Posted on 12/17/2002 9:06:31 PM PST by FBD
Even if he lied about his reason for not running for president in '04 ("it's for the good of the country" rather than "no Democrat breathing wanted me to"), Al Gore at least knew when to step aside. Not so with Trent Lott, who continues to confirm his own tin-ear approach to politics, by not relinquishing his Senate Majority Leader's perch after a disastrous week.
Lott's days are surely numbered, but will the GOP learn the lessons he leaves in his wake?
When Republicans were celebrating the day after their mid-term election stunner, I urged Republicans to replace Trent Lott as Senate Majority Leader. "You don't fire the coach in the middle of a winning season!" a high-placed Republican operative sniffed. But the response from my listeners--who usually have more political common sense Washington insiders-told me something different. Republicans didn't care much for Lott. Complaints ranged from "he's a squish" to "he's terrible on television." The sentiment favored giving someone new a chance to lead the Senate-like Senators Bill Frist, Rick Santorum, or Don Nickles.
Lesson: Clear away the underbrush before a political fire begins.
My view then and now is that Lott, while a committed Republican, is simply a lousy communicator of the conservative message. It's not because, as comedian Darrell Hammond points out, he sounds shockingly like Foghorn Leghorn. It's not because his hair doesn't move. And it's certainly not because he's anti-black. It's because he doesn't have two things key for credible leadership-good instincts and sound judgment. This most recent blow-up is just one more example of Lott's stumbling.
When the story broke, it was painfully obvious that it had legs, but Lott ducked the press and hoped it would blow over. He released a short written statement of apology. His reason for not appearing at a full-blown press conference before Friday was that he was in a "remote location" most of the week-but of course he wasn't hiking the Himalayas, he was hiding out in Mississippi.
Lesson: When you make big political misstep, face the music early.
In the fourth episode of his Apology mini-series, Lott attempted to prove his sensitivity and empathy toward blacks by reminding the country that he is "the son of a sharecropper." He pledged continued "outreach" to the minority community. He scheduled an hour on BET. Radio talk-show host Tom Joyner on NBC's Today Show on Monday wasn't impressed, saying "I don't believe him" - that the real Trent Lott was the one who spoke at the Thurmond celebration.
When the Administration wants to focus on tax cuts and Iraq, the country is being bombarded by the Lott leadership challenge. Lott dominated the Sunday shows this week. The New York Times is keeping the racial fires stoked with front-page headlines like these: "In Lott's Life, A Long Shadow of Segregation." Newsweek gave it the cover "Race and the Life of Trent Lott." This won't end any time soon. The Left will continue to hit the Lott piñata during debates about affirmative action, crime, and judicial nominations.
Some conservatives thought Lott wasn't aggressive enough in opposing affirmative action (a.k.a. racial quotas) before this controversy. How tough will he be now?
Republicans certainly are right to worry that tossing Lott to the race sharks will merely make them hungrier and nastier. Lott isn't a racist and most Democrats know he isn't. They are using Lott's lot as part of their battle plan against George Bush, who was looking politically invulnerable until the GOP's "race problem" began to dominate the headlines. Democrats have yet to announce an agenda on the economy or health care so why not a race scare? They are already on the verge of over-playing this hand. How many swing voters really believe that racism is one of the biggest problems facing the country today?
Lesson: Do the right thing, even if the other party is playing dirty.
The American Left has been frustrated and angry for two years now. The public has rallied to support President Bush on the war and still doesn't blame him for the economy. Even Bob Woodward thinks George Bush is smart! But Trent Lott has given the Left an early Christmas present. Instead of focusing their energy and resources crafting an ambitious legislative agenda, Republicans will kick off the New Year still cleaning up a problem that was entirely avoidable.
WORD OF THE WEEK
Abecedarian (adj.) 1. Of or relating to the alphabet; 2. Elementary or rudimentary.
As in-
It is an abecedarian rule of politics, get out in front of a controversy before it swallows you whole.
I predict he is going to get a message from W. to step aside, because he is so badly damaged at this point to accomplish anything.
LOL...sadly How many days?
Underneath that shellacked helmet of hair Trent Lott has a supersized ego and it's best stroked by the perks and prestige of the Senate.
I hope your right, about staying for the perks.
Limbaugh doesn't think he'll step down and stay. He compared it to a General going back to being a Lieutenant. It's a good point. Plus, he would punish those that ousted him, by throwing the senate back to 50-50 power sharing.
Boy, were those the good old days.
Deathwatch?? How about the Trent Lott "Apology-Watch"??
The over-under line is at 9 apologies...
The man is politically tone deaf, and worse--he is being vindictive towards others who want him gone as ML when the hard cold reality is that he did ALL of this to himself.
The longer he forces the GOP and conservatives to roast on a spit with with him, the more he fuels resentment, anger, and even hatred.
Thanks a Lott.
Lott doesn't know how to do the Klinton thing. He will be apologizing for his sorry rear-end as long as he stays ML. And no one will believe it...
This just in from US News.com ,Washinton Whispers: Paul Bedara:
The Lott buzz: Gone in days
"Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, under pressure from colleagues and the White House to give up his post instead of face a January vote of confidence, may give in as soon as this weekend, predict key Senate Republican aides. In fact, they're already discussing Lott's post-majority-leader career, suggesting that he might be handed the chairmanship of a key committee for "doing the right thing," says one aide."
Somebody gonna make Lott an offer he can't refuse?
"Republicans with close ties to the Bush administration said today that Sen. Trent Lott had no chance of remaining majority leader and that the White House wanted him out."
Being reported in Washington Whispers now, by Paul Bedard
"he's terrible on television."Finally, good criticism.
Lott ain't where he is by accident. The moron he is on TV ain't the player he is in the Senate. I'm glad, finally, for a clear statement on his ultimate failure.
I could only add that he isn't terrible on television. He sucks.
Don't expect anything from Dubya until after the Senate has decided Lott's fate. The result will come of internal manouvers, and the President will merely affirm it, one way or another. He's already settled this as far as he's concerned in public at Philadelphia.
I think they should give him a committee chairmanship, something juicy that holds lots of closed-door meetings far from the microphones of the press. Later on, start rehabbing him. Put him on a couple of special Presidential commissions --- on faith-based initiatives, perhaps, since, according to his BET interview, his faith is so important to him now. Just keep him away from Strom and black folk and any microphone he might try apologizing into ... at least for a while ...!
And, for goodness' sake, get him to shut up about Jefferson Davis for a while!
Word on the street is that Lott is making deals with the wackey Major Owens among others; something to do with taking a tour of civil rights activists historical areas. Limbaugh suggested today that Lott & Owens take a cruise ship to tour the slave ship routes. Seriously.
Major Owens once said (on the House floor), that slave ships tossed over 200 million overboard during their Atlantic crossings. So many in fact, that it altered the ecology of the ocean, and sharks today still swim the slave ship routes looking for a meal. I kid you not. And this is who Lott is trying to work with to resurrect himself.
I don't know about his TV presence, but among other things he has screwed up, Lott was the one who turned the impeachment into a joke, by not allowing witnesses.
It was Lott’s' idea to agree to do power sharing with the Dems. He ain't a leader, he's a compromiser. That is his biggest failing. He is now proving that by compromising on any and every principled position he claimed to have.
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