And McConnell has made his picks: Toomey, Kyl and Portman.

[Brittain33]

It's almost interesting that Kyl is retiring so in theory could negotiate other than posture, but who am I kidding, it's Jon Kyl. That's a waste of a spot, he could have just as easily put in Jeff Sessions or Cornyn or Vitter for the same effect.

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

[Brittain33]

Oh, hey, so this means southerners were completely locked out on the Senate side.

Which ones did you think McConnell would consider?

Good point. DeMint is too far off the reservation one way, Graham the other way. Corker is unreliable. Others either play poorly on tv or are blah. It's just that if you took a random selection of Republican senators, you'd expect at least 1 out of 3 to be from the south or Texas, and possibly 2.

[Brittain33]

So all we need is defense lobbyists to give enough money to Baucus and the Republican plan passes.

[Brittain33]

I suspect Harry put him on, because he will do what Harry tells him to do. There is just not much there there, independently.

Whatever his individual abilities, which I haven't observed and can't speak to, he has the committee experience and background to suggest his membership.