LOTT THREATENS TO QUIT THE SENATE IF FORCED FROM LEADERSHIP

Newsnight with Aaron Brown | 12/13/2002 | Jonathan Karl

[sinkspur]

Trent Lott, in a conference call with 27 GOP Senate Republicans today, said that he would leave the Senate if forced from the Leader position.

Jonathan Karl said three or four of the Senators viewed this as "blackmail," but that the majority still support Lott and want him to continue as Leader.

[Kay Soze]

1.- His comments from Strom thrummed Party

2. - His nearly identical remarks in 1980 during a campaign rally for Ronald Reagan.

3.- In a 1984 speech to the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Biloxi, Miss., Lott declared: "The spirit of Jefferson Davis lives in the 1984 Republican platform."

4. - His helping the CCC: In 1998, it was revealed that Lott had spoken several times to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a "racialist", neo-white supremacist organization. Lott claimed that he didn't know about their philosophy, believing it to be a benign "conservative" group. In fact, he had written a regular column for the CCC's "Citizen's Informer" publication over the course of several years. It's also rare for any member of Congress to write for an outside group's publication without getting an idea of what positions the group advocates.

Extra one- ( I have more )
5.And his opposition to allowing blacks into his Frat.

[WarrenC]

Right. This disgusting blackmail puts in high relief the fact that Trent Lott cares about himself and himself alone. The party and the country can go straight to hell as far as he's concerned. If Lott resigns from the Senate and someone defects to the Democrats, we lose the that body for a couple years but we gain the enormous benefit of a dramatic and public repudiation of racism (and stupidity). This will reassure white moderates who want to feel comfortable voting GOP. On the other hand if Lott's colleagues bow to his obnoxious threat, then for the next two years we "keep the Senate" and for the next two decades we deal with Lott's legacy - the GOP as the party that pines for the Dixiecrats.

[Poohbah]

Do you really believe that the Dems are not prepared with charges against the next Pubbie Senate leader?

Are you telling me that all Senate Pubbies have done, or will do, something as mind-blowingly stupid as what Lott did?

[Centurion2000]

I think I would call his bluff I were the POTUS.

That's probably what will happen. Bush will really pi$$ed that a Senator is causing such a split within the party at war's eve when unity is paramount.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Lott's a bigoted terrorist. Stay on that side of the fence. It's the accurate side.

[EternalVigilance]

What "black pit"?

The black pit that is the hatred of him that will be felt and expressed for years by those he has betrayed...if you think they don't like him now...just wait.

If you don't think that is hell on earth for a life-long politician, you don't know the same kind of politicians I do.

Benedict Arnold died alone in London, after living the final years of his sorry life in regret. Lott will fare little better, I'm afraid.

[Clara Lou]

You just cannot accept the fact that Lott left himself wide-open in this instance, can you? He did this to himself. Nobody opened his inane mouth and made him speak those words. He chose to speak them. And if he can't think before he speaks, he's got no business representing Republicans or Republican leadership.

[sinkspur]

If this report is correct, Lott deserves nothing but contempt.

Lott's done nothing wrong that he hasn't apologized for.

He's not bowing to the race-pimps, or to the I-want-Lott-out-because-he-screwed-up-impeachment conservatives.

Lott makes one statement at a birthday party for an old man and everybody around this place sees chum in the water, and is ready to get rid of Lott for his sins of four years ago.

Lott may leave on his own, but he is not going to allow the hyenas to force him out.

That's a good thing.

[WKB]

Lot is a my Senator but I have not been happy with his leadership. He does a good job for Ms but not the party or the Nation!

[William McKinley]

I agree with you on the short term.

I disagree with you wholeheartedly on the long term.

The economy will come around due to the cyclical nature of it coupled with the already passed into law tax cuts that will be phasing in. And Bush can successfully fight the war on terror with a hostile Senate; if the Democrats want to get in the way of that our gains in 2004 will be even greater.

[Sabertooth]

I hope people are happy around this place.

Why, are you buying into Lott's blackmail? He's as low as Jeffords, now.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Tell him to kiss my ass-- right before I shove my boot up his ass.

[Torie]

No, Bush didn't vet it. That is ludicrous. What I would say to the GOP caucus (but then I would have said a lot of things sooner and differently than Lott from the getgo after the initial faux paus), is that I serve at your pleasure, and will do what you all think best. If I thought remaining as ML was best, I would argue that case, but accept the judgment of my peers. That is the responsiblity of any leader, at any time, in my opinion. IF what Lott did is true, that is beyond the pale, and he needs to be knifed as soon as it is in the best interest of the GOP, all things considered.

[William McKinley]

And all of that assumes that someone else would jump.

I think Chaffee is more than smart enough to look at the Senate races coming up in 2004 and realize he would be right back in the minority if he switched. Therefore, he would not.

[Poohbah]

Maybe I'm being too harsh.

Let's see, Lott loaded the gun, pointed it at his head, pulled the trigger...

Yup, Lott kinda volunteered for this.

[Darlin']

He might have threated that and if he did I hope his collegues teach him a good lesson. My guess, he is trying to protect his future, i.e. life after senate. I'm sure he probably intends to run again in 2006 and/or to have an active, profitable retirement. However, turncoat senators or senators forced to step down aren't invited to sit on many boards nor do they have lucrative speaking careers and it is doubtful he'd have much success as a lobbyist.

[crasher]

Lott should never have made the intolerable mistake of opening his stupid mouth and saying something that can be taken as supporting segregation. The first rule of politics: don't ever say anything that is racially offensive. Be an adulterer, commit perjury, take illegal campaign donations, make some shady business deals, whatever... just don't say something that is racially offensive. And we cannot afford to have our agenda suffer for Lott's monumental stupidity. You can either have Lott or you can have a conservative agenda. Only one is going to survive this.

[chnsmok]

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[Texasforever]

Lott's a bigoted terrorist.

Just how damn low can you stoop? I can't wait for the next dive into your mental cesspool.

[CharacterCounts]

hey, i'm just repeating what a nationally-known republican radio show host said

No you are wrong! You said that no retraction was demaned. The clear implication of that additional comment was to make the statement more believable.