LOTT THREATENS TO QUIT THE SENATE IF FORCED FROM LEADERSHIP

Newsnight with Aaron Brown | 12/13/2002 | Jonathan Karl

[sinkspur]

Trent Lott, in a conference call with 27 GOP Senate Republicans today, said that he would leave the Senate if forced from the Leader position.

Jonathan Karl said three or four of the Senators viewed this as "blackmail," but that the majority still support Lott and want him to continue as Leader.

[ApesForEvolution]

Jhoffa_, I would like to take this opportuntiy to nominate you as the supreme FR diplomat. Seriously, you're posts have been pretty consistent and consistently pretty fair to what you espouse.

On the topic at hand, I have 3 dilemmas: 1)The Lott in charge means we don't have majority type power anyway, 2)He's now totally compromised as his white guilt is showing and getting worse, 3)I'm beginning to wonder about him myself.

He has, in my mind, been a man of week character and fleeting integrity, and in my experience, people of this type could easily have other issues and have been masking other 'beliefs'.

I did not know or care to know that a)Trent is proud that MS voted for Thurmond in 1948, b)Dixiecrats had one issue; race, c)The Lott wishes the Dixicrats had won, thinking we'd all be better off, d)The Lott's political *MENTOR*, ala Fulbright for xxxlinton, was the 1948 Dixiecrat VP candidate, e)The Lott can be tied to the CCC.

The next revelation will be so damaging to anyone that supports him now that we are way, way beyond the point of diminishing return in this excercise and in the political life of the Lott.

[aristeides]

I don't have time to go through all this thread, but is there any way to be sure that this CNN report is true. An article in this morning's Washington Post appears to discuss this conference call, and specifically says Lott was not on it:

For now, the great majority of GOP senators are taking a wait-and-see approach. Shortly after Lott spoke, more than 20 of them participated in a telephone conference call to discuss the fallout. Lott was not included.

In the call, put together by Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho), some members rallied around Lott but a number expressed concerns about the controversy's possible impact on the legislative agenda and the 2004 elections, one participant said. Several GOP senators warned of a brewing political war with Democrats, who they predicted would continue to call for Lott's resignation for political reasons.

[Bluntpoint]

I think we are more at risk in losing our momentum with Trent where he is.

Trent is not a bridge. He is an obstruction.

If Trent wants to run away like a baby because he can't be in charge of the school prom, then I don't care. He can open his own little beauty shop and bitch and moan to his fem clients how he was wronged.

History, will not look kindly on girly boy Trent if he steps down from the senate and provides an opening for the Dems.

[Jhoffa_]

Jhoffa_, I would like to take this opportuntiy to nominate you as the supreme FR diplomat. Seriously, you're posts have been pretty consistent and consistently pretty fair to what you espouse.

Well thank you.

It's tough to be fair and consistant with Trent though. The bastard has tanked on us before and I don't think anyone will ever completely forget that. Especially not people as tuned in as the Freepers.

Otherwise, in short you are inclined to go for broke here?

[ApesForEvolution]

"The potential tanking of the SC and our agenda, that's what I was curious about."

What if I told you he's already accomplished that now, if he a)stays or b)leaves the Senate. That's my honest, heart felt, visionary take on this. We have one option now, c). He steps aside as leader when challenged, gets his face of the party poster, and fights on, rejecting charges that he's a racist at every damn turn with all of the rest of us on the attack against the overt racists, that are even racists in their legislating. That's one thing Lott hasn't done to my knowledge.

[Servant of the Nine]

1)The Lott in charge means we don't have majority type power anyway, 2)He's now totally compromised as his white guilt is showing and getting worse, 3)I'm beginning to wonder about him myself.

I am beginning to think we are better off with a straight up weasel like Tiny Tom Dashle than ol' Trent. It is easy to forget that Trent will stab us in the back because he claims to be a republican. No one is ever gonna be confused about what Dashle wants.

The party needs some kind of "Jim Jeffords/Trent Lott Scumbag of the Year Award" for these people.

So9

[aristeides]

I see the Washington Post article goes on to say this:

Yet, in a sign of the Lott camp's concerns, some allies are quietly suggesting to GOP senators that Lott might resign from the Senate if he is forced out as leader, a move that could jeopardize the party's one-seat majority. Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D) presumably would appoint a Democrat to replace Lott, they note. That would leave the Senate evenly split, enabling Democrats to regain the majority if they could persuade a moderate Republican to switch parties.

A source close to Lott dismissed the scenario, saying, "it would be a cold day before Trent Lott gives his seat to a Democrat governor."

That's still a far cry from the CNN report.

[EternalVigilance]

Lately, the coyotes have been weaning my cat population. I have a new found respect for coyotes.

LMAO...

[Jhoffa_]

I am beginning to think we are better off with a straight up weasel like Tiny Tom Dashle than ol' Trent.

Our success with judicial nom's doesn't bear this out.

Many people feel the the SC is on life support at this point and at the end of the day getting judges through at all levels has a huge impact on our society and our law.

[jwalsh07]

Are you offended because Lott, the gay cracker as you have implied, is wriggling on the rope or because you think he's a racist?

[ApesForEvolution]

I admit here and now: I've been consistently anti-Trent because I see him as potentially not truly on our side. I have always been clear about the Lott. After we won MN for Coleman 11/5, I went to DC and started lobbying against the Lott. He called for an early vote, knowing that Bush wanted new leadership and the Coleman's, the Talent's and others were NOT going to vote for the Lott. Now, the Lott does this and goes over and above to really be a dumb dick.

Let me ask you this: If Lott has made ghastly errors before, he just made one now...what makes you think the future is any safer in his hands?

There is a political way (if not a big bank account offshore way) for the Lott to stay in the Senate but not lead and make this go away. And I know the Lott would take it.

[ApesForEvolution]

The Lott definitely gets the Political GOP Darwin Award for '02.

[Jhoffa_]

Let me ask you this: If Lott has made ghastly errors before, he just made one now...what makes you think the future is any safer in his hands?

Honestly? I don't.

I will be the last person here to wave a pom-pom for Lott.

My concerns revolve solely around our SC, our (so far largely thwarted) agenda, a desire not to validate the charge and a moral dilemma because I believe the charge not to be true.

That's it.

[cynicom]

Blunt...

I personally gave considerable money and time during this past election for the republican cause, and I am not a republican. I voted for Dole as senator although I did not care for her. All I heard day after day was that the republicans needed to take back control of the senate so we could have more conservative judges etc etc. That was all fine, no one complained. Now the republicans are in danger of losing control once again. I fail to see how that is my fault and why I do not have a right to hold Bush accountable.

[ApesForEvolution]

might

This bluff will be called when the next dirt on the Lott is dug up. The Lott is going on BET next week to give us a taste of the pandering we're in for the next session from our Leader, the Lott. However, this is what the RATS want from him, so if they've tenderized him to enought already to get what they want, the RATS may not pounce on him but rather want to keep him in place as their white guilt GOP tool.

[RichardEdward]

how would his replacement be selected??? what are the rules in Mississippi?

[TLBSHOW]

The words “racist,” “bigot,” and “hatemonger,” coming from embittered followers of demagogues, mean nothing.

Jesse Lee Peterson

[EternalVigilance]

A source close to Lott dismissed the scenario, saying, "it would be a cold day before Trent Lott gives his seat to a Democrat governor."

That's still a far cry from the CNN report.

Lott's supporters here on FR were already using that blackmail as a stick to try and drive conservatives here into the Lott defense lines the night before last.

It POed me greatly then, and it still does now.

There is always a danger to attempting blackmail...the danger that the intended victim may spit in your eye. Well, conservatives are spitting mad, let me tell you.

I've been saying it for 36 hours, and I'll say it again...if Trent Lott resigned his Senate seat, and tipped the scales of the Senate back towards Daschle, his name and his reputation would be soiled forever...

There is only one way this works out for Trent Lott or for George Bush or for the Republican Party in any semblence of going forward as a united party...for Lott to step down immediately as Majority Leader, but to stay in the Club.

[NeoCaveman]

Re 1018, I totally agree.

[Nephi]

My stupid cat sh@t in my bathtub last night. I am not so impressed with cats.

You'd have preferred that your cat shat on your carpet? You do have carpet?

What kind of man is offended by the independence of a cat?

PS There is probably a reason that your cat didn't use the box, perhaps the present in the tub was a little reminder?