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

[hellinahandcart]

Still, he'd be known ever after as The One Who Lost Face, as Newt would have been, life outside of Congress or no. I am surprised to hear he is staying.

Except that he owes it to the people who voted for him, if the Mississippi gov would appoint a Dem replacement.

[Phantom Lord]

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.

If Lott left the senate, the RAT governor of Mississippi would have replaced him with a RAT, thus it would have been 50-50 (really 50-49-1, but Jeffords votes with the RATS on organization), and the safe money was that Chaffee would then jump ship giving control to the RATS.

[dfwgator]

He must have been visited last night by the ghost of Barry Goldwater.

[Illbay]

Your personally autographed, hand-crafted Trent Lott pinata is on its way.

A bit worse for wear. Oh, and all the goodies are gone from it. The Democrats have already scooped them up.

[P-Marlowe]

If Lott does the right thing and steps aside as Majority Leader, then he needs our support, not our ridicule.

Let us get on with the business of supporting the Republican party. Both the Republican party and Trent Lott need our support now more than ever.

[sam_paine]

As always:
"It wasn't the crime....it was the FOLLOWUP!"

[Howlin]

Live thread ping!

[Bluntpoint]

"MSNBC just announced it. It's 10:50am est."

Followed by "Donahue to take Lott's timeslot.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Definition of America:

A country in North America where white guys always have to resign something if they say the least bit of something racist against people of color. People of color have no requirement to resign anything when making racist comments in public about whites.

[camle]

I never said Igore was gracious. him leaving was like shoveling decade old dung off the barn floor - shoulda been done a long time ago. I used to like Lott, but he hasn't been effective, and his remarks are adding fuel to the fire.we're better off without him.

that said, why is Byrd still in the senate?

[StopDemocratsDotCom]

check out www.StopDemocrats.com

[Austin Willard Wright]

Force him to resign from the Senate? Do you intend to do the same for Hollings and Byrd? Hopefully, we can put this behind us....however, it the Democrats try to force a resignation or censure, another chopping block will be reserved for Bobby Byrd.

[Dog Gone]

The Democrats did us a favor.

[Howlin]

Excellent bump!

[Aggie Mama]

I"m so glad to hear this. Frist is 'da man. I'm really please that Lott finally put his ego aside (which is difficult for any politician) and did what was best for the party.

[dfwgator]

I have no doubt that the people of Mississippi like Lott as a Senator, for he brings home the pork. I suspect that part of the deal for his stepping down involves sending more pork to Ole Miss.

[RooRoobird14]

Dear DemonRats: Guess you overplayed your hand just a little too much, now didn't you?

Now you're going to get a conservative Senate ML leader who is VERY SMART and has a spine.

It's your worst nightmare!!!! Bwhah-hah-hah-hah!!!!!

[SerpentDove]

>>Damn! There goes Affirmative Action.<<

LOL

AppyPappy, I'm glad to see you in good spirits about this!!!

:-))))

Take care and Merry Christmas!

SD

[Illbay]

I love it. As soon as ANYTHING like this is announced, we always have a batch of people who want to know "how is he on the Second Amendment? If he's not in full support of an assault weapon in every schoolchild's hand, I'm going to do all I can to defeat him!"

[Tree of Liberty]

Perhaps Lott has been visiting Free Republic and knows that he has lost the grass roots of the Party

He lost the grass-roots years ago with his "don't hand us this garbage" response to the House Impeachment Managers and constant capitulation to Dasch-hole.