LOTT THREATENS TO QUIT THE SENATE IF FORCED FROM LEADERSHIP

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

[sinkspur]

well the buzz on this thread was that cheerleader lott was gay and thats why we did not get a trial in the senate b/c of the blackmail.

Well, lets use the blackmail against him, we 'out' if resigns, unless he does the back bench thing!

Lott's not "gay." For heaven's sake, he's got grandchildren!

Let's just dump on old Trent: he's racist, he's a fag...why not label him a thief; surely he stole something. Maybe he LIED to somebody, sometime, too.

Trent Lott is not my choice for Leader, but destroying a human being is a reprehensible thing.

Why are you surprised that Lott wants to go home to Pascagoula and make a million dollars serving on 5 or 6 Boards of companies which appreciate all he's done for Mississippi?

That's what I'd do, if racist pimps and foaming-at-the-mouth conservatives were branding me a racist. Wouldn't you?

[Torie]

What is the special election bit? If Lott resigns, Musgrove will appoint AG Moore (I think that is the name bandied about on the other site), and he will be the incumbent in 2004. He might be tough to dislodge.

[randita]

He's being branded a racist. Are you comfortable with a racist in the GOP caucus in the Senate?

I am astounded by the naiveté of so many who think that the charges of racism will magically vanish as soon as Lott steps down as ML.

[Ben Bolt]

The left without a reason to exist think they have finally found something to put their face on the camera . Its a dead issue and a straw man from the GOP who cant wait to toss their own to the pyre .

[Poohbah]

The issue goes away??? That's not how the democrats play ball. If they believe it will get votes, the democrats will use this issue in the 2004 campaign regardless of whether Lott stays or goes. The democrats are trying to attach the "bigot" or "racist" label to all republicans--not just Trent Lott.

And throwing him out of the leadership slot defuses that.

The democrats can say and do anything they want with no consequences (e.g., Ted Kennedy, Robert Byrd, Bill Clinton, etc.). As soon as Kennedy and Byrd resign their seats, I will support Lott's resignation from the Senate.

Generally, we learn as children that screaming "ALL THE OTHER KIDS GET TO DO IT" doesn't elevate us in the eyes of our parents or get us what we want.

[Texasforever]

Post 145.

[fooman]

uh huh. And if Lott weren't comprimised, we could have made an issue of it, RIGHT?

[ApesForEvolution]

Three or four steps forward and one Vacant Lott puts us five or six steps back with one echo of a piss-poor statement and cover up. This boils over before it simmers for Bush, conservatives and hopes anything conservative won't get done without a heavy dose of bad, RAT amendments to legislation.

[clintonh8r]

Kristol is a cheerleader for RINOs.

[Dave S]

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

Then why dont you leave and restart the Dixie Crat Party. Segregation Forever! Maybe Strom will run again.(SARCASM)

[RJCogburn]

I'm sure there's a LOT of allegations of questionable fund-raising that will have to be cleared up once he leaves the Senate. Could take years of legal infighting to clean up.

I would doubt that is negative consequence enough to force him to stay...or go.

[poodle]

I just cannot believe a Senator would walk away when he is used to all that power. I really don't know much about the Senate, but he really made a big mistake. It showed poor judgement by the man that is supposed to lead the Senate and people will be after him for poor judgement at the least. I don't think it will blow over because the Democrats have to play politics when given the chance. It is extremely interesting because the pressure is on to resign and not going away and now he says he may quit the Senate. It is interesting enough that I made this my first comment ever. I admit I am no pundit but this is a big deal. I know that.

[sneakypete]

It's time to put this behind us and move on. It's time to let the president get back to the business of the people.

Good one! "Ah did NOT have sex with that Mexican president!The 'murikan peeples is the ones what got screwed."

[Poohbah]

Lott's not "gay." For heaven's sake, he's got grandchildren!

Many gay men are married and have children.

[Honcho]

Lott is such a ba*#%#d. He gives the store away to the Dasshol and company but he plays hardball with his own party. This guy needs to go.

[fooman]

Right! </jacko accent>

[A Citizen Reporter]

Why defend Kristol, EV?

[P-Marlowe]

No. Not every member FOUGHT for it. There was a lot of intimidation to keep the status quo, but nobody forced Lott to fight and lobby for white only fraternities. He could have sat silent. He could have opposed the effort to keep it segregated. He didn't. He actively supported segregation. There's a big difference.

[deport]

Would it make sense that Lott would say this in a conference call to 27 senators? With who knows how many aides listening on the speaker phones?

I'm surprised they could gather 27 Senators on a conference call since they are scattered to the winds and doing their Holiday things... I bet few aides were around since I'd guess most of these calls were on cell phones are at home, traveling, etc.