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.

[Poohbah]

No, it's a sign from the era that Lott was vocally pining for last week.

[APBaer]

"i have never heard him say something bad about another politican in public"

While a commendable virtue in others, this is so unusual in a politician it stimulates thought of what is he afraid others might retaliate with?

"Pictures at 10:00"

[Ben Hecks]

Senator Lott seems to forget that there were several million of us out here who busted their butts to get Talent, Chambliss, Coleman, et al elected so we could take back control of the Senate. We had hopes that the Democrat roadblock could be ended and action could be taken to keep this country from going down the tubes. We lost 2 years due to the dishonesty of Jeffords; we are now facing the possibility of pi**ing away 2 more. Our Republican Senators need to get their act together fast because there may not be a next time!

[William McKinley]

I don't think he is shooting the messenger, as much as he is shooting down some bullshit and scolding the one who threw it here for doing so.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He can be your bigoted terrorist. He is NOT mine. Take him.

[Yaelle]

Very interesting info. Let's kick him out Monday. We will be able to win back the Senate soon enough, but we need to call his bluff. What leadership this crybaby is showing.

[holdonnow]

You left out Ronald Reagan. He was a Democrat too. Do you know anything about history and politics, or do you just like to type stupid things?

[Texasforever]

Your contempt for African-Americans is obvious.

My contempt is for "Americans" that are afraid of "African-Americans" and their damn race baiting tactics.

[lainie]

Me too. I'd be pissed off to say the least. But Lott is no sacrificial lamb -- he did this entirely to himself.

[okie01]

Your #81. Bravo!

[koax]

tell sink that.

thanks.

[Dimensio]

This is very bad because...

...um...

...why is this bad?

[koax]

thank you.

[jwalsh07]

If Lott goes, and somehow the Dems pick up one more seat by Chaffee or McCain bolting, what is the impact?

The immediate impact is massive.

PBA ban gets lost in the senate.

Bush's ability to deal with terrorism becomes more tenuous.

Taxcuts get tied up at a time when the economy needs them.

The long term impact is worse. Bad economy and a staus quoa Iraq and Terrorist situation yields 4 to 8 years of dims in the White House.

Why this comes as a surprise to anybody is beyond me. And I don't believe he threatened anything. He simply elucidated the facts of life.

[William McKinley]

We will get much more done in the majority, and we do need to keep our eye on the SCOTUS for potential vacancies.

But beyond that, I would much rather us pay attention to what positions us for success in the future, than maintaining a razor thin Senate majority under the gun of a threat from Lott.

[per loin]

If Lott made this threat, then he should be called on it immediately.

Do you really believe that the Dems are not prepared with charges against the next Pubbie Senate leader? Once the mob smells blood, it gets thirsty for more.

[holdonnow]

Ahh ... clever.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Yeah, Joseph Stalin was supposedly not-so-bright, too. Trent Lott is not stupid. Do you guys think he's Forrest freakin' Gump? He's a smart man who happens to be a power-hungry bigot.

[William McKinley]

The difference is when charges have some sort of substantiation. Got any for Frist? McConnell? Nickles? Santorum?

[GOPyouth]

Senator Lott, as any Senator up in DC, has made mistakes. But that being said, the Republican Senators voted to make him Majority Leader when they regain control of the Senate. Should an attack by the left for a stupid, yet, blown out of proportion comment be cause for the Senators to all of a sudden decide that he isn't worthy of being the Senate Majority Leader?

For however light-hearted his comments were, some people feel that he meant something else, and that they were offensive. Senator Lott recognized that and has apologized for possibly offending anybody. Again today he came out and said again that racism is wrong and that civil rights are a must. As stupid as his comments were, I think it's a far stretch to believe that he wants to go back to segregation. That's for the segregationist party to support. And that is the party of slavery, the party of the confederacy, the party of the Klan, and the anti-civil rights party. That would be the Democratic party.