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Jim Jeffords
Matthew Yglesias — Jonathan Zasloff reminds us of the case of Jim Jeffords: Jeffords threatened to leave the caucus, giving the Democrats control over the Senate, unless Bush acceeded to his demand for greater special education funding (which Bush had promised and remains the right thing to do). Obviously, the Bush people were livid. It was Cheney who persuaded the President not to back down, and the result was Jeffords bolting to the Democrats. Like so much else about Cheney, his advice was bad. Had 9/11 not occurred, it could have kept Bush from unified control of Congress for the remainder of his term. But the interesting position, as Gellman describes it, was taken ...

The Music Stops for the Singing Senators
Politics Daily — Filed under: Senate, Republicans, HumorThe U.S. Senate re-convened today, but the chamber didn't seem as-- dare we say?-- harmonious as in past sessions. That's because for the first time in several decades, the body did not include any of the Singing Senators, a barbershop quartet comprised of four Republican lawmakers-- who were also united by making total fools of themselves on the national stage. Let's meet the four erstwhile Capitol crooners, whose gifts for both music and public shame knew no equals: ...