My respect for Bill Frist grew a bit today, but not because I think he took a bold stand in favor of science and reason and against religious dogmatism and narrow-minded wingnuttery. Instead, Frist's announcement, billed and spun as a break from the BushCo company line, is a matter of tactical genius benefitting Bush in the short run and Frist's presidential hopes in the long run. Certain that I'm paddling against the CW here, I'll explain.
Really, the saga begins with Frist's nuclear option jihiad and crusade to
exploit save Terri Schaivo. Two very public, very high-profile moves that left many here puzzled and nearly everyone here (myself included from time to time) exulting over the demise of Frist '08. After all, since both issues went over about as well as Jesse Helms at an NAACP rally, one could only gawk at Frist's political tin ear and at the same time hope that the GOP was stupid enough to nominate the man in 2008, so he could be steamrolled by the Democratic candidate.
But after thinking over today's announcement, I think what seemed like ineptitude may have been long-range tactical jujitsu of the highest order. See, I think that Bush, in the face of the overwhelming public support for stem-cell research (not to mention the implications to all of his buddies in big bidness should cutting-edge stem cell research be forced out of the United States), wanted a way to back off of his preposterous 2001 "compromise" while paying the smallest price possible. Heck, at the time he may have worried that pressure to open up new lines of cells to government funding would derail his glorious plans of Social Security privatization (oops).
Enter Bill Frist. One interesting thing to note about Frist's announcement today is that it isn't a reversal or change for him at all. He's always held the position he announced today, and he's actually offered it before. But, in keeping with the GOP's "support dear leader at all costs" philosophy, he's kept his mouth shut. Why the change now? Well, first, the good ol' cat killer had to establish his fundie wingnut cred, knowing that support for stem cells would torpedo his hopes with evangelical voters (and with those hopes, his presidential aspirations). What better way to build up the chits than by placing himself in the vanguard of the Schiavo/nuclear option charges of the GOP light brigade. Both were a win/win...either the GOP scored political points and further marginalized the judiciary, or (at the very least) Frist got in tight with Dobson.
Mission accomplished on that front. Until today's announcement. But all isn't what it seems. Even a cursory read of the Frist statement shows that he's set the stage for a massive rewrite of the House stem cell bill, rewrites providing for more stringent "ethical oversight" of the process and restricting exactly what stem cells would be eligible for federal funding. In the process of carving up the bill, Frist can begin to re-ingratiate himself with the religious right. Of course, the media will fall all over itself reporting Frist's courageous, thoughtful stand (all the more so due to his defiance of President Bush).
And for the real coup, Bush can get a hand in the rewrites behind the scenes, and duck out the backdoor, perhaps never signing the bill but allowing it to become law anyway.
Don't be too quick to sign Bill Frist's '08 death certificate.