Senate majority leader campaigning to unseat Murray

[icymist]

Monday, May 24, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

Senate majority leader campaigning to unseat Murray

By Jim Brunner
Seattle Times staff reporter

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist made campaign stops in Washington state yesterday, trying to drum up money and attention for U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt, the man Republican leaders hope can knock off incumbent Sen. Patty Murray.

Frist, R-Tenn., joined Nethercutt on a short tour of Bellevue's Overlake Hospital Medical Center before joining a few dozen doctors there for a round-table discussion of limiting jury awards in medical-malpractice lawsuits — an issue on which Nethercutt has sought to hammer Murray.

"Unless we change the system, you're going to lose," Frist told the doctors, urging them to become politically active.

Frist, the lone doctor in the U.S. Senate, criticized trial lawyers and their allies for opposing legislation that would cap non-economic damage awards to $250,000 in medical-malpractice lawsuits. Murray has joined other Senate Democrats in blocking that legislation, which Nethercutt, R-Spokane, supports.

Doctors blame large jury awards for the sharply rising costs of liability insurance, a cost that some say is hurting access to health care. But opponents argue that those concerned with rising liability costs should focus instead on reducing the rate of medical errors.


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[Pachamama]

1. Frist is out campaigning against Daschle too-is this unprecendented?...

...that a sitting Majority Leader would be out campaigning for the opponenents of sitting Senators? I can't recall ever hearing of such a thing...

Another example of the shameless "partisanship" and lack of ethics and code of conduct on the part of Republicans...

Can anyone recall this ever happening?

:kick:

PS: I'm giving money to Murray and Daschle today - both races are apparantely hotly contested, especially in South Dakota...

:anger:

[Eye and Monkey]

4. "Senate historian's office cannot recall another time," (link)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A22556-2004Apr18?language=printer

The Senate historian's office cannot recall another time, at least in the last half century, when one Senate leader went to the home state of another to campaign against him. One reason is that it has been a long time since a Senate leader of either party was engaged in anywhere near as close a contest as Daschle faces in heavily Republican South Dakota. Another is that the across-the-aisle comity that used to characterize the Senate is breaking down, especially given the high stakes involved in this November's elections.

On the Senate floor, Republicans bring up bills on such issues as curbs on civil liability lawsuits that they know will be defeated -- along with vote after vote on judicial nominations that are being held up by filibusters -- so they can point to Democrats as obstructionists. And Democrats trot out amendment after amendment aimed at forcing Republicans to flinch, capitulate or take unpopular stands on such issues as overtime pay and outsourcing of jobs.

MORE -

[Bandit]

2. We need Universial Health Care and we wouldn't have many law suits.

It certainly wouldn't effect insurance costs. Every single person in America would benefit as the ripple effect from Universial Health Care would hit every single household for the better. Even the Insurance people would actually benefit in the long run.

[candy331]

3. Well the enabling Democrats get to see just how

the other side really works. May be they'll wake up now.

[daa]

5. I sure hope so nt

[eridani]

6. Murray is having a rally tomorrow

US Senator Patty Murray will host a free rally on Thursday May 27, 2004 - 5:30 pm at the Daybreak Indian Cultural Center, 3801 West Government Way (Magnolia area). Her honored guest will be the Honorable Max Cleland. Please send the message out to your lists and attend if you are able.