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.

[ApesForEvolution]

800. g'night.

[Sabertooth]

Yep, there were racist leftists socialists commie symps.

It all makes sense now.

[Torie]

Glad to set you straight with my BS. You are welcome.

[jwalsh07]

Yep, there were racist leftists socialists commie symps.

Oy, now I know it's past bedtime, you damn near burst an anuerysm with that one.

[sneakypete]

I'm a hell of a lot smarter that you are.

Right.

I know a decent, hoonrable man when I see one.

This refutes your earlier statement,doesn't it?

You, on the other hand, must have been around the other kind all your life.

Somebody with a screen name like "SwatTeam" has no standing to accuse anyone else of hanging around with people of low character.

[marajade]

Ah... just did a search...

[habs4ever]

You are blowing smoke, once again.I don't care to be bamboozled by your oratory.I asked for specifics.I'd like to know if you know what you are talking about.Instead, you offer platitudes.Don't bore with it and expect me to pat you on the head, after the relish you have shown tonight in continuing to a smear about Lott's actions ie blackmail when the story has been proven incorrect.

[EternalVigilance]

Of course you already know that I have made my position very clear on that point.

If Lott quit the Senate and empowered the Daschle Dems it would mean his political suicide...and it would be a self-immolation.

The only way for him to salvage anything whatsoever is to step down from the Leadership and take his place as a committee chairman. At that point, GOP ranks will close around him, and he can be assured of remaining in that Club for as long as he wants, and for as long as his constituents will have him.

[Dave S]

Because Bush had already accepted the FIRST apology.

No he didnt. All the talk shows tonight were quoting multiple White House sources including Rove that the reason the President came out and criticized Lott yesterday was because Lott had told Bush he was going to do a real apology on Larry King but he couldnt get the words out. Bush was reportedly furious at Lott's first two or three non apologies.

[marajade]

"The only way for him to salvage anything whatsoever is to step down from the Leadership ..."

Why? Just because you and some recent others are expressing your dislike for him?

[EternalVigilance]

...Lott's actions ie blackmail when the story has been proven incorrect.

In your easily led mind.

Lott's supporters have been playing the 'I'll leave the Senate and leave you all hanging' card for 24 hours...and it isn't working, to their chagrin.

Too bad.

[panther33]

1.) When you speak at someone's 100th birthday party in front of hundreds of friends and colleagues, you talk nice about the person turning 100. I'm not saying you distort reality, but you give the person a compliment or two. Like Lott said, he only wanted "to honor Strom Thurmond the man... What are you going to say, 'I wish you lost'?"

2.) Sean Hannity interviewed Lott on his radio show the other day. You can listen to it on www.hannity.com if you haven't already heard it. Lott said that when he thinks of the Strom Thurmond of 1948, he thinks of "strong national defense, economic development, balanced budgets, and opportunity and [that's what I was referring to in the speech]."

Maybe he was misunderstood. Misunderstandings happen all the time; we apologize and try to be clearer next time. There is no reason to tar and feather Lott for a simple misunderstanding, especially when we have people like Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), who still hasn't renounced a former membership with the KKK.

[sneakypete]

Dumb me - I never saw the strategery in that

And I suppose you believe all the hype in professional 'rasslin',too?

[Sabertooth]

Yes because Lott opened his fat mouth and uttered some inane things and failed to apologize. The failure to apologize led some to believe that he meant what he said. That made the earlier story relevant. There are tons of stories floating around about most of the leaders. They are not published unless they have news value. When Lott expressed questionable comments, that made the other story relevant.

Precisely. Lott gave this story birth, and then let it run.
Everything else is a consequence of that.

[EternalVigilance]

Why? Just because you and some recent others are expressing your dislike for him?

Uhmmm....no...because he sucks at the job.

[fooman]

It dosn't matter what we may have had a philosophical diff on. I dont even remember now.

Times are bad and we need you around. God bless you, JR and FR.

The whole pt of not going greek was that I was my own person and did not need to join a frat IN MY PARTICULAR situation ( no offense to those who did).

So you have a spirited, principled and ind streak. I admire you for it.

But we all gotta stick together here at FR and get the big picture stuff accomplished. Good night.

[Audit_Jesse]

No matter how it goes now, I fear we've lost a much-needed seat.

[lavrenti]

Cynically link Byrd's involvement with the Klan to the war on terror. I mean, ain't the KKK terrorists? How can we have in our Senate a man who was a recruiter for a group that engaged in terrorism?

We open the Clinton Family Book of Political Evil and begin mumbling the incanations. We might as well give it a shot, logic and decency never seem to work.

I was watching Tim Roth in The Deceiver tonight. I think I found our next ML.

"I have here, a tape of such activity."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I have here, a tape of such activity."

[Texasforever]

No he didnt. All the talk shows tonight were quoting multiple White House sources including Rove that the reason the President came out and criticized Lott yesterday was because Lott had told Bush he was going to do a real apology on Larry King but he couldnt get the words out. Bush was reportedly furious at Lott's first two or three non apologies.

I think you had better go and read the Ari Fleisher WH briefing of a week ago.

[Askel5]

Do you think maybe Lott could draw any sympathy whatsoever given his girlie boy cheerleader past? I know the blacks hate it when the homoseculars try to "feel -- and profit on -- their pain" but surely it's worth a try. He's played a Republican for YEARS to great effect! I think he can do it.

Besides, with hair like that, NO WAY anyone's going to have a problem chalking Lott up to a closet case. I'm sure we could rustle up an expert from the Rainbow Coalition to explain the internecine lashing out of one Oppressed against another ... particularly someone like Lott who's toed the line of the Establishment so long and with such great success ... denying all the while his True Self.

You didn't happen to hear NPR's recent broadcast of some of the Johnson tapes? I particularly liked the one where Johnson feigned ignorance of Hoover's bent as he pressed the FBI director for tips on spotting queers among his confidantes in the future (after one of his most trusted aides got busted at the baths or something).

I can hear the Bush Tapes now ...

"How the hell was I supposed to know my Friend from the Magnolia State was a radical fairy whose closeted, lacquered composure one day was gonna burst wide open like a bad hair day?"

Gee, I dunno ... could it have been ...

The kilt he wears in private ...

... and public?

The way he watches Rick Santorum?

Or that telltale narcissistic fascination with his own head?

I guess when this is all over, there'll just be one thing to say: