TOM DASCHLE, LIBERTARIAN: Like Dukakis

TOM DASCHLE, LIBERTARIAN: Like Dukakis in the tank, bet this photo will come back to haunt him? Me too.

In the long run, the Republicans’ prescription bill will no doubt end up being as costly as Medicare, Medicaid, and the rest of the Great Society programs. In the short term however, it’s a great piece of triangulation by President Bush and Karl Rove: it’s fun watching Daschle, Ted Kennedy, and rest of the Democrats squirm and contort their speeches into Clintonian “what the meaning of ‘is’ is”-style rhetorical pretzels.

It takes the “Republicans want to kill old people” mantras of ’94 off the table. And Newt Gingrich is for it, which should make his infamous (because it was infamously distorted) “wither on the vine” quote…wither on the vine.

OK, that’s the long and short term. Medium term? Ramesh Ponnuru isn’t too happy with the bill.