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

[chiller]

So the Dems Frist destruction machine is off and running...
..that took about 3 minutes.

I heard last week they didn't have one.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

It will be interesting to see how quickly these people who are cheering Trent Lott's departure today will start whining about Bill Frist. I never liked Lott either, but majority leader is always a choice of the least disgusting alternative, and none of us know the main alternative. Bill Frist didn't bother to vote until he was 36! The big question people had about him in 1992 was WHICH PARTY he was in! His election as the senate's majority leader is not a good thing for conservatives.

Those who are cheering today better not be whining tomorrow (I now have a list of who you are).

[NY Catholic]

Thanks very much.

[hchutch]

Yep.

You know, if I worked in the White House, my nickname for the President would be "Spruance." Seriously, the guy is slamming any and all comers. I'd hate to go up against him...

[Redleg Duke]

"Does it make you feel good to be meanspirited?"

Only to you and Rightwing2. Merry Christmas!

[Peach]

Excellent; glad McConnell endorsed Frist.

[AppyPappy]

If they use it, they will discover it taking a circular course right back to them. Kinda like a defective torpedo. Their people are a lot dirtier.

Puh-lease. They've had this dirt for years and it never stuck to them. Only Republicans will be hurt by this.

[Tree of Liberty]

da nada

[A2J]

Those who are cheering today better not be whining tomorrow (I now have a list of who you are).

And whining when the Democrats beat them 2004.

A sad day indeed.

[AppyPappy]

We command the moral highground. When we see racism, we remove it, even at great cost.

And Newt and Livingstone both resigned over sex scandals and Clinton did not. No Democrat resigned over a sex scandal even though there were several.

[chiller]

If Frist is such a damn moderate, why in hell does he
have 100% ratings from conservative groups, and
ZERO % ratings from the libs.

Where are you coming from?

[CheneyChick]

My issue is with the methodology here. It was a doggone mob lynching for the statement he made - he was trying to make an old man feel good at his birthday party. (Heck, it took the media nearly a week to get ahold of it - then the talking points went out to everyone, the usual suspects involved.) Everyone knows this. The fact that it could be blown out of proportion and result in his resignation is ridiculous.

CC

[NY Catholic]

Why? Because I thought a piano on a Christmas card was sad and I am not sure if Bush's pick is pro life? I'll pray for you. God Bless.

[Nita Nuprez]

"We didn't push Lott out to please the Dems."

Doesn't matter. They'll think we did, and they'll use that to whatever advantage they can - including judicial nominees.

Who GIVES a rats hiney what they "think?" Their "thoughts" are NOT reality!

Let 'em "think" all they want as they fall over the cliff.

HAPPY LANDING!

[guitfiddlist]

Those who are cheering today better not be whining tomorrow (I now have a list of who you are).

Yeah, well - we have a list of you guys too. It was a Lott shorter and easier to assemble.

[Wphile]

Not to mention Kennedy who was responsible for the death of a young woman. Not only did he not resign, he almost got the Democratic nomination for president!

The Dems are so sickening.

[Babsig]

Fox news Carl Cameron just stated that Sen Santorum (PA) is calling around about his support to challenge Frist. Could get interesting. Hope it doesn't become a big party fight.

[SupplySider]

I think the best way the GOP could act to show they've but this behind them, and to call out the Dems on the race baiting, would be to send Judge Pickering's nomination up first, and stick it in the Dems eye.....

I agree 100%. Now is the time to be bold about promoting REAL measures to promote progress for minorities and others. School choice, judges that respect the law, color-blind hiring and admissions. Now is the time to boldly denounce the failed policies of the cynical Democrats that Lott rushed to embrace this week.

[sweetliberty]

"The double standard in play here is so unfair."

Not only that, but now the Rats have more fuel in their arsenal. All they have to do is take something that someone they don't like says, make it sound like something it isn't, call them a racist (always works whether there's any truth in it or not) and get what they want. There is more than one way to CONTROL or cripple whatever goes on on Washington. Shame on Republicans for joining the lynch mob.

[tnlibertarian]

Someone needs to remind Pelosi and her colleagues that Clinton had the Confederate flag flying over the statehouse during all his years as Governor in Arkansas.

And that it was the Democrats that put the confederate flag over the statehouse in Georgia in 1958.