[Miss Marple]

I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that you were right about Trent Lott. I do think, however, the reason that the President wanted him out was because the President thought he was incompetent, based on the Jeffords fiasco (remember, Lott assured Bush that if Jeffords was really going to jump ship, he would know, since they were friends).

An unfortunate mess due to everyone not understanding what goes on in the Senate. My advice would be to call Lott in, say that he has proved valuable and when Frist leaves they will back him for ML.

However, that's just me. It would help Lott's case if he tried to be a little more helpful. At this juncture continued vindictiveness towards Frist will be counter-productive.

[Common Tator]

I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that you were right about Trent Lott. I do think, however, the reason that the President wanted him out was because the President thought he was incompetent, based on the Jeffords fiasco.

I understsand what you say and I agree with you. But they teach it at every business School .... including Harvard. NEVER REMOVE A PERSON FROM POWER and let him remain in the organization.

There were times that I had to remove station managers. I never demoted them. I fired them. For if they had remained on the staff they would have done all they could to see that their successor failed. I could not afford that.

It is just a way too costly a thing to do. Bush knows the consequences of demotion. I think he just misjudged Trent's Southern Gentleman like appearance as weakness and his praise of his mentor as stupidity.

Neither are true.

There are many 'tators in Mississippi. They are far more mannerly and far more soft spoken than their obnoxious Ohio cousin. But there are a significant number of them I would not cross... not while waking up breathing is a lifelong requirement.