Turning a Corner?-Lott Supporters Now Say They Are 'Approaching' 26 GOP Votes for Lott

National Review Magazine ^ | December 19, 2002 | Byorn York

[ewing]

Sources on Capitol Hill say that Incoming Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi has collected assurances from more than 20 Republican Senators that they will support him in a new election to determine whether Lott will remain as Senate Majority Leader.

'We have got well over 20 and are approaching 26,' says one Lott supporter.

Twenty Six votes ( out of 51 total GOP members) are required for Lott to keep his job.

[gridlock]

I said the Dems are playing politics. I've never been convinced that they as a whole really give a rat's ass about race.

I don't care what the Democrats care about with regards to race. I care about what the Republicans think about matters of race.

What's it gonna be?

[aristeides]

I've seen no indication Frist wants the job. I've heard reporters say he does not.

[tomahawk]

I want Frist, too. He adds to the party, not takes away like Lott the Idiot.

[Howlin]

Hey, never made any bones about it.

I'm a "special interest," you know? :-)

And now I'm looking for some "access".......I want to know exactly WHO votes to keep Lott. In other words, who to blame when the big time pandering starts......for instance, his Racism Tour, and/or our new Racial Sensitivity Committee.

[Coop]

A lot of people, including me, think accusations of "racism and segregation" against Lott are over the top, especially considering the inoffensive nature of what he actually said.

You can put me into that group. A lot of conservatives (not all of them) here are simply piling on Lott because they don't like his leadership. I completely understand that sentiment, but I'm not confusing the two issues.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Yep. If this is is truly a secret ballot. Many would be happy to oust Lott just because he's inept. They would have after 11/5 had Frist and Rove not done the impossible. Because of the victory, Lott got to share the credit and keep his job. He won't be so lucky now.

[ewing]

Did someone say 'Lott's Hotties'? They can be persuasive..

[aristeides]

I meant his remarks at the party, which his persecutors have forced him to say were repugnant. I consider them no more than stupid. Unlike his persecutors, I try to have a sense of humor.

[WOSG]

RIGHT! Lott "supporters" are gleeful that 3 weeks after his story broke *less than 26 senators* will publicly support him??? And Chaffee, Inhofe, Nickles,
Spectre supports him with lame "he could be a born-again civil rightist" that shows how much work Lott needs to do just to get back the respect he had on Dec 1 ???

No way would a responsible senate turn from good candidates like Nickles and Frist and stick with Lott. We can do better, a Lott better than Lott.

[Coop]

will rue this day as we get hammered on race issues from now til '04.

You act as if the GOP would not have been hammered on racial issues had this not occurred. Please!

[uncbob]

This has been the most disgusting display of Republican stupidity in decades. Lott's big mouth will cost the US taxpayer millions as he keeps the promises we know he is making to "offended" interest groups, a direct betrayal of Republican core principles.

Yep
And I remember several weeks ago we were advised to LAUGH at the democrats as a strategy

Who the hell is laughing now

[InspiredPath1]

http://lott.senate.gov/108leadershipb.jpg

Somebody tell me how to display this pic

[WOSG]

If Lott survives the Majority Leader vote on Jan 6, then he stays as majority leader until nov 2004, barring another Jeffords-like incident.

[Howlin]

OMG..........I sure didn't...........

Oh, man, I'm sure I'll see that post come back to haunt me. People all over this forum are bookmarking it right now!

[DC Ripper]

>>...who to blame when the big time
pandering starts......for instance, his Racism Tour, and/or our new Racial Sensitivity Committee.<<

I think he actually wants to set up a Department of Racial Understanding, the last I heard.

[WOSG]

And all for the poltical power of Trent F'ing Lott, who never gave a rat's ass about the conservative agenda anyway - and cares even less now.

It is why Lott must be removed, and pronto. The conservative agenda is far more important than a single man's political power and career, and Lott has only himself to blame for the stew he cooked for himself.

[ewing]

Right now all we have is the National Review Online keeping track of the committments.

[rightwing2]

And if Lott goes, the GOP will be portrayed as the party which dumped a leader once he developed a greater understanding of race-related concerns. Face it. Senator Lott never said anything racist. You're crucifying him on what you thought he meant. I'm beginning to respect Senator Lott. He isn't going down easy! Are there any posters from Mississippi out there? I'm wondering how this is being perceived there.

Quite the contrary. I agree that Lott should not step down for what he said, but rather for the fact that since Bush and the RATS viciously denounced and renounced him, he has become the political albatross of the Senate Republicans and indeed the entire Republican Party. He has been completely neutralized. He cannot any longer work as an effective leader to enact the Republican agenda. However, remember that it was Bush and the RATS not conservatives like me who blew his remarks out of proportion. Even so, Lott's lack of political insensitivity is galling and his groveling to the race-baiting left since then is embarrassing.

[VRWC_minion]

Translation: Lott doesn't have the votes to stay.

[Coop]

But you typed "DNC" instead of "RNC." :-) That's what I was responding to. I always knew you and Terry went bowling together!