Senators look for leaders they can trust to protect and promote them politically, who know the rules, and who will defend the Institution. External politics matter, but not how you think.
Wow. What a great history and explanation of the Senate's not-always-formal processes for picking a leader. My boss and I arrived in the Senate just in time for the election of Bill Frist. Our office was next door to Senator Lott, and he frequently stopped by to talk with Senator Talent. Interesting times, indeed.
Thanks, Mark, high praise from the master. One of the greatest political tragedies of the 20th Century was Missouri not reelecting Jim Talent to the US Senate. It was a tough cycle.
Wow. What a great history and explanation of the Senate's not-always-formal processes for picking a leader. My boss and I arrived in the Senate just in time for the election of Bill Frist. Our office was next door to Senator Lott, and he frequently stopped by to talk with Senator Talent. Interesting times, indeed.
Thanks, Mark, high praise from the master. One of the greatest political tragedies of the 20th Century was Missouri not reelecting Jim Talent to the US Senate. It was a tough cycle.