AMEN!!! Why should we eat one of our own just to make Jesse Jackson and the rest of the professional race baiters happy? I agree that Lott stinks as Majority Leader, the Senate rules regarding the Impeachment Trial were an affront to the Constitutuon and his limp wristed power sharing with the 'Rats made me sick and for either of these two reasons I'd like to see him go. But not now...not to appease Jackson and Sharpton and the rest of those goons. No Way.
Actually it might be best for the Republicans if Lott resigns as Majority Leader, and somehow it's made to look like Sharpton had a big say in the matter (maybe Lott could meet with Sharpton for "spiritual counseling" then resign!)
If Lott's still in power in 2004, he'll make a strong get-out-the-vote campaign poster-boy for the Dems. If Lott's out but Sharpton is a big face for the Dems, then Sharpton will rally Independents against the Dems.
Aside from that, I vote for Lott to step down from his position as Majority Leader. He expressed sympathy for segregation. The Republian Party is not the party of segregation. Since Lott has set himself up as a lightening rod and the darling of the residue of segregationist sentiment in this nation, he should NOT be the symbol of leadership for the Republican Party in the Senate.
Even some of the liberal pundits are acting surprised at the disciplinary ferocity of the Republicans. They are being forced to realize that the Party doesn't coddle racism--or even the appearance thereof. We need to follow through on this, lest we lose this wonderful momentum.
For this reason, the Dems definitely would prefer that we leave Lott in place. Don't be fooled by the fact that they are clamoring for his removal. If we remove Lott, we ultimately cut them off at the knees.
You have to keep in mind that the Dems want to continue ranting at us for two years. They want to oppose important legislation on which our prospects for 2004 ultimately depend (especially economic stuff). Perhaps even more ominous, they have also sent signals that they want to oppose all good judicial nominees on the alleged grounds that they are racists.
In other words, they want to mess up the nation and blame us by saying we just wouldn't work with them.
And I think they are also still trying to lure RINOs into the Democratic Party. The failure to remove Lott really could trigger Chafee's deception. It would give him political cover for accepting the Dems' bribes.
Besides, you can bet that Daschle doesn't want Lott removed. This is why Daschle was initially conciliatory over Lott's gaffe. (Maxine Waters just bullied Daschle into starting to attack Lott.) Daschle wants a weak Majority Leader. And the only thing weaker than a Trent Lott is a discredited Trent Lott.
So, canning Lott is not a compromise. It is a counterattack. It's what the Dems don't want. They are hoping we will be stupid. They are trying to lure us into a fight, because they know that if present trends continue, we will make even more gains in 2004 and potentially crush the very life out of the Democratic Party by 2008.