Specter and Frist trying to rescue GOP with gay marriage debate
Out of the blue, the political news story of the day was the clash between Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter and Democratic Judiciary Committee member Russ Feingold over a bill that if passed would ban gay marriage nationwide. In order for the measure to get to the Senate floor, it must pass committee -- which was where the shouting match erupted. It ended up passing on a party-line vote. :
"I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more a protector ofthe Constitution than am I," Judiciary Committee Chairman ArlenSpecter, R-Pa., shouted after Sen. Russ Feingold declared his opposition to the amendment, his affinity for the Constitution and his intention to leave the meeting.
"If you want to leave, good riddance," Specter finished.
"I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman," replied Feingold,D-Wis., who is considering a run for president in 2008. "See ya."
Part of the exchange came in response to Specter's tactical decision to move the hearing to a smaller room where there was no room for an audience, and , "does not even have enough chairs for every Senator to sit."
Even though Specter voted for the bill in committee, he is expected to vote against it once the bill reaches the House floor. Considering that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist would like nothing more for his reputation than to rescue the GOP base by turning their attention to divisive issues like gay marriage, he probably had a deal with Specter to pass it through committee, even if it gets voted down by once it reaches the Senate floor.
What Frist needs to realize is the fact that this is not 2004. Gay marriage, no matter what, will not be a major election issue. Instead, most Americans will cast their vote based on Iraq, gas prices, immigration, health care and Congressional corruption. So no matter what Frist tries to do on the gay marriage amendment front, it will be an uphill battle for his party between now and November.
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