American Notes Congress

The dictionary definition of whip (to lash, pull, jerk, snatch) is a fair description of the job to which House Democrats last week elected Michigan's David Bonior. As majority whip, the bearded, low-key Bonior, 46, is now responsible for counting heads prior to key votes and twisting the arms of Democrats who stray from the party fold. The eight-term Congressman also becomes the third-ranking House Democrat, replacing Pennsylvania's William Gray on the House escalator that often leads to the jobs of majority leader and then Speaker. Gray resigned last month to head up the United Negro College Fund.

In a display of his head-counting skill, Bonior predicted he would receive 160 votes in the whip's race to 95 for Maryland's flamboyant Steny Hoyer. Bonior was right on the money on his own total, but underestimated Hoyer's strength by 14. When he begins to hunt down Democrats who do not always hew to party orthodoxy, Bonior will need to look no farther than the mirror: though generally a liberal, he is strongly antiabortion and vows to "continue to vote my conscience."