Lott to offer inside account with planned tell-all book

Clarion-Ledger Washington Bureau ^ | 09-05-03 | By Ana Radelat

[WKB]

Senator says he will sign deal with publisher to write his memoirs

WASHINGTON — Sen. Trent Lott says he'll sign a deal with an unidentified publisher this week to pen his memoirs.

The Mississippi Republican says he plans to tell all about the 1994 Republican revolution, initiated when voters gave control of the House and Senate to the GOP. Lott also plans to give readers a behind-the-scenes look at former President Clinton's impeachment and Lott's loss of his leadership job. Lott was ousted as Senate Republican leader last year after he made racially insensitive remarks at a party for then-Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party.

"I can't really say anything more about it until the publishing company puts out a press release," Lott said. "It's going to be about 30 years in Congress and 20 years in leadership, what I saw."

Lott did not reveal how much the publishing company would pay him.

While Lott said he would "let the chips fall where they may," the senator assured Congressional Quarterly that his memoirs would not be "a revenge book."

Marty Wiseman, head of the Stennis Institute for Government at Mississippi State University, expects Lott to write about his betrayal by people he considered friends as he struggled to keep his leadership job.

"I know he thinks people turned on him," Wiseman said.

The political science professor also said he expects Lott to disclose how his relationship with President Bush has changed. But Wiseman said the back-room peek at how the GOP seized power in 1994 may be the most interesting thing in the memoir.

"He presided over a turning point in history," Wiseman said. "It's going to be an absolute must-read."

Lott, son of a shipyard worker and public school teacher, worked his way through the University of Mississippi law school and up the political ladder. Lott began his political career working for former Rep. William Colmer, a Mississippi Democrat who retired in 1972 and helped Lott win his House seat.

Lott ran for the Senate in 1988 and was elected Senate majority leader less than 10 years later.

But the Mississippi senator's former Democratic rival will beat him to the bookstore.

In November, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., plans to release his book, an account of the most recent two-year congressional session that will be titled Like No Other Time.

[bmwcyle]

I wonder if he will tell all the stupid spineless things he did?

[blackdog]

But Didn't Newt get gutted for doing the same thing?

And by the way, I referenced George Bush's book "All The Best", he published his entire book using only personal letters written in a personal context.

Now if Trent Lott or Hillary were too damn lazy or rude to personally correspond to private individuals as a private person to either thank them for an evening of candor, or to express personal feelings over a tragedy in a family, that's their damn fault.

[VRWC_minion]

But Didn't Newt get gutted for doing the same thing?

That was before the rats changed the politics for Hillary.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Gee, I wonder if Chester will explain that comment he made to Rep. Hyde, "Henry, you're not going to dump this garbage on us."

One source said "Chief investigative counsel for the Clinton impeachment, Dr. David P. Schippers, a Democrat, and his staff worked night and day to put together a full investigation and to develop witnesses and evidence. They worked five months and most suffered serious financial problems along with being exhausted. [Chester] Lott was more interested in the polls than doing his sworn duties."

[Ann Archy]

Is he going to Fess Up to undermining the House o Clinton's Impeachment??

IMHO, he got what he deserved by being so weak and spineless with the Dems.

[Ann Archy]

Is he going to Fess Up to undermining the House o Clinton's Impeachment??

IMHO, he got what he deserved by being so weak and spineless with the Dems.

[WKB]

IMHO, he got what he deserved by being so weak and spineless with the Dems.


I tend to agree somewhat BUT are we any better off now!!

[tang-soo]

I'll be curious to hear what David Shippers has to say about the smokey room decision about how to handle the impeachment of president Spooj.

[Poohbah]

Chief Moose fell into this conflict. Those experiences and matters of record are not his property. He was being paid by the county during that time. That's the limiting ten ton weight.

That may be a COUNTY or STATE law in Maryland. Lott's memoirs would be controlled by FEDERAL law.

[Theodore R.]

Did you ever find out if Frist voted for Senator Gore, Jr., in 1990?

[Theodore R.]

I still think that Lott was removed as "majority leader" for all the wrong reasons. He was ineffective, but the Thurmond flap was ridiculous. The GOP fell right into the Democrat trap, as they do many, many times.

Is it likely that he will finally bow out in 2006?

[MississippiMan]

Oh gee, I can't wait to read this tome. Trent has always been such a vibrant and exciting fellow. SHEESH.

MM

[MozarkDawg]

But Didn't Newt get gutted for doing the same thing?

Gingrich's book, To Renew America was not a tell-all memoir or an autobiography.

[MozarkDawg]

Just how does one write a tell-all book about a do-nothing person?

It's a mystery wrapped in a question wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a conundrum ...

Or as Dawgsquat would put it, "It a quandry!"

[rrrod]

you are 100% right..he stabbed the republicans in the back

[lawgirl]

Blackdog,

I don't think I agree with you. I mean, what kind of "intellectual property" is a politician accumulating? I am not sure that "how the Congress works" would be defined as intellectual property and that's seems to be the only thing outside his own rememberances that Lott is going to be talking about. It's not an unique idea, etc. From my limited education on IP, I think of IP loosely as something copyrightable or one-of-a-kind you developed or have, such as a computer code, or patented item, or even your own image. A politician's experience is mostly speeches he's written himself and personal discussion. That is how politics works-talking to other people and making deals, making speeches, (going on junkets LOL) etc.

I guess my point is that during all those years in Congress, Lott never gained any intellectual property for us to own- just personal experiences. I am not a fan of Lott either, but I do think he has the right to publish his own memories as his own.

That said, I know nothing of the Chief Moose you mentioned.

[WKB]

"It a quandry!"

That's a mighty big word for such a little fellow.

[WKB]

Is it likely that he will finally bow out in 2006?

I have not heard anything about that.

If Haley should lose they may swap places would be my only thought.

[blackdog]

Then why can't a federal judge or federal judge's court clerk write about judicial matters in a book?

Why can't a police officer write a book while he's working on the police force about police or community shenanigans? To a greater degree lawyers can't write about their clients matters.

I guess it might come down to restrictive covenants. And I would like congress to sign a restrictive covenant making their tell-all behind the scenes stuff forbidden to be done for profit. I mean if they tell us everything we need to know about Daschle today, than why do we need to read about it in a book ten years from now. It serves to keep the secrecy on the hill and enriches them for not telling us what we need to know now.

And thank you for your offering.

[putupon]

Just how does one write a tell-all book about a do-nothing person?

One title page and 300 more blank ones. You can do all the research in your sleep since thats all he ever did while in the Senate.

Now that brings up the question: what happens when Frist publishes his 300 blank pages, will Lott accuse him of plagarism?