One analyst on a local station here in Nashville who has worked on the staffs of Senator Frist, Thompson, and Alexander here in Tennesseesaid the Tennessee delegation does not care for Lott because they feels Lott sabotaged Fred Thompson's plans for the Clinton impeachment by placing time limits and refusing to investigate any other Republicans.
Frist clearly seems to be the pick of Rove and Bush. He headed the Republican Senatorial Election Committee and gets credit for the November elections. He is a Doctor and health care industry insider who can help sell the new Bush health care plan. He has been active in funding and supporting AIDS treatment in Africa which should appease many African American voters. He basically would be a loyal rubber stamp for Bush.
His downsides: His family started the mamouth Hospital Corporation of America group that have bought a large percent of hospitals accross America. He wiil surely be a target of Democrats (in their spin) as someone who has profited on the misery of others. HCA also went through some nasty Enron type problems a few years back.
Frist comes from Belle Meade, the Beverly Hills-esque enclave of Nashville. Senator Alexander, Governor Bredesen, and our old buddy Al Gore all live in the neighborhood. I really do not like the Frist gang very much. The Frist family supported the Democrat Phil Bredesen for Governor over conservative Republican Van Hilleary. Bredesen also comes from the health care management industry which pretty much dominates Tennessee politics at present. Bredesen also offered HCA some juicy handouts to move back to Nashville after a short stay in Louisville and a merger with Columbia Health Care.
In summary, Frist is basically a big money Republican who is a bit too liberal for me but probably is just what George Bush likes. He is absolutely loyal which is a requirement for any Bush family associates. Granddad Prescott Bush impressed on the whole family to demand loyalty of your assistants after being undone by an old friend in the 1950's in a run for US Senate in Connecticut. His son and grandson both have heeded his advice.