Lott to Step Aside! CBS Radio Reporting it will happen later today....

[BUSHdude2000]

Just heard that CBS News Radio is about to announce this...

Admin Moderator added update:

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Lott Will Step Down
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2002


Sen. Trent Lott plans to resign as the Republican Senate leader, CBS News has learned.

CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer reports that Lott is now calling colleagues to tell them he intends to step down. Lott plans to have some kind of statement later today and will remain in the Senate.

Two weeks after lamenting that segregationist Strom Thurmond had lost his 1948 presidential bid, Lott faced mounting opposition to his remaining in the post he has held for six year.

Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee won public endorsements from four GOP colleagues in his emerging bid to supplant Lott. He is now poised to be the next leader.

Frist, a staunch ally of President Bush and the man who headed the GOP's successful effort to snatch control of the Senate in last month's elections, said Thursday he would "likely step forward" and challenge Lott. Virginia GOP Sens. John Warner and George Allen had said Frist was definitely a candidate.

In addition, candidacies were considered possible by Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky or Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Both men have been among Lott's staunchest supporters.

Warner, a 24-year Senate veteran and the incoming Armed Services Committee chairman, said, "This is bigger than friendship."

"This is ? a country at war, this is a president who is making very difficult decisions each day and he needs the support of his Republican colleagues united and led by strong leaders in both houses," Warner said.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., incoming Environment and Public Works Committee chairman, was also supporting Frist, said Inhofe spokesman Gary Hoitsma. And a Republican aide close to No. 2 Senate Republican Don Nickles of Oklahoma said Nickles, a longtime Lott rival, would probably support a race by Frist.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., on Friday said he had called Lott a day earlier and "asked him to make way for a new Senate Republican leader who is able to speak with a strong voice to Americans of all races." Bond then endorsed Frist.

Allen, who will head the Republican Senate campaign effort for 2004, said he believed Frist already had the support of about 10 GOP senators, including James Talent of Missouri and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. Enzi's spokesman said he would make no comment.

Signs of trouble for Lott have multiplied over the week. First, liberal Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chaffee became the first Republican to explicitly call for Lott's ouster.

Then, a CBS News/New York Times poll of members of the Republican National Committee ? the party's ruling body ? released Thursday found 45 percent of them thought Lott should go, while just 20 percent thought he should stay on as Senate leader.

The 51 GOP senators in the Congress convening Jan. 7 plan were to meet the previous day to decide who will lead them.

Many Republicans privately expected Lott to step down before that meeting.

Following Mr. Bush's criticism last week of Lott's Dec. 5 remarks, administration officials have sought to distance themselves from the leadership struggle.

Until now, Republican lawmakers, aides and lobbyists had said Frist was reluctant to seek the job. Besides being a political lightning rod for attacks by Democrats, the post would be extremely time-consuming, taking away from his pursuit of health issues and, perhaps, preparations for a White House run in 2008.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/10/politics/main532405.shtml

[calvin sun]

If Lott does step down as ML but stays as Senator, we all should call his office to thank him profusely and tell him he's a true statesman, he'll go down in history as a good man caught in a bad situation, he put love of country before self-interest, blah, blah, blah.

I agree absolutely. Thanks for saying so publicly.

[SheLion]

Followed by "Donahue to take Lott's timeslot.

OH! BARF! LOL!

[lady lawyer]

Re his need for our support -- you're right. Now that he is being noble, instead of sacrificing the party and, by extension, the country, to save his own hide, it's easy to feel bad for him. Now we can get back to recognizing how unfair the whole imbroglio was, and hating the race pimping democrats that started it, instead of hating Lott.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

BULLETIN

Friday, December 20, 2002
©2002 Associated Press

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/12/20/national1054EST0569.DTL


(12-20) 07:54 PST WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Trent Lott will step down as Senate Republican leader, a senior GOP aide close to the Mississippian said Friday, two weeks after Lott's endorsement of Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential bid touched off a national uproar.

[nutmeg]

Fox News Channel is confirming this now... says a statement from Lott coming in less than 10 minutes (10:57 AM ET now).

[Alberta's Child]

I think Frist is an interesting guy to have as the Senate Majority Leader because (as far as I know) he's the only medical doctor ever to hold any substantial position in government, at least in recent years.

This may actually help the Republicans fend off the predictable "42 million Americans without health insurance" babbling that is certain to be part of the 2004 Democratic Party strategy.

GOP: "You Democrats are supposed to have all the answers on health care, education, and the economy? Then why are all of your party leaders lawyers instead of doctors (Frist), teachers (Hastert), and businessmen (Bush)?"

[chiller]

Some degree of moderation in ML job is OK by me, too.
I can't see the frontrunner, (Frist) giving away the store
for 2 reasons. 1) he has a brain 2) he won' t have to
prove anything to blacks

[Nita Nuprez]

Please let me take this opportunity to thank whichever Democrats got this ball rolling for us. You've done for us what we never could have accomplished without you.

You have my eternal gratitude. We'll be much stronger in 2004 because of this Christmas present you've given us.

[Reagan Man]

The timing may be a little shocking, but the decision isn't surprising.

With a 19% approval rating and with the President opposed to his remaining in power, he couldn't survive any longer.

The big question is, will he resign his Senate seat now?

I pray not.

[dfwgator]

The BET grovel-a-thon was the last straw. He put the GOP in a very tenuous situation. Had he not gone on BET, he might have been able to hang on.

[wita]

Just think of the possibilities, if he stayed and changed parties.

[dansangel]

I win the pool....I win the pool.....I win the pool....I win the pool.....

I detect some ***gloating*** young man! LOL! :-)

[copycat]

I can't imagine why he'd stay in the Senate if he's giving up the top spot. Newt didn't stick around in the House.

I can. Being a Senator is one of the most powerful positions in the country, even at the rank and file level.

If he's given a plum committee chairmanship, he will also still wield a lot of extra power that can make him popular amongst his constituents.

[Illbay]

For a rarity, I agree with you, P-Marlowe.

However, don't count on anything like that. Conservatives are well-versed in cutting off noses to despite faces.

[Joe Driscoll]

More FReeper naivete

I know what you mean. I see more and more of it every time you post.

[republicman]

From What I just heard he WILL stay in the senate

Now that Lott is out I hope:

1) the repubs don't start passing all kinds of lib stuff to "prove" they aren't racist sexist homophobes. (and have Bush sign it into law) We did our part in putting in a republican congress, now its time for them to do their part and deliver

and 2) I hope that next time the libs play their racebaiting game, and they do it on someone WE DO like that the repubs fight back instead of cowering in the corner hoping it will all just go away.

and 3) the senate needs to censure Robert Byrd for his "white nigger" comment and being a former clansman. Then they should censure Hillary Clinton for calling someone a "Jew bastard" and mocking Willie Brown in a black accent.. And probably a few more I haven't thought of. If we're going to have a racism outing session EVERYONE should participate. No more, no less.

[VRWC_minion]

If we kicked out every closet racist in the senate we would probably have only 20 or so left and most of them won't be rats.

[Tree of Liberty]

I doubt that he put his ego aside. I think he was made an offer and/or threat.

[Peach]

CNN is saying a lot of Republicans are mad at Bush because he handled the entire matter so clumsily. Can you imagine?

[AmericanInTokyo]

For THAT (and that alone) I will rejoice in his stepping down (but NOT over some foolish, harmless comment made to make an old 100-year-old man feel a little bit good and wanted at his birthday and then six pathetic subsequent apologies)......