The spirit of Bob Dole lives. The Great Compromiser from Kansas has found seven pairs of shoulders for his mantle. In the Senate filibuster deal, seven Republicans broke ranks and signed a deal with the devil.  At least Bob Dole, to his defense, spent the majority of his Senate time in the minority where he was forced to broker deals. The 'seven,' as most everyone knows (perhaps they don't) are in the majority!

To break it down, you can really throw three of the seven out of the mix.  Collins and Snowe of Maine and Chaffee of Rhode Island are the crazy cousins in the Northeast attic.  They make a lot of noise but really can't get much done unless someone downstairs opens the trap door to let them out.  This is where the 'four' come in.  DeWine of Ohio; Graham of S. Carolina; Warner of Virginia and McCain of Arizona.

DeWine, it seems, needed to get some attention after the other Republican Senator from Ohio, George Voinovich, received national headlines for his opposition of the John Bolton nomination to the U.N.  DeWine's course, then, carries on the great tradition of Republicans angling for TV time by opposing their party. 

Graham is seeking to change his image as a Clinton—impeachment House Manager.  But why do that?  He and the others in the House of Representatives did honorable service to the country before turning it over to the Senate — who, naturally, dropped the ball. 

Warner just spends too much time on PBS. 

McCain, plain and simple, wants to be president.  He should learn from the Dole candidacy in 1996.  Compromisers cannot and will not be entrusted to sit behind the desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  After Dole lost, he became a pitchman for Viagra and Pepsi.  The marketers from Cialis and Coke should start writing copy for McCain.  I leave the punch lines to your imagination.

J. James Estrada   5 24 05