Welcome to the New Washington

By Mitch Frank

For months JOHN MCCAIN has been the Democrats' favorite co-sponsor on everything from a patient's bill of rights to gun control. TED KENNEDY and JOHN EDWARDS like him so much that they have been urging the maverick to switch sides. Though McCain has declined, he thought about it long enough to prompt a dinner invitation from the President last week. The shift in power only enhances his stature. "This move makes John McCain the de facto Republican leader in the Senate," says a top Republican operative.

While McCain has reached across the aisle, some Republicans grouse that TRENT LOTT can't reach across his own party. Lott responded last Friday by giving a new leadership post to moderate ARLEN SPECTER but may face a fight to keep his job next year.

Bush political guru KARL ROVE may need to rethink the White House's hardball tactics. His reaction to Jeffords' switch, portraying him as selfish and power hungry, shows the lesson hasn't sunk in yet.

For TOM DASCHLE, the new challenge is to show he can lead with a slim margin. Daschle and majority whip HARRY REID must keep their fractious caucus together, especially the powerful new Democratic committee chairmen (below). The leaders may already face trouble as JOE BIDEN considers pushing for his old job running the Judiciary Committee rather than Foreign Relations. That could set off a chain reaction, forcing several other Democratic chairmen to switch jobs.

--By Mitch Frank