In direct contravention of my wife's explicit instructions, herewith I inaugurate my first blog. Long may it prosper.

For some reason, I think I have something to say to you. You think you have something to say to me? Email me at: gideonsblogger -at- yahoo -dot- com

 
Looks increasingly likely Lott will go down. He's losing people like Pete Domenici, an "old bull" who might have been expected to support Lott on the grounds of Senatorial fellowship and who has a lot to lose now if Lott survives.

By my count, Lott appears to have locked up 10 votes (plus himself) and Frist the same, with two more votes highly likely. Here's the list:

LOTT VOTES

Campbell (CO)
Cochran (MS)
Hatch (UT)
Lugar (IN)
McConnell (KY)
Murkowski (AK)
Santorum (PA)
Specter (PA)
Stevens (AK)
Voinovich (OH)

There are probably other solid Lott votes I'm not counting. Here's the Frist rundown:

FRIST VOTES

Alexander (TN)
Allen (VA)
Bond (MO)
Chafee (RI)
Domenici (NM)
Enzi (WY)
Inhofe (OK)
McCain (AZ) - hates Lott, so very likely, though he hasn't said anything yet that I'm aware of
Nickles (OK)
Talent (MO)
Thomas (WY) - hasn't said anything, but rumored to be a Frist vote
Warner (VA)

If I were Frist, these would be my top targets to convert to my side: Senators close to the President (Bush wants Lott out); Senators whom Frist helped elect this year (they owe him); Senators vulnerable to a strong black voter turnout next time (voting for Lott will piss them off); Senators identified as strongly Christian (they're probably the most offended by what Lott said); and Senators identified as more liberal (they probably hate Lott the most). So here's my list of targets:

Allard (CO)
Brownback (KS)
Chambliss (GA)
Coleman (MN)
Collins (ME)
Cornyn (TX)
Dole (NC)
Graham (SC)
Grassley (IO)
Hutchinson (TX)
Kyl (AZ)
Roberts (KS)
Snow (ME)
Sununu (NH)

That gives him a couple-vote margin for victory.
posted by Noah at 11:00 AM