The Same Old Bullshit | What's Chafee Up To?

We will be watching this today (via Raw Story):

A second Senate Republican facing a difficult election next year suggested Monday that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay needs to do more to address ethics accusations leveled against him recently.

“We’ve got to uphold the highest standards of legality and ethics,'’ Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., said Monday. “You can’t have your leader under a cloud. It makes it difficult to run.”

Read the whole thing.

Also checkout how Santorum is beginning to move center... though I'm not sure moving from Bible-Thumping-Pollyanna to Fire-Breathing-Hell-Spawn can be considered a move towards center... Josh Marshall has this to say about where all roads may be headed.

Regardless, Chafee is on thin ice in Rhode Island. There are two strong Democrats breathing down his neck leading into 2006. Chafee may give his party leaders Bolton and his constituents back home a stand against DeLay. Either way, Chafee is now showing himself to be the sniveling rodent he is. RI Dems take note!

Updated - 3:56 p.m.
The Hill has the low down on the painful fix Chafee is in. This bit, in my mind, points to the heart of matters:

This weekend, just a few days after he will vote on the controversial nomination of John Bolton to be U.N. ambassador, Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) will fly to Nashville, where he will attend a fundraiser with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

The timing of the two events is coincidental, but it points to the difficult political terrain that Chafee must negotiate this year. Despite his reputation as the Republican most likely to cross party lines and issue blunt statements critical of the Bush administration, Chafee is relying on solid Republican leadership support in what is shaping up to be a tough reelection campaign....

[on the Bolton vote] Chafee’s press secretary, Stephen Hourahan, said yesterday that Chafee “is waiting to make up his mind.”

Don't keep us waiting long Linc!

However, the AP is just now reporting that Chafee is leaning toward giving Bush his golden Bolton

the pivotal Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, said he was "still inclined" to vote to confirm Bolton, who is now undersecretary of state for arms control.

I'm still hoping Chafee makes me out to be a dumb-ass for bad-mouthing him. I say we keep the pressure high. Send Chafee an email urging him to stop being a GOP stooge! The money may dry up, but Rhode Islanders may also rally around a candidate who stands up for their wishes over those of the Republican oligarchy.