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.

[maestro]

Where is Jim Traficant when you NEED him?

[holdonnow]

Look, I know you're not the smartest guy on this thread, or the scores of other threads on which you've spread your wisdom, but have you noticed that the Democrats have a destruction machine? Have you ever heard of Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas, John Tower, 50 Bush judicial nominees, etc? Do you remember the DUI and drug controversies they tried to use to sink George Bush? Are you overdosing on prescription drugs?

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'm surprised that you'd negotiate with a terrorist of Lott's pathetic stature.

[Sabertooth]

How would you feel if you were judged too racist to be Majority Leader, but not racist enough to be Senator from Mississippi?

Lott is stupid, weak, and self-absorbed. Now the rest of the GOP is supposed to cave to his blackmail and fall in behind him?

Trent Lott is to blame for this entire fiasco.

[StopGlobalWhining]

Lott should offer to resign, but only if Senators Byrd and Kennedy also resign simultaneously.

[WarrenC]

We are going to pick up seats in 2004. The lay of the land is such that it would be difficult for us not to. Our incumbents are in safe areas (except for Fitzgerald), theirs are not. The seats which will be contested are all in Bush country.

Right. And that's exactly why it would be unlikely for a GOP moderate to jump to the Democrats. They are capable of doing that same analysis. None is likely to want to be kingmaker for 2 years if it means being part of the minority for the next 12 years after that. Plus, Bush's approval ratings, as high as they are, would go higher still if he does the intelligent thing and moves Lott out.

[kristinn]

If there wasn't a recent history of Democrats switching to the Republican party in the Senate I'd almost believe your doomsday scenario. There's a better chance of a Democratic senator being persuaded to change parties now than the reverse if Lott bails.

[Reagan Man]

>>>Lott's done nothing wrong that he hasn't apologized for.
He's not bowing to the race-pimps, or to the I-want-Lott-out-because-he-screwed-up-impeachment conservatives.

Well said!

[koax]

my opinion is that after mostly 50 years of a democrat-controlled congress, lott does a stupid.

if he had integrity, he'd not present himself for election to the u.s. senate for majority leader.

leadership of the senate should go to someone more intelligent.

[William McKinley]

I agree.

[Iconoclast2]

Cute. Bump.

[deport]

My take and a couple of bucks and you may could get a cup of coffee at the local diner.... I really don't know how it will play out. I personally think it is overblown and it's not much more than politics being played out, cut throat and dirty.... The dems want Lott out and gone so it goes back to 50/50 and power sharing.

Lott isn't the smartest one in the Senate but he's been able to get himself into position of leadership. Somehow 49 or how ever many voted gave him the support to be elected Majority leader sometime back and have voted for him in the 107th and now the 108th... So to castigate Lott is to castigate their votes also.

Personally I'd prefer someone else as ML but then that isn't the options right now as I see it. Either Lott stays or he picks up his marbles and leaves giving the Democrats the win they wanted.... I don't think it would be this big of a flap if the Senate was in session at this time. The Senators would be exposed to the media and would have to make some statements. They are very quite now and the media hasn't run them down, especially the democrat senators.

I also don't think this is the major item people in the fruited plain are thinking about nor discussing... Politics is a very small hardcore participant game in relation to the population. just my $2 worth...

[holdonnow]

Lott's a bigoted terrorist? You have to be the dumbest guy on the Internet.

[SwatTeam]

I find it hard to believe that almost all of the people posting on this thread believe everything the press has spoon fed them this last week. Do all you people want to be led by the nose by the black caucus and cnn and MacCauliff, because you can bet he's fanning the flames of this non story. I don't like Trent Lott either but to want him to be run out of the Senate because he made an idiotic remark that didn't even become an issue until it was run through the democrat machine and the racists, yes RACISTS in the black caucus is absolutely asinine and a typical knee jerk reaction suitable for the most ardent liberal in the country.

[Clara Lou]

wirestripper wrote: I hold you responsible for believing this lie.

First of all, let me say this: whoop tee doo.
Next, I'd like to ask you to clarify: What "lie" are you speaking of?

[Texasforever]

Why, are you buying into Lott's blackmail? He's as low as Jeffords, now.

And republicans are lower than snake bellies for bending over again. I don't blame the guy.

[Poohbah]

Look, I know you're not the smartest guy on this thread, or the scores of other threads on which you've spread your wisdom, but have you noticed that the Democrats have a destruction machine?

Yes, I have.

Mind telling me why in Ghu's name Senator Vacant Lott did NOT notice that?

Which do you want, Lott in the majority leader's post, or the conservative agenda moved forward? Pick one and write off the other, pal.

[WVNan]

Personally, I believe that the Dims had stoodges sitting around watching every word out the mouth of every Republican Senator in Washington ever since the election. The Dims knew that all they needed was one comment they could demagogue and they could drum out at least one Senator and then it's just a matter of one rino switch for them to be back in control. They will stop at nothing to accomplish this, therefore they will succeed. We can never get rid of this criminal activity until we have a 60 vote majority. Honorable people can't win battles against evil brigands who will stoop to anything. I'm so very tired of having to put up with the Democrat criminal enterprise.

[GraniteStateConservative]

No, it's one that Strom Thurmond probably put up in 1948-- the good ole days in Lott's mind.

[swheats]

So not only is Lott a racist, sexist and now just your average blackmailer. The man's a monster how has he lasted this long? /sarcasm.