White House Says Senator Trent Lott 'Should Not' Resign

CNN ^ | December, 12, 2002 | Wolf Blitzer

[ewing]

Wolf Blitzer said word has come down from the White House that Trent Lott should not resign as Senate Majority Leader and that his apologies are good enough.

Nothing on what the Republican National Committee might say tomorrow..

[ewing]

Looks like the battle lines have been drawn..

[SunStar]

Wow. President Bush is wrong on this one, IMHO.

[AmishDude]

Keep in mind, the endgame for the Democrats is that he resign from the Senate itself so that the Democrat governor in MS (how did that happen?) can appoint a replacement.

[TLBSHOW]

Lott should not go but PB abortion must go.

[A CA Guy]

I think there should be no response to the liberals at this time, but Lott is weak anyway and perhaps he'll be a bud and step down in the summer for a real leader.

[PianoMan]

Right or wrong, this is politics, and keeping Lott in charge would be an enormous mistake politically.

[FreeTheHostages]

What about a A Ca Guy's point -- waiting a little while?

[ewing]

I think they don't want to chance Lott pulling a Livingston or Gingrich.

If McLame hasn't called for Lott to go yet, maybe Rove thinks he can ride the storm out.

But I also think this is the wrong strategy..

[agrace]

I think Lott should resign too, but not for saying something stupid that he seemingly did not mean in the context in which it was taken. He should resign for being an ineffective leader.

[jern]

I bet this one stays in breaking news.

[agrace]

And I only mean as ML, NOT from the senate.

[Williams]

He's not wrong in a moral sense. You would have to be wacky to think that Trent Lott really thinks Strom Thurmond should have been president 50 years ago, or even more wacky to think that Trent Lott believes in segregation in 2002. He was complimenting a 100 year old guy for God's sake! And yes he was doing the same meaningless thing when he said it 20 years ago, too.

Bush may be wrong politically because Lott has been damaged but that is not yet clear.

[dfwgator]

He should resign for being an ineffective leader.

Making stupid statements like he made is a telltale sign of an ineffective leader.

[Orion]

Funny how our hand wringing over racist remarks calls for everything but a resignation. It seems that power is more important than doing "the right thing."

Covering for the ultimate crime ("racist" remarks) is only eclipsed by the attainment of power.

[dfwgator]

Trent Lott can say anything he wants. He shouldn't be the Senate Majority Leader. There are many others who are more qualified than Lott.

[demkicker]

Looks like Lott got pissed and threatened to quit the senate altogether if the White House abandoned him.

[ewing]

This is a lot of political capital to risk on one man for not a lot of gain in return..

[Aaron0617]

Thats different from what I heard. Wolf needs to recheck his sources.

I heard the White House wont ask Lott to resign but the decision is up to him.

[SwordofTruth]

Way to go Bush!