[wotan]

Get the judges confirmed first.

Pass the important legislation.

Then throw Lott out on his sorry *ss.

[Illbay]

It appears that Lott has led his public life since those days as someone who believes in racial equality.

Rush is right. All it would take is for Lott to become a Democrat, and all would be forgiven.

Lott's past is NOTHING compared to that of George Wallace, for example, and when Wallace was elected governor once again in the 1980s, the pundits remarked how "he'd really grown, and is now running as a liberal Democrat." They constantly showed film footage of him being welcomed with open arms by black leaders in Alabama.

When Lott did what he did 40 years ago, he was a DEMOCRAT. That's what ALL the old segregationists were: Democrats. When Thurmond ran for the Presidency in 1948, he was NOT a Republican, but a "Dixiecrat," basically a Democrat who dissented from the direction the national party was (finally) taking away from its support of segregation. Segregation has ALWAYS been a Democrat policy (even now; they just hide it more cleverly).

I have challenged several people to tell me what it was that Lott said that was "offensive." Always the reponse was "it wasn't what he said, it was what he meant."

Thought-crime. I should've known.

[RGSpincich]

Leave it to Lott to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for the Republicans.

[NYS_Eric]

Doug,
Stay with your first impulse. There IS a way out of this that neatly solves everything (or at least minimizes the damage already done). But it requires Lott to stop being selfish and take one for the team. STAY in the Senate, but resign as Majority Leader.

[twyn1]

Are you sure the story about his "blackmail" threat is true ? If it is -- I wonder why he only shows some spine when he's dealing with his own party ? I have NEVER been impressed by Trent, and yes I think he should go as ML, but I agree with wotan -- let's get the important stuff done (judgeships, PBA, tax cut) -- then toss him (not from the Senate, just from SML position)! Now -- if he totally turns weasel and folds to Democratic pressure, refusing to bring votes up, etc. -- if that happens -- I don't know what the Republicans in Senate should do ? Is there such a thing as a vote of "no-confidence" ? And if that happened would Lott thumb his nose at his party and resign from the Senate ? -- if this blackmail story is true-- he probably would -- gosh how I WISH the South Dakota (Thune/Johnson) count would be proven to be fraudulent -- grrrrr !

[doug from upland]

Amy Tuck, the Lt. Governor, switched to our side. What are the chances that Musgrove can either be recalled or switch sides?

[ProudGOP]

I consider Lott a bigger impediment to Conservative causes than the Democrats. He may vote conservatively but he is incapable of the political maneuvering necessary to defeat the Democrats. He has almost no political sense. He seems to treat the Senate as a type of club where it is more important not to alienate any of the members than it is to fight for your causes.

In fact, the most hardball political move I've seen him pull was when he pushed up the vote on majority leader so that his opponents wouldn't have time to organize against him.

If only he would have used ruthlessness on the Democrats but he is incapable or unwilling. He had his chance to lead. He doesn't deserve another.

[RJCogburn]

So, there are no good options. Best to do the right thing. After all, we should be better than the liberals.

[TennTuxedo]

Anyone jumping on the RATS "Throw Lott From The Train" Bandgwagon, is helping further the RATS agenda. The liberals will not be happpy with anything less than a liberal RAT to take his place and undo the 2002 elections.

[Bigun]

Now it is up to the rest of the party to start fighting back.

ABSOLUTELY!

Look! The ONLY arrow the left has remaining in its quiver is the complicit media. If this attack on Lott succeeds the arrow will be sharper and used more and more frequently but, if we can beat down this attack, even THAT arrow will have been blunted!

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I have, for the last several years, written half the Republican Senators, emailed their staff, and called staff members that I know, trying to get Lott out of the leadership. I have written Senator Hutchison so often she sometimes makes notes to me on the reply letter.

I do not however believe we should dump Lott because the Dims want us to. We didn’t vote for Bush and got 8 years of Clinton, we dumped Gingrich, and then Livingston so as not to upset the DIMS. I don’t care what the Black Caucus wants, we don’t get enough of the black vote to matter.

I’m all for dumping Lott, but not like this. To hell with what the democrats want. F%^& em.

[JulieRNR21]

I'm glad to see this thread, Doug.

While I'm no fan of whimpy Lott; I feet that the RATS have been looking for anything to reverse what happened on 11-5! If Lott is forced out.....they will only get more 'blood thirsty'.....we must stand together on this.....and turn it around to reach out even more to Blacks.

I'm angry at Lott that he's given the RATS & the Media an opportunity to make the (totally false) charge that 'conservatives are racists'.....We need to speak up & not accept that label.

I sent this to a number of media outlets last night:

Dear Media:

The double standard is unacceptible....if the media is going to crucify Sen. Lott for misspeaking in overpraising a 100 year old retiring Senator...then they also need to point out the 'white sheeted' skeleton in the Democrat closet:
Senator Robert 'KKK' Byrd.

---

Facts supplied by a popular Radio Talk Show Host:

"The ex-Klansman's admirers praise his historical knowledge, mastery of procedural rules, and outspokenness. They refer to the Senate's senior Democrat as the "conscience of the Senate." They downplay his white-sheet-wearing days as a "brief mistake" - as if joining the Klan were like knocking over a glass of water. Oopsy.

This ex-Klansman wasn't just a passive member of the nation's most notorious hate group. According to news accounts and biographical information, Sen. Byrd was a "Kleagle" - an official recruiter who signed up members for $10 a head. He said he joined because it "offered excitement" and because the Klan was an "effective force" in "promoting traditional American values."

The ex-Klansman allegedly ended his ties with the group in 1943. He may have stopped paying dues, but he continued to pay homage to the KKK. Republicans in West Virginia discovered a letter Sen. Byrd had written to the Imperial Wizard of the KKK three years after he says he abandoned the group. He wrote: "The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia" and "in every state in the Union."

The ex-Klansman later filibustered the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act - supported by a majority of those "mean-spirited" Republicans - for more than 14 hours. He also opposed the nominations of the Supreme Court's two black justices, liberal Thurgood Marshall and conservative Clarence Thomas. In fact, the ex-Klansman had the gall to accuse Justice Thomas of "injecting racism" into the Senate hearings.

The ex-Klansman vowed never to fight "with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."


Here's the formula. If a conservative is embarrassed, it makes the front page, full story. If a liberal is embarrassed, it plays deep inside the paper, just an item in a column. "

---

The media is obviously in a feeding frenzy to abet the DNC in attacking the Republican party which was actually founded in the 1850s by those opposed to slavery.

The hypocrisy has to stop......report on Byrd as well as Lott!

(name & town)

[Verginius Rufus]

It seems from what has been posted on other threads that there would be a special election to replace Lott, if he were to resign from his Senate seat...if it is true that Judge Pickering's nomination won't get through because of the Lott uproar, then maybe he could be persuaded to run for the Senate seat. I don't think any of the New England RINOs will switch parties in the 90-day interval before the special election.

In 1948, when Thurmond carried Mississippi, the Republican candidate (whose name Lott didn't know--Thomas Dewey) received about 5,000 votes in Mississippi. Ironically, probably most of those were cast by the few African Americans who were able to vote.

[mwl1]

Doug, you mean "undo," not undue.

And, you are right. This has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with the balance of power in the Senate.

1. Lott steps down as majority leader, just the beginning, not the end of the battle.

2. Escalate the drumbeat for Lott to resign his senate seat.

3. Democratic governor of Mississippi appoints a RAT... now we are back to a 50-50 power sharing arrangement.

4. It doesn't take much in this instance to get Chafee to flip.

And thank you, Louisiana, for tieing our hands on all of this. If we had a 52nd senator, we could throw Lott to the curb in a New York minute.

[texasbluebell]

Someone remarked that we should be pointing out the sins of the Democrats in the past re: segregation.

I always like to remember what Condi Rice said, that when her father was finally able to register to vote in the 60s, he actually tried to join the Dem party, and they refused to accept his registration!

He then joined up with the Republicans where he was welcomed, and Condi says if the Republican Party was good enough for her father, it's good enough for her!

[woofie]

I think there is a good chance the Dems are overplaying their hand

[Miss Marple]

Doug, crusher found the story on the conference call, and according to that story Lott wasn't even on the call! The hints about quitting the senate came from some unnamed sources who were supposedly Lott supporters...which could be people on FR threads the reporter happened to read, for all we know.

Although I am exasperated at Lott, I do not think it fair to tar him with this blackmail threat. His staff denied that he would ever consider letting a democrat governor choose Mississippi's senator.

The story is buried in that very long thread. I have flagged crusher to this one so that perhaps he can provide the information.

[widowithfoursons]

It's those FBI files (which Hillary keeps under her mattress-where no one will find them). I'm sure Trent caved because of the info therein. Unless you can come up with a better reason not to impeach a perjured testimony? "Dead On Arrival" is the way he put it. Why?

[Monti Cello]

Where are Trent's FBI files now that they are needed?

The best outcome would be if W could send down the guys with the Presidential brass knuckles to illustrate that it's in his own best interests to quit his position, represent Mississippi alone and shut his fat mouth.

Since that ain't likely, can't one of you Photoshop gurus create some credible evidence of Lott cornholing one of his Ole Midss frat brothers? That would shut up Lott and immediately make him immune to further Democrat criticism.

[Amerigomag]

The "Lott bashers" on this forum are well entitled to their position. To attach their opposition to the current Democratic wedge ploy is unbecomming.

Lott's leadership position has long been in jepordy among the vast right wing conspiracy. His most recent misadventure is just another stepping stone along the legacy he has created for himself.

Lott's record as both a member and a leader of the senate shows he is neither a racist nor an able, conservative leader. While he has ably preformed his primary duty to his constituants, bringing home the bacon to Mississippi, his effectiveness ends at the lip of the pork barrel.

Lott need not resign and bend to the will of the collection of racist bent on crippling the Republican resurgence but rather be rejected by his peers for his lack of leadership