Blaming Frist

By DOUGLAS WALLER

Are Republicans in the Senate growing restive under the leadership of Bill Frist? A growing number are griping about the Tennessee heart surgeon, who took over when Trent Lott resigned in December 2002 over racially insensitive remarks. The G.O.P. Senators are unhappy that "there's no record of accomplishment this year," confides a senior Republican aide who's heard from a number of them. "It seems like the Democrats are eating our lunch."

Frist, who had little experience moving legislation before he took the top job, has been unable to push a budget or energy bill through the Senate. Democrats forced him to back off a bill shielding gun manufacturers from liability in lawsuits. And Frist last month had to pull from the floor a bill popular with business to limit class actions because of a flurry of Democratic amendments. The defeat of the gay-marriage amendment--which couldn't muster even a majority, much less the two-thirds needed--was another embarrassment. Frist press secretary Nick Smith blames the legislative failures on "Democrats more concerned about a political message in an election year." But if the legislative record doesn't improve after the Senate returns from its August recess, Frist could be facing trouble. --By Douglas Waller