Trent Lott Must Go [Andrew Sullivan Gets 1st Dibs in Line]

Andrew Sullivan.com ^ | Dec. 9, 2002 | Andrew Sullivan

[ewing]

After his remarks at Strom Thurmonds 100th Birthday Party, is seems to me that my Republican party has a simple choice.

Either they get rid of Lott as Majority Leader, or they should come out formally as a party that regrets segregation and civil rights for African Americans.

Why are the Republican commentators so silent on this?

And where are the liberals?

Bill Kristol, to his credit, expressed disbelief.. (at Lott's comments)

[ewing]

What is the procedure for a re-vote on Majority Leader, is cloture needed for that procedure?

Myself I am waiting for the clarifcation..

[ewing]

ping

[RAT Patrol]

This is ridiculous. Sullivan is just testing his own power for bigger issues to come.

[Conan the Librarian]

And yet...no complaints about Senator KKK from West Virginia
(Thats Robert Byrd for those of you in Statesboro

[aculeus]

Elect George Allen!

Articulate, smart, telegenic, Virginian, etc.

[ewing]

Or just putting his name in the hooper first so that in case Lott steps down he can say that he was first.

[hchutch]

Lott was stupid - and quite frankly, I think this is the type of crap that gives us a hard time.

Just ask mhking if he think this helps our cause or not...

[ewing]

That is the incredible difference here, no one cares that Byrd said 'white n*gger' on the Sneate floor a couple of years ago..no calls for national campaigns to out him -NOTHING!

[Mr. Mulliner]

Is anyone here actually going to fill us in on what Trent Lott actually said?

[Be Free]

Lott is an ineffective leader, and wouldn't be missed. However, he shouldn't take one step toward the exit until former KKK Grand Wizard Robert Byrd (D-WV) resigns. He is the pork-spending king, directly responsible for relocating much of the enormous bureaucracy to his home state, and out of DC and the contiguous area.

[BillCompton]

What is the procedure for a re-vote on Majority Leader, is cloture needed for that procedure?

I doubt it would ever get to a technical issue of rules. Bush, or the right combination of Senators would make him see the light. Dangerous game though. If you go gunning for Caesar, you better get him. This story has reached critcal mass and it matters to a goodly part of intellectual republicans as demonstrated in the half dozen threads on the matter here. Sullivan and Frum ensure the issue will be aired on the republican side. If I were the dems, I would lay low now and bring this up much closer to an election.

[VaBthang4]

Actually I would loving nothing more than to see Lott forced out. He is an incompetent boob who can only screw things up for Conservatives from now until 2004.

He is a friggin idiot. Let the wolves have him.

[ewing]

Lott said that his state was proud to vote for Thurmond in 1948 and that the racial problems in the South might have been avoided if Thrurmond was a national leader in the 1950's (when he appointed the first black staff members in the Senate)

[BuddhaBoy]

Lott SHOULD go. It doesnt matter how the media treats Robert Byrd. If we dont like it for them, we should not accept it on our side either.

Lott may not be a racist, but he is exceedingly STUPID and ineffective as a leader, and he has caused Republicans a ton of grief over the years.

I say cut our losses and move on.

[David1]

I second the motion to elect George Allen as majority leader. Or Don Nickles. Any one of them would be great. I was watching the party on C-SPAN and I was in disbelief when I heard Lott say such a thing. How can he speak out that nonsense? He should have been a lot smarter.

[BillCompton]

Enough with this Byrd non sequitur. Any your next post is probably about Thurmond. Neither of these old farts matter. Lott and what he said is the point.

[republicanwizard]

What about Rick Santorum, a solid conservative from a key Northeastern battleground?

We need to get rid of Lott. He is more trouble than he is worth. He shoots his mouth off and causes more problems for Senate Republicans than Chaffee.

[ewing]

At this rate, Bob Dole may have to go to the Majority Leaders Office and tell Lott to step down for the good of the party if he cannot adaquately explain it in a press conference for the second time.

[End The Hypocrisy]

>>>Elect George Allen! Articulate, smart, telegenic, Virginian, etc.<<<


And he values pork for NASA Langley (near Williamsburg, Virginia) FAR more than he does tax incentives that could benefit the overall industry. He never even co-sponsored popular space tax incentive bills. And what's with ignoring the Newt Gingrich idea of simply offering competitive prizes instead of central planning? If you don't believe what we're saying about George's peculiar priorities, look at the hearings that he held while head of the space subcommittee... The G.O.P. is supposed to be pro-entrepreneurial. George might be, but he could be a lot more. You should have seen how George kissed up to outgoing NASA Administrator Dan Goldin in hopes of getting more funding for Langley, even as George Bush was looking so hard for a replacement for that corrupt NASA Administrator. Aerospace entrepeneurs were thoroughly nauseated, and campaign supporters were betrayed.

[bigaln2]

While I don't have any immediate suggestions for who to put in his place, I don't think that Lott can be trusted anymore. Considering how he messed around with the committees last year, and now this comment, he's becoming too much of a loose cannon to be an effective leader.