ASHINGTON - Thanks to the voters and a constitutional quirk, Democrats will probably have a Senate majority for 17 days in January. But bowing to political reality, they said yesterday they won't try controlling the chamber during that period.
Ranit Schmelzer, spokeswoman for Senate minority leader Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, said that while Daschle would be ''technically'' able to steer the Senate during that time, ''he does not intend to do that.''
''We're not going to do anything'' like that, said Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate's No. 2 Democratic leader. ''I don't think it's fair, I don't think it's the right thing to do.''
Top Senate Democrats will continue to press for parity when it comes to permanently organizing committees and setting the Senate's agenda during the two years of the incoming 107th Congress.
Senate majority leader Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi, said earlier this month that he was open to discussing how committee memberships would be divided between the parties and ''working with them on the agenda'' of the Senate.
Even so, Democrats say they won't try muscling anything through during their brief period in the majority.
The Constitution calls for the new Congress to convene on Jan. 3. When it does, it will be split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, assuming that a recount confirms that Democrat Maria Cantwell narrowly ousted Senator Slade Gorton, Republican of Washington state.
But under the Constitution, the next president is not sworn in until Jan. 20. That would leave Democrats with an edge during the intervening period because Democrat Al Gore will be vice president until Jan. 20 and will have the constitutional authority to break tie votes in the Senate.
In reality, though, Senate Democrats' ability to use their muscle during that period would be limited.
A Democratic effort to control the Senate for 17 days would plainly contradict their oft-stated calls for bipartisanship in the new Congress. That would weaken their attempt to appear conciliatory in the narrowly divided Congress, something they are loath to do.
In addition, Republicans could filibuster any Democratic attempt during the 17 days to set up committees, forcing Democrats to garner 60 votes that they do not have.
