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.

[GraniteStateConservative]

That's Lott's view of how America should have been. You are too smart to buy the argument that Lott is an idiot. Lott is a white Mississippi exceptional attorney who grew up under Jim Crow, who supported segregation at least once in his life, and who worked for a white supremacist congressman who cherished the days of the Dixiecrat Party. He knows about the election of 1948. His playing dumb act is just an act.

[Sabertooth]

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.

It's a scorched earth moment....

[TBall]

"And if he leaves" I say he should have no such choice.

[randita]

I've been reading this post, waiting for someone to figure out that Bush is almost better off without a Republican Senate, unless he has a veto proof majority.

Tell that to Pickering and all the highly qualified judges who got either Borked or voted down in committee. We finally have the chance to fast track dozens of conservative leaning judges--the best opportunity we've had in decades.

Freepers of all people, should recognize what a golden opportunity this is to shape the judiciary in the future.

Lott's not a racist. He's being subjected to political character assassination.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

They aren't after Lott. They are after Bush because they want their man in (not in Lott's position, but referring to the WH), and also to justify the lawsuits some of their heroes have against the Bush/Cheney Admin and the trashing they have given Bush. If Bush loses the majority and fails, they will be doing exactly as Daschle attempted; to stall everything in order to point the finger at GW and that "nothing could get done" by him. These people are not supporting Bush, America or the GOP, but their own agenda. Please show me the difference between these people and the Dems.
I got news for them.

[sneakypete]

Of course the apology wasn't good enough because to sincerely apologize you have to have done something to apologize for.

That's not the point. The point is NO apology would ever be good enough because the racist black Dims and their lily-white supporters were looking for some issue to be mad about. When they couldn't find a real one,they were more than happy to manufacture one. This ain't even about Lott. It's about them showing once again that they can bitch-slap the cowardly Republicans around any time they want.

This has made me more ashamed of the republican party and GW than I have ever been.

Congratulations! Your eyes are finally beginning to open. Wait until Bush formally apologizes for Lott,and then basically allows the Dims to run the Senate by either going to another power-sharing deal,or allowing them to pick the successor of their choice. When it comes to caving,NOBODY is more cowardly than Bubba-2. He makes Lott look like Rambo.

[GWfan]

I know you have been fighting the good fight. I can't believe the stupidity of FR lately. You are, of course, completely correct. I thank you for your daily efforts.

How can anyone not see the demonization of Lott for the cheap, dirty dem power grab that it is?? It just boggles my mind.

Have they already forgotten NJ? Man, that was just 2 months ago.

There are only a handful of us who understand what this means. You are doing a great job explaining it. We won in Nov and now some here are sooo stupid that they think it would be better for the dems to hold a majority in the senate? I have to think these posters are dem plants here. People cannot be that stupid.

[Cloud William]

Well for all the freepers that thought it was good strategy to laugh at the democrats guess who the hell is laughing now.

Who's laughing? Mary Landrieu, for damned sure. The 'rats must be lining up to kiss her butt. Leave it our brainless "leaders" to go the extra mile, just to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[holdonnow]

Self-portrait?

[tomahawk]

One person is to blame for this situation: Trent Lott. If he was a real man, he'd do the right thing for his party and his country, and that is accept the consequences for his stupidity in saying that the country would be better off if a segregationist won in 1948. A man of such stupidity can't possibly hold the leadership post.

[Reagan Man]

The nazi racist crap will never stop and you know it.

Lott hasn't made things more difficult for anyone.

But many here on FreeRepublic sure have made themselves look like fools.

[sinkspur]

Let me repeat it once again, Lott is a jerk.

If you're going to brand Lott a racist, what makes you think he's going to stick around and be a punching bag just so Republicans can maintain the majority?

This forum is a good indication of the way he would be treated if he gave up the Majority. He would continue to be maligned, criticized, denigrated, and abused.

NOBODY IS GOING TO PUT UP WITH THAT!!!

As Lott said I am not going to leave over something I am not.

Other than the reprehensible GSC, very few here have labeled Lott a racist. He's not going to leave because you think he's "stupid", or a "jerk" or an "asshole."

He may leave on his own, but he is not going to be forced out.

[koax]

NO disagreement here!

[technochick99]

Anyone with a shred of personal honor

That sentence and Lott in one post - definite contradiction in terms.

[Joe Hadenuf]

This whole thing is a PC circus

Pretty pathetic aint it?

[gabby hayes]

If Karl's account is correct, wht did only three or four of the Senators view this as blackmail? It's blatant blackmail.

[HoundsTooth_BP]

[quote]
If the Republican party were to accept Lott's departure from the Senate at the price of losing the majority in the chamber, it would more good than harm over the long run....The price of Lott's continuance in the Senate is likely to be a package of concessions to the affirmative action crowd, a kind of reparations.
[/quote]

We cannot see the future, but we can guess enough of it to know that it won't be prettier with a Democrat controlled Senate during the next two years. Do we want all our legislation and judges blocked up indefinately? Do we want the Democrats to have the power to sabatoge the vital tax relief economic packages that can shore up the economy and thus throw Bush into a second term? The price of a Democratic Senate could very well be a Hillary or a Gore in 2004.

[Miss Marple]

I would like to know the source for this statement before I commence to ranting about Lott. Which senator told CNN and CNBC this? How do we know this isn't another little case of tale-bearing by the Iago of the Right, Bill Kristol? I notice he appeared on NPR with this story, according to a post above.

I still think the Jefffords switch was instigated by Kristol...although I have no concrete proof.

What if Lott didn't say this, but a couple of senators were TOLD he said it...by that ubiquitous insider, Bill Kristol.

I need a concrete quotable source before I believe this was said...especially in a conference call.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

PLEASE don't turn this into a Klayman thread. I can't stomach it.