Drudge - Karl Rove Wants Lott Out of Leadership, Replaced with Frist

Matt Drudge Report/Next Week's Newsweek ^ | Matt Drudge

[wardaddy]

Yes....a further buckling from Pubbies to culture war moderation is inevitable after this dust-up regardless of how it plays out at the curtain call.

[EternalVigilance]

One of the reasons the democrats (and the media) are pushing this so hard is to try and force Republicans to circle the wagons in support of Sen. Lott. Their fondest wish has to be that Lott is kept as leader. Secondary to that would be for Lott to be put aside AND resign his seat.

The President and his people, and the Republican caucus in the Senate, have to (quietly) manage this so neither wish is granted.

Exactly. You could not be more correct.

[Mr. Mojo]

Lots of conservatives don't give a frog's fat butt about guns one way or another. Almost every other major political issue is more important.

Evidently. ....And one of those issues is political correctness and sensitivity.

[KC_Conspirator]

Holt $hit! Those are the covers of the new Newsweek and Time? I am so effin angry (you can tell by my language) at the media b/c of this! They totally ignored Senator Byrd, a former KKK member, using the n-word on national television last year, but seem hell bent on going after Trent Lott. Screw them!

[Saundra Duffy]

If Rove is backing Frist then it's time to get solidly behind Nickols!

My sentiments exactly! For victory & freedom!!!

[B Knotts]

I am really starting to wonder about some things.

Is Rove really at the center of all this? Does he think Pres. Bush can win reelection easier with the Senate in Democrat hands?

A not unlikely scenario: if Lott is pushed out of his position as Majority Leader, he resigns, he is replaced with a Democrat, and Chafee bolts. Daschle is back in charge.

And Bush easily wins in 2004.

Is this the best strategy for the G.O.P. as a whole, or just for Rove?

[rmvh]

This whole farce is typical Republicanism....

Forget about the enemy and kill each otherThese Senatorial A.Hs will give away control again!!!

[SerpentDove]

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Your repetitions within repetitions were not persuasive earlier in compelling me to accept your false dilemma, nor are they now.

Your circuitous reasoning that, having destroyed Trent Lott with your RACIST RACIST RACIST slander, he is damaged goods that must be replaced does not impress me, either.

[SerpentDove]

>>I am so effin angry (you can tell by my language) at the media b/c of this! Theyvtotally ignored Senator Byrd, a former KKK member, using the n-word on national television last year, but seem hell bent on going after Trent Lott.<<

The damage is done. Lott has given the biased press all they need. And he has made himself into an albatross that must go.

[KC_Conspirator]

I heard that Lott has threatened to quit the senate if he gets voted out. Is that true?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Byrd and Hollings are examples of why Lott can still be a Senator as long as the people of Mississippi elect him.

You can't have it both ways. Either Lott is a vile racist or he is not. If he is a vile racist, then anything short of being booted out of the Senate should offend you. The fact that it does not proves that you know this is a ginned-up issue designed to remove Lott from leadership by opportunistic sleazebags who will happily resort to the same tactics as Jesse Jackson if it suits their purposes.

For someone of such ethical purity, your ethics sure are flexible.

[SerpentDove]

>>I heard that Lott has threatened to quit the senate if he gets voted out. Is that true?<<

If so, that would be a sure sign of ultimate disloyalty to conservativism and highlight Lott's self-centeredness.

And if so, that proves he is as spineless and weak as many have suggested.

Not "leader" material IMHO.

[KC_Conspirator]

However, I am NOT going to throw away a hard earned victory away because of the politcally motivated media pressure. We owe all the people that worked hard for it, like Bill Frist, Ralph Reed, Jim Talent, Saxby Chambliss, Norm Coleman, etc., more than that. However, I can see Lott becoming an albatross hung over the party's neck and I don't want that to happen either.

[NarniaSC]

I don't think he's racist, I just think he's terminally stupid (option A). Therefore, he's qualified to represent Mississippi, but not the Senate Republicans.

[SerpentDove]

We are definitely in a "lesser of two evils" situation, aren't we?

SD

[LibertyGirl77]

My hope right now is that the Republican Senators will elect Nickles or McConnell as their way of proving their independence from Rove.

Perhaps I'm being hopelessly naive in holding on to such a vain hope, but the alternate universes we are headed towards based on this decision are strikingly different places.

Personnel IS policy.

Amen and Amen. Checks and balances are a good thing no matter WHO is in office. A puppet Senate is a frightening prospect, whether you love or hate President Bush.

[ALS]

I don't think you are reading what I've said.

I said I WATCHED him on TV say he supported a woman's right to choose.

Frist will make a dandy yes man. Assuming that's who you want.

[Southern Federalist]

this didn't become a problem until the Left pointed this out

This is simply false to the facts. Lott's remarks were made on December 5. Conservatives were denouncing Lott's remarks on principle by Monday the 9th, before the major media picked up on it, and before Jackson, Sharpton, and the Democrats did. And it wasn't conservative political strategists who started this, it came from the internet grassroots, the bloggers, who are mostly younger conservatives or libertarians.

Howard Kurtz admits in his todayWashington Post column that conservatives were after Lott before the liberal media noticed the story.

Seems everyone knew Lott was a racist long before now. Where was the indignation?

No, everyone knew that Lott was a spineless dimwit long before this, and there was plenty of frustration. I still don't know or care whether he's a racist in his heart. Purging racists is really not the point. The point is twofold: (a) what he said was wrong, dammit, and (b) he handled the aftermath so badly, and revealed to the whole country so clearly that he hasn't a clue, that he is now poison for his party and for conservative principles.

Now you know you lost credibility with me when you went into name calling "vacant Lott". Tells me what group you're in.

My friend, the great fellowship of those who regard Trent Lott as an airhead transcends race, creed, religion, and political affiliation. It is the birthright of every man.

[GoMonster]

called winning elections my friend. how the conservatives doing in England again?