Lott Should Go-A bad Majority Leader gets worse.

The National Review ^ | December 13, 2002 | By National Review Editors

[TigersEye]

Chaffee and McCain aren't going anywhere. They aren't going to risk becoming "Jumpin' Jim's". Remember, the 'I' after Jeffords name stands for Independent funding source. His PAC chairman is a guy down on State St. in Montpelier with a cup and a box of pencils.

If Lott concedes as Majority Leader the Dem's will use that as a wedge to demand his Senate resignation. They will spin it as 'proof' that he is a racist and unfit for office. When have they ever stopped with a reasonable concession? That is not their goal, why should they stop there?

I don't believe that sacrificing Lott would position the Repub's to remove Byrd or any other Dem. Does anyone believe the Dem's would give in if pics of Byrd lynching blacks in his backyard surfaced? I don't. Every black liberal in the business would come forward and excuse him. "It's all a VRWC!" That's because "it's ALL about THE PARTY!".

Lott should have gone long before this. Like when his spine turned to jelly on Impeachment. If he goes now it is simply letting the Dem's pick the Republican leadership if not the Senate seats themselves.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He's entitled to hold whatever views he wants, no matter how bigoted. He doesn't have the right to represent my party as the leader of the Senate.

[Wphile]

I can't friggin' believe this. Here we are, barely a month after winning a huge historical victory, winning back the Senate and finally having a real chance to move forward with some of the conservatve agenda and we find ourselves at the brink of losing the Senate before anyone is even sworn in!

I can't believe it either. Lott has really made a mess of things. I don't mean for the GOP to turn on the South. I'm just looking at it from the point of perception. The press likes to paint the GOP has a bunch of Southerners and this would put a stop to that. That's all I'm saying.

[F16Fighter]

"Bill Frist, Peggy Noonan, Thomas Sowell all agree that Trent should go, it is clear to me that 'slow bleed' is rapidly developing into a full-scale hemorage."

It's called having a "panic attack." The GOP and it's supporters are famous for it and bolting the foxhole when they see one drop of blood.

[pgkdan]

I don't want Lott to leave just yet...I don't want the GOP to cave in to pressure from the professional race pimps and I don't want the likes of Teddy Kennedy telling us who should compose our leadership. But if I were alone with old Chester Lott right now I'd like to give him a size 12 in the seat of his pants. I can't believe he's allowed his party to be put in this position.

[Alberta's Child]

As Clarence Thomas once said, don't give your enemies the hammer to hit you with.

And if Clarance Thomas were white, he'd be writing books and peddling his services to plaintiffs in the Microsoft case right now, a la Robert Bork.

Thomas never gave anyone a hammer to hit him with, but the Democratic f#ckers in the U.S. Senate found a hammer anyway.

[Austin Willard Wright]

It is not that simple. Most of these folks state that he should go primarily on grounds of principle.

[Austin Willard Wright]

What is the point of conservatives going down in flames defending a man who has betrayed them at every opportunity just to prove a point? This would be self flagilation and quite similar to those conservatives who went down in flames in 1974 because they defended a statist Republican named Richard Nixon to the bitter end.

[Wphile]

I can't believe he's allowed his party to be put in this position.

I know, it's sickening. Just when we were hitting on all cylinders, Lott has to go and create this boondoggle. Unfrickinbelievable.

[Helms]

What if ?:

Since Bush is the Leader of the Party

Post 11/05/2002 Lott knew that the Administration had no place for him long term as Majority Leader

That Lott knows this

This is in some way payback for the Judiciary Committes not allowing the vote for Stroms appointment (blocked on racial issues)

That this was a parting shot

That this was meant to happen

[TigersEye]

He should stay on grounds of principle. The principle that you don't let your opposition pick your players.

I don't think it is a given that Lott is a racist but let's say he is. Do we shuck a racist in thought but not policy on the demands of racists in policy?

[F16Fighter]

"Most of these folks state that he should go primarily on grounds of principle."

With all due respect Austin, the word "principle" in Washington is a four letter word which is trumped every time by political pragmatism every day of the week.

Lott has been deemed pimple-on-the-@ss du jour of the Republican Party. They feel they need to pop it -- and only then will the GOP supposedly be able to retain it's so-called "principle."

[willyone]

This is a no win for the Pubbies any way this works out. If he resigns as majority leader then the Dems. will demand that he also resign his seat. The Dems will keep this front and center for months. They had no issue and this putz gave them one. How this moron ever became Majority leader in the first place is a mystery. Maybe he should remind everyone that he started out as a Dem. and was just revisiting his roots like Robert Byrd and Al Gore Sr. Time to come up with a plan.

[dfwgator]

I hate to see him go this way, though.

Me too, but Lott has noone to blame but himself, he handled it poorly, and that is just a further poor reflection on his leadership skills. In politics it's usually not the original act that ruins you, it's how you handle it after it becomes news (see Richard Nixon.)

[willyone]

He is not smart enough to be a bigot. It would be like accusing a stump of having intent.

[dfwgator]

The Dems will as usual go too far and end up having the light shown on them (Kennedy, Hollings, Byrd), just as when they tried to make too much out of Enron. Personal destruction usually ends up backfiring big time on the party that instigates it.

[willyone]

You mean no one can prefer some over others? You want bigots look at Jackson, Farrakhan and Sharpton for starters. If you think throwing Lott to the wolves will save you someday you are mistaken. Eventually they will get around to all of us. You need to review the tactics of the Nazis and Communists. These are the same people. Just a different generation.

[Wphile]

I don't think this was meant to happen. I would guess that W is pissed as hell about this idiotic blunder that Lott has created for the GOP.

[AshleyMontagu]

He will not be allowed to keep his Senate seat. He is now the most evil man in America. Why should the sharks tearing at his carcass be satisfied with anything less than a demo replacement?

[TigersEye]

The Dems will keep this front and center for months.

Yup! They will do that whether he stays or goes. If he goes now that will be the final perception of Lott and they will point at the GOP and say "look who they chose as leader! The guy who resigned a disgraced racist!". If he stays it will blow over and Lott will have a chance to change perceptions by virtue of time and new issues.