For Lott, a Complex Relationship With the President Gets Trickier

The New York Times ^ | 11/15/2002 (for editions of 11/16/2002) | Richard W. Stevenson and David Firestone

[speekinout]

Bush compromised in one other area, and got criticized for it. He didn't insist on vouchers in the education bill.
But his original proposal was that the schools be measured for 3 years (he got that), and after that, vouchers would be available for students at failing schools.
He has 2 years to finish getting everything he wanted.

[ModernDayCato]

It's REALLY funny to see the NYT going into a freefall panic attack. But Lott is still a putz.

[Capitalist Eric]

Ummm... I have to admit, I only got to the fourth "paragraph," where they say "The exchange... hinted at what some Republicans said was below-the-surface tension..." and thought to myself, what kind of crap is this??? Who wrote this... Looked at the bylines... Nope, nobody I recognize...

Look at the name of the paper, and...?

BINGO!

No wonder it is such excrement...

Next time you post something like this, PLEASE post the barf-o-rama alert???

[Free State Four]

Lott and Bush are playing good cop bad cop to the criminal party

CT, you constantly educate me. I have despised Lott for years now. But I have seen Bush move in after these elections and sort of 'splain to old Trent how things are going to be. That's why, when Trent suddenly popped up and came out on the partial birth abortion thing (something the President himself could not comment on) ~ I thought to myself that there is some stage play going on here. I think he and President Bush are performing a pas de deux that will dazzle the people. I hope. I hope. fsf

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Mr. Lott's quiet efforts to secure a government post for his brother-in-law, Richard F. Scruggs, a prominent trial lawyer, have failed to win support from the White House, where trial lawyers are viewed as enemies of big business and as financial supporters of Democrats. "

Dickie Scruggs was one of the main lawyers,in the big tobacco lawsuit and is a major player in the trial lawyer's world. Scruggs supported Judge Pickering's nomination and warned John Edwards( a friend) to lay off Pickering. When Edwards tried to make his bones on Pickering, Scruggs blew up and said he would refuse to raise any more money for Edwards presidential bid. Scruggs lives in a southern mansion and there was a dust up,with a neighbor a few years ago, I seem to recall that it had something to do with a common wall-someone was arrested,possibly Dickie-he is apparently quite the character. Trent hangs with trial lawyers and Democrat supporters, socially and at family functions. I don't know of anyone who has confidence in Trent Lott- everyone is fearful that they will turn on the tv and hear it announced again, that Trent has agreed to some ridiculous, anti Republican,pro Democrat agreement with Daschle.

[Nick Danger]

[what's up]

I'm not a Lott-hater.
I know, I know...that's an unpopular position to have here...but that's how it is.

[habs4ever]

What would possess Paul Weyrich to be so impolitic? He's got a death wish.

[jd777]

no, no, I swear, it's the republicans who are falling apart.

[uncbob]

NYT NEVER writes an article without a motive

[Dems_R_Losers]

What would possess Paul Weyrich to be so impolitic? He's got a death wish.

No kidding. Weyrich must be in bad shape if he can only get quoted in the Slimes. Nobody else has listened to him for at least 10 years.

[NYCVirago]

What would possess Paul Weyrich to be so impolitic? He's got a death wish.

He's been that way for a while -- remember how he torpedoed Bush's cabinet nomination of John Tower?

[SkyPilot]

Good post Nick.

[irv]

I'm not a Lott-hater.
I know, I know...that's an unpopular position to have here...but that's how it is.

I don't hate Lott either. I don't respect him enough to care that much.

Understand where all this comes from, though. He was a hugely ineffective majority leader in the past. He was angry when Clinton was impeached and was the main force behind denying anything resembling an actual trial in the Senate. In 2001, he gave more power to Tom Daschle than any majority leader in history had allowed the opposition, setting the stage for Daschle to obstruct any meaningful legislation and eventually (actually, it didn't take long) take over.

And he scheduled the vote for majority leader in the next session far earlier than is usually the case, in order to ensure that those who would oppose him would be unavailable. It's one thing to use those kind of tactics against the enemy. Using them against members of your own team, purely for personal gain, is incredibly low.

That's the kind of person Lott is. Don't hate him. He's not worth it. But DO NOT, under any circumstances, trust him.

[Gritty]

"The White House is betting an awful lot on Trent Lott right now," Mr. Duberstein said.

Uh-Oh!

Unless Bush has somehow managed to implant 3 feet worth of spine into Ole Chester, he'd better have a few big options in the wings for insurance! Chester gives away the best merchandise for nothing when he should be making top dollar.