.

[ApesForEvolution]

What are the stages? Denial, anger...any predictions on how long it takes for him to complete his cycle? LOL!

[cookcounty]

What's especially galling and unique with Jeffords, is that he made his switch almost immediately after being sworn in for a six year term, claiming "he and the party had drifted apart." If that's true, he was well adrift at election time, but didn't have enough honesty to admit it.

All the other party switches happened mid-term or late term (giving the voters a chance to validate or invalidate the switch).

[Madcelt]

True. His defection was an insult. The RNC pumped money into his campaign then after he was elected he quickly switched. I mean hey that's a flat out slap in the face, Ouch.

[Callahan]

I don't think it's necessary to dump toxic waste in Vermont just to get back at Jumpin' Jim. Much easier to dump Jeffords in the toxic waste!

[Howlin]

I'm gloating, too!

My father-in-law had an operation at Duke today, and I didn't even go because I was NOT going to listen to the people in my husband's family go on and on about the election. I wasn't going to make a fool out of myself by going ballistic over there because they are so clueless!

One of his aunt's told him today that Bush is dumb; and my husband said, "Well, he's apparently dumb enough to whip your A$$."

Besides, I wasn't going to let them cut into my GLOATING TIME........LOL.

[The Electrician]

“I know there were some people pretty angry with me last year, but that has dissipated with time,” Jeffords said

Bzzzzzzt! Wrong answer, Mr. Traitor. It hasn't dissipated one iota...

[garandgal]

He was in Iowa, just a few weeks ago with Tom Harkin. That, more than anything, demonstrates his REAL political leanings. It was a real, old-fashioned, liberal rally...including his revival tent-like speech bashing the President and the Republicans.

Does he really think people won't reveng...I mean, remember, that?

[Factfinder]

Wake up Vermont! Time to come out of your (beautiful) woods and join the revolution.

Kick these re-treads out!

[The Great Satan]

They say "one is the loneliest number." Vermont's flinty maverick gets his just deserts -- humiliation and obscurity. How sweet it is!

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

It's going to be a looooooong 4 years,with Bush in the WH and us in control. It is going to be even lonelier after 2004 when we take even more seats in Congress.

[Darlin']

"“Pat and I, obviously, have commiserated,” Jeffords said. “But we don’t feel that we’re being cast out into oblivion." - snip - "“A little lonelier,” he said. “But I have no regrets"

FOFLOL. Oblvivion is far too a generous and a little lonlier is but phase one. I sense an old fashioned shunning coming up. The puckered face twin are persona non grata.

[chaosagent]

And I believe Phil Gramm of Texas did it the really classy way when he switched from Dem to Pub.

He resigned his seat and then ran and won it as a Republican.

[jimkress]

Now he is in roughly the same situation as the Woody Allen character in “Bananas” who bravely pushes a gang of thugs out of a subway car as the doors are closing, only to have his moment of heroism abruptly end when the doors open to let the thugs back in.

Typical NYT drivel where they equate Conservatives to thugs. An excellent example of why the NYT is less and less respected and more and more used to line bird cages.

[DB]

Let's see if we can change that...

[Nam Vet]

"Cast aside like a spent condom."

What a vivid example. You have such a way with words. (My sentiments exactly, BTW)

Nam Vet

[musicman]

Maybe since Jim is a "tree-hugger-"Dem",aren't we going to need to have the Anwar area in Alaska checked out for the best place to drill,(now that there is a chance to maybe get the thing passed)with all respect to the local animals, trees,etc?

Maybe JJJ(Jim Judas Jeffords)NEW position could be making sure that after he has WALKED the ENTIRE Anwar area,we would be very interested in his opinion on where the best place to drill would be......

[GraniteStateConservative]

Douglas is an amazing politician. I've heard him speak in person and he's very energetic. He and Brian Dubie (the Lt. Gov.) will be strong future candidates for other offices.

[Leto]

I think they will stick it to Leahy also, the Senate exist by unwritten rules of behavior, Leahy is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct in the way he ran the judicary commitee (espically in the way he lied to Strom Thurmond) that will not be forgotten or forgiven.

[Hal.009]

Jeffords only prayer would be to jump off the fence and run as a Democrat.

He has always voted with them and no one trusts a turn coat, especially one who pretends to straddle the fence.

[MattinNJ]

Dude, Vermont's not even going to get a Dell.

[BigBobber]

"John Breaux, a D-La., said that any retaliation against Jeffords would have to be discreet to avoid alienating moderate senators essential to the slim Republican majority."

If the pubbies had any cajones, they would publicly horse whip Jeffords as an EXAMPLE to moderate republicans who might think of jumping ship.