I'm perfectly sane and I will flatly tell you that Lott has NEVER been good at his job as leader. In 1996 I couldn't wait to get rid of Dole and promote Lott as leader because I thought Lott would act similar to Speaker Gingrich. Remarkably, Lott has been far worse as leader than Viagra Bob. At least Dole compromised on issues to promote his presidential nomination/coronation. I can't figure out why Lott gives away everything he does to the Demoncrats.
The senators that voted him in are the ones to blame, it is their job to take him out, not Bushs, not the media. I rather doubt if Bush would like to be blindsided in public by any senator, such as he did to Lott.
Well, I agree in part. Yes, the GOP Senate caucus is to blame for re-electing Trent last month (although I noticed Lott held the Maj Leader election before new senators Sununu, Alexander, Dole, Graham, Coleman, Cornyn, Chambliss, Ehrlich & Talent arrived). Since Lott has no discernible legislative agenda of his own and President Bush has a full agenda (which Lott has previously dragged his feet on) he would like to see passed in a GOP controlled Congress, Lott's continued "leadership" should be fair game. President Bush is acting appropiately in his subtle urging for Lott to step down or for the GOP caucus to remove him.
Can you imagine, in 04, if Lott were to denounce Bush in such a manner? Surely no one believes that Bush has endeared himself to Lott and quite possibly a few others.
That's pretty funny. A popular sitting President having to endear himself to some snotty, prep boy Senator from a pissant state like Mississippi in order to gain re-election.
I thought Bush made a terrible mistake in his manner of addressing the issue. Perhaps whoever wrote the speech must have since gotten a notice to never do it again.
Terrible mistake? it was, quite possibly, the most eloquent statement ever made by a politician in an attempt to retrieve the party's dignity and redirect media focus squarely back upon the boob who caused the controversey. The guy who wrote the speech deserves a medal, a raise and a promotion.
All of this swirl of politics is about power, not Lott, it never was, he is just the venue. The democrats and media play hardball, if the republicans are willing to help them to regain power by destroying their own, they welcome all the aid Bush in his rightrous indignation will provide.
Yes, it is about power. Lott has harmed the GOP's ability to exercise the power of controlling all 3 branches of federal government. And if Lott stays as leader he will continue to harm and disrupt the GOP's power.
Lott can stay on the back bench of the Senate, but he needs to be removed as the media focal point of Congress.
Lott...As the ultimate punishment for Lott, I think the others should take away his executives restroom key. That would be the end to end all of punishment.
Politics being an art and not a science there are many vagaries from day to day due to the human nature factor. One days worth of the media, democrats and Bush piling on Lott may well look as a shining example of moral, pure,and just, political fervor, one that will cleanse the party of such a sinful person.
After the tent is down, the firebrand minister departed and the trash taken away, has there really been a permanent and lasting benefit for the republican party and its future? There is always a plus and a minus for someone in any political bloodletting. Lott was expendable years ago. Bush used a meat cleaver instead of a scalpel to rid the senate and party of a boil and I fear the party will have a price to pay in the future.
Should we defend Lott the way the Dems defended Clinton? Just because he's "our guy"? -- So how are we better than them? It's not even good politics, look how Clinton and various scandals robbed the Dems of their 40 year stranglehold on the Congress. What really killed them was not the scandals, but the way in which they reacted to them. They showed themselves to be completely out of touch. Lott has the same problem.
The purpose of a Senate majority leader is to advance an agenda. Lott has showed himself to be singularly ineffective in this area -- and that was before this incident. Worse, he has a propensity for doing exactly the wrong thing, again and again. If he had a history of success, AND if this were not the latest in a long string of "DOH! Stupid Brain!" moments, then he might be worth trying to save. As it is, he should withdraw from his current posistion and pursue a committee chairmanship instead (like Robert Byrd before him).