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.

[beckett]

What a disaster. Lott could not have harmed his party more if he called for the lynching of Colin Powell. A victory for race haters. Flabbergasting.

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.

I can only hope that sanity prevails and one way or another Lott is forced to step down as SML. If not, the gloaters here on FR who are defending Lott --- a second rank slippery, oily politician with no outstanding qualities whatsoever --- will rue this day as we get hammered on race issues from now til '04.

[Carolinamom]

Rush just told the truth....that there are racists everywhere and that all Southerners are not racists.

[McGavin999]

time to send racism back to the stone age!

Tell you what Todd, you and the Lott supporters send racism back to the stone age. You're not going to have much luck with Lott at the head of the team. If he stays we've become just like the Clinton supporters, circling around a dufus and supporting someone who doesn't deserve support just because he's republican.

They keep him and I'm dropping out. I'll still vote republican, but it's the end of my activism. They can get their support someplace else.

[gridlock]

...especially considering the inoffensive nature of what he actually said.

You mean what he said when he supported a segregationist canidacy for President, or what he said when he offered to ship some of Mississippi's blacks to rural Pennsylvania, because they didn't have any there, and Mississippi has too many?

[scalia_#1]

If he is to go, it should be because he was thrown out by an outraged and offended party.

Well said. Lott should go because Republicans should demand no less. The Democrats' opinion on the matter is irrelevant.

[DC Ripper]

>>...the inoffensive nature of what he actually said.<<

You have GOT to be kidding.

[aristeides]

If he stays we've become just like the Clinton supporters, circling around a dufus and supporting someone who doesn't deserve support just because he's republican.

Isn't there a difference between a dufus and a criminal?

[ewing]

I second those sentiments.

[rintense]

Nope. 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.

[Common Tator]

Wow, Nickels needs every last vote now..

Bush wanst Nickles out more than he wants Lott out.

In the election 3 weeks ago Nickles ran for re-ection to whip and did not get re-elected.

If Lott does not get it, Frist will. Bush wants Frist.

Bush is getting rid of Lott because he is too conservative. He sure as hell will not tolerate a more conservative Nickles in place of Lott. Frist the doctor, will push through tax payer paid medical insurance for those that don't have any. As soon as you can get free insurance from the government if the employer won't buy it for you, guess what employers will do. If you liked Hillary Care you are going to love Bush care. If it passes with Democrat help.. Bush will have adopted the Demorat Platform from 1964 in its entirety.

President Bush is postioning the party to consist of a range from Left Center to Right Center. It will take the Republican half out of the center. Leaving people like us on the right knashing our teeth with a quarter of the public that remains on the right. While Leftists like Kerry will be knashing their teeth with a quarter of the people on the left. It is a brilliant strategy if you don't care about ideology. But once Lott is destroyed,.... Nickles will be a piece of cake to take down. Ditto McConnell.

Bush is pushing social security for non citizen Mexican workers and free heath insurance for the uninsured. Look at the Republican National Committee Web site . Look at Item 3 of the Bush agenda. It is health care for the poor and it costs 300 billion to start. That is nearly as much as the defense department. It is hillary care with a cut for the insurance companies.

Democrats are going hard left, Bush hopes to pick up the left center by going medium left. Bush is taking the Republican party to the left. Nickles is not going to have any influence.

Here is part fo the WWW.RNC.ORG page on Bush health care.

President Bush’s comprehensive health care agenda improves 
health security for all Americans by building on the best 
features of American health care.  Our health care system 
can provide the best care in the world, but rising costs 
and loss of control to government and health plan 
bureaucrats threaten to keep patients from getting state-of-
the-art care.

To create a health care system that puts the needs of 
patients first, the President proposed steps to: 

Help all Americans get affordable health care coverage; 
Help patients get high-quality care every time: 
Develop new treatments to keep patients healthy and prevent 
complications from diseases and strengthen the health care 
safety net. 
The President’s health care agenda is designed to improve 
the accessibility, affordability and accountability of 
health care for every American – and to make sure that 
American health care keeps getting better.  The President 
backed up this agenda with more than $300 billion in 
proposed funding.

[Carolinamom]

Igive money to the DNC, and I'm entitled to KNOW who's who and what's what.

I know you didn't mean to type so fast!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I, for one, did not pay much attention to the accusations given the source. However, I have been flabbergasted by the manner and tone in which Lott has responded.

Initially, I backed him on principle. Now I just want him gone. He is a disgrace.

[TLBSHOW]

They waited till his show ended to do it and he has now gone on vacation till next year. Rats are disgusting.

[Reverend Bob]

Those touting Lott's 20 "solid" votes are Lott partisans trying to scare off potential opponents by making Lott's survival as ML seem inevitable. They've also made it clear that they will try to destroy anyone who goes against them, hence their quick counter-attack on Nickles and their clear inclination to compare Lott's voting record with any vocal opponent (thus "tarring" conservatives with the same racist brush that some Dems have used against him). Think of Lott and his supporters as an old, crippled up tomcat, puffing itself up to look bigger and more dangerous than it really is.

While I've long believed that Lott should step down, I used to feel somewhat sorry for him. No more. His race-pandering and clear disregard for his party, fellow Senators, and the furtherance of a conservative agenda, leaves me feeling nothing but disgust for him as both a "leader" and a person.

It is time for him to go.

[hope]

Yeah, Mr. sell-out has been busy making deals.

[Coop]

I give money to the DNC

Aha! I knew it!!! ;-)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Note: "gone" as Majority Leader not from the Senate.

[ewing]

Rove wants Frist in as well.

[DC Ripper]

>>...considering the inoffensive nature of what he actually said.>>

You mean the remarks at the party which he admitted were terrible and offensive?

Or do you mean the part where he says he is for affirmative action?

Or perhaps you mean the part where he said that most whites didn't really understand who Martin Luther king was and what he stood for?

Please explain which "inoffensive" statements you are referrring to.

[Temple Owl]

Name me a good Senator,

There are some good ones--Bill Frist and Rick Santorum come to mind--but there too many bad ones out there. We need term limits.