Asymmetrical Information

Yes, Megan, but did you notice whom Chafee said he would support for majority leader? He mentioned Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Olympia Snowe and one other senator (I think the other senator from Maine). Now you are not only, per Instapundit, much better looking than any of these ladies, you also have a much better chance of receiving the votes of 26 Republican senators than any of them do. Either Chafee is smoking rug scrapings or he thinks he can curry favor with everyone by saying that Lott must go but only if someone completely unelectable will replace him or this is actually a clever ploy by Lott to try to point out that he's not the absolute worst possible majority leader one could imagine. Personally, I think Linc just solidified his reputation as "the missing link" and continued to ensure that he won't be taken seriously even by Rhode Island voters. Mike Brennan

Just a "wheels within wheels" thought. 1) there is a definite risk that Lott will resign from the Senate completely if he can't run it. This would give a Democratic governor the choice of replacing him, moving the Senate to a 50-50 tie. 2) Up until now, Lincoln Chaffee's "principles" have not been strong enough to convince him to switch parties if that would place him in the minority party. 3) If they go to 50-50, a Chaffee switch would deliver the Senate back to the Democrats, which presumably would mean that Chaffee's switch would have some market value to Tom Daschle. 4) in such a situation, Chaffee may rediscover his "principles" and switch. 5) Therefore, it is in Chaffee's self interest to encourage a Lott departure.

Mind you, Chaffee is just waiting for a profitable opportunity regardless. This should not stop the effort to remove Lott from the leadership. After his pandering appearance on BET, he cannot be taken seriously by either the Right or the Left.

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