Just in case you wanted a litle bit of discussion about Senator Bill Frist’s disagreement with Bush on stem cells, check out this DailyKos thread, with links to other stuff in the thread.

People tend to be of mostly one mind, on both sides of the political spectrum, I think. People seem to think Frist is making expedient political moves because he has asperations to be president.

An interesting bit of speculation is this: Frist tried in a silly way to support the right wing’s Terry Schiavo position, but now he is being honest. Some think he was honest on Schiavo, but being politically expedient now on stem cells.

Either way, people think Frist is being inconsistent in embracin the right wing on Schiavo but breaking with the right wing on stem cells.

I remember Frist appearing on TV atempting to diagnose Schiavo from old video tape, and proclaiming that she was not in a persistent vegetative state. In making that diagnosis on a news show, Frist was disagreeing with teams of Schiavo’s own doctors who had actually examined the patient.

Frist could endear himself to the moderates if he would proclaim that he was wrong to inject himself into the Schiavo situation. Instead, he is just appearing unprinicpled and too much of a political animal.

Political observers have generally declared that the whole GOP-Schiavo show was a public relations disaster for the Republicans.

And so it now appears that Frist does not want to be associated with another right-wing disaster, in terms of the stem cell debate (remember that Nancy Reagan supports stem cell research). So Frist is going to let the right wing twist in the wind on this one, because he wants to be president.

Anyway, the speculation is getting people talking abut Frist, and that’s increasing his name recognition, and is improving his chances of being the 2008 nominee.

Savvy political move by Frist, I say. But he is now going to be vulnerable to some attacks for his apparent inconsistency, and for his apparent willingness to take positions based on political calculations (like John Kerry).

There is one thing I have to give Bush credit for, even though I do not support him politically - You know where Bush stands, and why. You know what you are getting.

However, in world class politics, a flexibility based on political calculations is required. With Bush being so inflexible, he creates unnecessar conflict and has a poor reputation in the world for not letting the facts get in the way of his positions. Ouch.

And so, Frist might be a better presidential choice now, because he is flexible. But that’s just a moderate talking, whereas so many on the left and riht want hard-and-fast inflexible positions in their candidates of choice.

frist breaks with bush on stem cells - dailykos discussion
Here’s what I think - Frist’s position on Schiavo and his unwillingness to stand up for stem cell research were both the acts of a craven politician who wanted to be President, and that the Dobson Party demanded it, along with extremist judges.

Why the change now? Frist now knows he will not be the GOP nominee for President in 2008. Does that mean this is more calculation? An attempt to regain his “moderate” image in the Media? Or is it a change of conscience spurred by the realization that his political career is basically over?