Daschle Outmaneuvers Dole On Senate Floor

By Bill Schneider/CNN

WASHINGTON (April 19) -- Bob Dole intends to stay on as Senate majority leader. Bob Dole thinks he can use that position to showcase his leadership. Bob Dole got a big surprise this week. Bob Dole got sandbagged by the Democrats.

Dole was trying to showcase his leadership on immigration reform. That's a big issue in Florida. And in California. But the minority Democrats had an agenda of their own. They were upset because Dole wouldn't allow the Senate to vote on raising the minimum wage.

Sen. Ted Kennedy declared: "What's wrong with Bob Dole? You supported the increase in the minimum wage before. What's wrong with addressing that issue? What's wrong with letting the Senate and Congress address that issue?"

So the Democrats said, we'll just attach an amendment to any bill that comes along to force a vote on the minimum wage. So Dole got mad. He yanked the immigration bill from the floor.

"We are not going to debate the immigration bill," he said. "It is being held hostage now because of the demands on the other side. If we do not want to do anything about illegal immigration, I guess the Democrats can make that happen." (149K WAV sound)

But Tom Daschle, the Senate Democratic leader, gave as good as he got. "So do not let anybody be misled," he said. "We are not holding this bill hostage. We did not pull it down. We did not ask that there be no opportunity to vote."

And get this. Daschle says to the majority leader, who began his Senate career before Daschle even finished college: "Welcome to the U.S. Senate. Welcome to the U.S. Senate." (50K WAV sound)

You'll pay for stopping the immigration bill, Dole warned the Democrats. "If we are going to be frustrated by efforts on the other side to hold the bill hostage, that is up to them. They can make it happen. Then they cam explain that to the voters in November."

Ha! said Daschle. You're the one who's going to pay for blocking what the voters want. "I think the fallout politically could be very troubling, and as one of his political advisers, I'd suggest that he'd consider changing his position," the minority leader said.

Oooh - tough talk. But the fact is, the Democrats are on very solid political ground. Increasing the minimum wage, which hasn't been raised in five years, is a cause that meets with overwhelming voter approval.

Daschle stood firm and insisted on the right of Senate Democrats to bring up their own amendments. He is proving to be skillful and fearless. Where did he learn that? Why, from Dole, who, as Senate minority leader, did exactly the same thing to President Clinton.

In 1994, Dole thwarted the Administration's crime bill and health care reform plan. "I wonder how many times Senator Dole has been in the opposite position," Daschle has said. "Our Republican colleagues have done it time and time again, both in this Congress as well in previous Congresses."

Daschle held the Democrats together. He threw Dole on the defensive. He forced the majority leader to talk about what the Democrats wanted to talk about. And this week, in the political Play of the Week, Daschle outmaneuvered the master maneuverer.

By the end of the week, even House Republicans had broken ranks on the minimum wage. And Democrats were gleeful.

"Now here's a prediction," Vice President Al Gore said at a Washington gathering. "Over the next week or so, you will witness Senator Dole dancing on the ideological stage from right to left, introducing legislative trick language, going through all kinds of permutations. But when it is all said and done, mark my words, he will cave to the pressure from the American people." (99K WAV sound)

Suddenly, Dole's strategy of running for President from the Senate doesn't look quite as smart. He'll have to contend with an energetic and forceful Democratic minority at every turn. What Dole tries to deliver, Daschle will try to dash.

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