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Tom Daschle - The ex-Senate Majority Leader, sat alone, although surrounded by other senators. He glowered at the President, not so much as showing his hate for this Republican, as for his own failed campaign to be the Nation?s leader. Everyday, he shrinks; losing the Senate post, his obstructionist tactics remembered, he accomplished nothing, now he has the disgrace of seeing usurpers in the Senate taking the lead. He had only to look to his right and see Joe and Hillary carrying on as if they were at a church social. He knows they are the new power in the Senate and he was powerless to contain them.
Probably his scouts had given him a clue that South Dakota's new representative to the House, Bill Janklow was going to be a thorn in his side, but he never could have imagined what the President had in store. As George W. Bush entered the great Chamber, he paused to shake hands with Janklow, and then passed along the throngs of well-wishers who reached out to touch or offer encouragement and support. (Daschle must have thought; "That could have been me.")
Somehow in the procession following the President, House of Representative's minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, came beaming down the isle. In a bright red suit, who could miss her. Her followers in the House, may have been applauding her as much as the President. But no one noticed Tom Daschle.
From time to time, the camera found the new Senate Majority leader, Bill Frist, a most unassuming man who is a "different breed of cat" from the Senator from Mississippi, who never learned to play the shell game that Daschle worked on him every time. Always trying to be a gentleman, it was no contest between Trent Lott and Tom Daschle. Lott never learned that bi-partisan meant in Daschle's vocabulary that you had to do what he wanted; there was no compromise.
The President, with nary a mention of the role Daschle had been playing in the events of the past two years, gave no recognition to this disposed leader of the Senate. Bush, picked his way through the items on his agenda, with no indication that the past two weeks of press fore-play by the Democrats had any effect on his programs.
As usual, the party out of power, sat on its hands. Only when it was a point scored by the President did they rise from their seats. And who led them? There was Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton, leaping to their feet. What could the Democrats do but stand and applaud as well, and there stood Tom Daschle, grimacing at the forced action and sourly noting that it was not He that lead his party in the standing ovations.
The hour long speech came to an end. Relief finally, for the Democrats that had to rise on too many occasions to applaud the President?s plans and the Nation?s progress. Ted Kennedy with eyes closed may have been remembering another time as well. And Tom Daschle continued his scowl which one could read as deep hatred of the President. All rose.
As the President passed up the aisle, he paused just before leaving and who was there to offer his hand? Governor Janklow who was given an embrace by the President, who actually patted him on his cheek. That's Cheek! And directed as a direct snub to the other representatives of South Dakota.
Enough already. But, who was chosen to give the Democrat's response? A little know Governor, although a rising star amongst the contenders for the party crown. The brief speech acknowledged the differences between the Republican's and Democrat's formula for addressing the issues that face the Nation, but offered no easy solutions. Tom Daschle must have squirmed in his seat as he reflected on how that was his proper place and he surely could have blasted the Republicans more so than the young man from Washington state.
We put them all to bed. Lieberman and Clinton have formed a new axis for the Democrat party and are shaping its future. In the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader has the personality and drive to make her a force in the future, with Dick Gephardt withdrawing from the fray voluntarily. We have become comfortable with the rotund presence of Dennis Hastert as Speaker of the House. The ascension of the Senator from Tennessee as Senate Majority leader is welcome. So it is that Tom Daschle has been removed by forces beyond his control and his term as chief obstructionist has ended. Ted Kennedy, John McCain, Trent Lott, Dick Gephardt, Tom Daschle and others passed before the cameras and will pass from the Nation's stage as well.
"The King(s) is(are) Dead! Long Live the King(s) (and Queens)!"
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