WHO WILL LEAD THE SENATE?-GOP Leaders Discussing How/Who Calls for Lott to Step Aside

The American Spectator ^ | Dec. 11, 2002 | The Washington Prowler

[ewing]

Republicans on Capitol Hill and conservatives in Washington and around the country are discussing how best to call for Trent Lott's stepping aside as Senate Majority Leader.

According to a knowledgeable Senate source, GOP members of both houses are extremely concerned that Lott's comments have so derailed the momentum gained from the 2002 elections that it would be impossible come January to make numerous confirmations for the executive branch, begin planning a legislative agenda that includes accelerating the Bush tax cuts and pushing through a prescription drug plan for seniors.

Even more upsetting to Republicans is that realization that Lott's comments may make it virtually impossible to bring a number of potentially controversial judicial nominations to the Senate floor successfully.

[Dave S]

And when they come for Tancredo, do we cut our losses then also?

Who considers losing Tancredo a loss, especially since we have 229 R's in congress?

[Neets]

Oh goodie...he just can't SHUT UP can he?

[leadpenny]

I hope Lott resigns from the leadership and from the senate then tells FR and the rest of the assholes who have no idea how the senate works to go f--k yourselvs. A demmocommie appoints a dem then chafee switches and you assholes get what you want in the first place to be losers.This includes rush and the rest of them.

I understand that you are angry but I'm not sure what you would like to see happen. Do you want Lott to stay where he is?

[Dave S]

Can anyone find the senates qualifications for the position

Senate Majority Leader is know as the first among equals. He has to be a senator. In the House, the Speaker does NOT have to be a sitting house member but I dont know of any case during my lifetime when the speaker hasnt been a House member.

[thatdewd]

You make excellent points. However, I think Lott has to go...I think the R's should stage a big press conference where Lott announces he will not run for the leadership position because of the hub-bub over his poor choice of words. The R's should point out the partisan double standards that are routinely applied.

I think he has to go too, just not right now. The scenario you put forth would work excellently in absolving the party and Lott. But if it were done right now, the gains from 'victim' status would be offset by the appearance of weakness. The whole party would be perceived by many voters as caving in even though we knew we were right. There was some truth in part of what Clinton said: "When people feel uncertain, they'd rather have somebody who's strong and wrong than somebody who's weak and right." Sad, but true. Unfortunately, we've already selected Lott as leader. We need to fight this now, and have Lott quietly step aside later, apparently for other reasons that are non-threatening. I want him gone, too. The first break in the next congress would be perfect.

[Dan Day]

If the Democrats keep pushing this, we have ammunition to throw at them (Byrd and the "white ni**er" remark).

...which will be perceived as us saying, "so what if we're racist, so are the Democrats"...

Brilliant, just brilliant.

It would be a repeat of Clinton's "everybody does it" defense.

Rather, we should replace Lott so that we're making the statement, "we won't tolerate racism or the appearance of racism, even if the Democrats do..." *Then* we would have the moral high ground to fire cannons at Byrd and the rest.

[Dave S]

After he loses the leadership, what do you think their next demand will be?

Why should we give a rats ass what the DEms demand? We should eliminate Lott from the leadership on our own because he is an idiot and incapable of leading our party in the Senate.

[Dan Day]

Every one of you Lott trashers are disgusting. This is exactly one of the times when the entire party should rally against the Democrats and throw their political grandstanding back in their faces.

I hope you realize that's exactly how the Democrats rationalized their monolithic defense of Clinton...

[KansasConservative]

Oh! over the whole CFR bill? I hadn't thought of that.

[aristeides]

We should eliminate Lott from the leadership on our own because he is an idiot and incapable of leading our party in the Senate.

Even if it results in losing the majority in the Senate?

[Catspaw]

I was responding to Sinkspur's comment in post #33. I posted commentary from Robert George and comments from Armstrong Williams, among others. I wanted to know from Sinkspur if he included George, Williams and others quoted in the article in his "race pimps" comment. I pinged you because it was your original post. Sorry if I didn't explain myself.

Playing into the hands of race pimps feeds the beast.

[twyn1]

I wish that what you say could happen -- that the Republicans would take the high moral ground, dump Lott and show the voters (esp. the black voters) what hypocrits the Democrats are

However -- I live in the real world -- and there's little chance that the scenario would play out like you say -- the Black caucus will scream for Lott to resign his Senatorship, now that he's been proven to be a racist, they'll tar all Republicans with the "racist" brush, and they'll seize the high ground themselves, while the Republicans slink off to lick their wounds and regroup -- as the minority party of the Senate

[Deb]

Duh.

[Catspaw]

Sorry. You must've confused the GOP with Lanny Davis.

[aristeides]

I heard on the news this morning Dashole sent out another more stronger statement.

Rush said that too.

[Recovering_Democrat]

According to a knowledgeable Senate source, GOP members of both houses are extremely concerned that Lott's comments have so derailed the momentum gained from the 2002 elections that it would be impossible come January to make numerous confirmations for the executive branch...

Oh please. If the REPUBLICANS in Washington don't have enough
B***S
to vote for qualified judges, then they all might as well resign en masse and turn the city over to Maxine Waters.

He was at a
BIRTHDAY PARTY
for God's sake. Grow a freaking spine, Republicans. You have to stop being invertabrates...it's time to evolve. Get moving.

[John Lenin]

This issue should be played up to the hilt by he GOP, when Byrd was outed as a Klan member the media hid the story, Lott says a few words that can be taken in a whole bunch of ways and first thing people do is assume he is a racist. I would beat the RATS over the heads with this issue by sticking up for Lott and asking the RATS why they still to this day have a former "Kleagle" Klan member in teir party and why there is no uproar about it. Those who don't stand up for thier own kind are dangerous to us all, they are the first ones to stick a knife in your back when you're not looking. Besides, Lott is not dumb, it is best to wait and see how it plays out before we let the numbskulls in our own party give the Senate back to the RATS by calling for him to resign. I can only scratch my head at what some people are thinking.

[aristeides]

I hope you realize that's exactly how the Democrats rationalized their monolithic defense of Clinton...

Clinton was guilty of serious crimes. Lott is guilty of making stupid comments. I think there's a difference.

[Deb]

Grow up. You sound like Arlen Specter. Tossing innocent people overboard FOR WHATEVER REASON is a tactic for cowards.

[Argus]

Yes, as a conservative I totally disagree with Sen. Lott's retroactive endorsement of Strom Thurmond for President. Why, if Thurmond had become President, today we'd have black people confined to ghettos in our major cities, living on welfare handouts, relegated to substandard public schools with no hope of escape, addicted to horrible drugs, overwhelmed by violent crime, vice and illegitimacy. We'd have blacks living in segregated dorms on every college campus, eating at separate tables in the cafeteria and socializing only with themselves. We'd have blacks politically marginalized, forced to vote only for white Democrats across the country, frightened to agitate for change and manipulated by cynical, radical so-called leaders and spokesemen who tell them they're less than equal citizens.

What? That's what we have anyway? Okay, never mind.