Don Nickles Calls for New Senate Leadership Election to Challenge Lott

Fox News | 12-15-02

[rightwing2]

Fox News just reported that ABC reported that Nickles has called for a new Senate leadership challenge to Trent Lott!

[dogbyte12]

habs... who is the last Senator to become President, who headed the Budget Committee? I think that is probably what is in Nickles' head. Don't want to put thoughts to another of course ;)

But seriously... if not now, when? Jeb will be running in 2008 most believe. If Cheney steps down before 2008, his successor will be a front runner. I think Nickles does realize that unless he gets this job, he will never become president. He wants to be president. It really wasn't that risky for him when you look at it that way. He was on track not to be president as it was, so if this fails, oh well.

[TLBSHOW]

Mr. Clemons is not alone in backing Mr. Lott. Across Mississippi, a sizable number of black voters have supported the conservative, white Republican whose record on race is under attack.

Coahoma County, where Mr. Clemons lives, is 69 percent black. In 2000, when Mr. Lott ran against a Democrat who was black, Mr. Lott took the county with 52 percent of the vote. And, like Mr. Clemons, at least some black residents have taken the senator's remarks on Mr. Thurmond in stride.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021215-18964490.htm

[Torie]

Ya. Nickels I don't think would have the votes. The caucus is more moderate than he is (a majority are), and won't like his image. (Granted, personal relationships mean a lot, and I don't know who is on good personal terms with whom.) His elevation might cause Chafee, etc. to threaten to exit. Plus, since he is the guying that came out with the knife, everyone with good relations with Lott will go for someone other than Nicles. I would think Frist would be a more concensus candidate. My guess, is that if Bush wants Lott out via a new election, then Frist will hop in. If he doesn't, Lott might well beat Nickles. In any event, I would suggest that placing your money on Nickles would be a poor bet, at least if the spread is not hugely in your favor.

[hinckley buzzard]

Grow up, boy. The GOP going forward with a politically damaged Senate Leader will make your fears about Hillary more likely to come true, rather than less.

The great middle, where elections are won, are watching this and finding that Republicans really won't tolerate the closet racism of which the democraps accuse us.

They are being told, by the mainstream media, that pressure is coming from the Right, not just the left, to get Lott to step down; and it is raising eyebows among many people, starting to be willing to believe that the GOP maybe really does want to include the minorities in America.

[kcvl]

Bush's handling of it has angered me. BIG DEAL. Let's not upset the RATS when they use lies to get what they want. Let's just play along with their games of destruction. No matter how many lives of so-called "friends", who have supported you, that we destroy in the process.

[Diddle E. Squat]

That has me wondering, what if at the end of the day Lott survives the challenge and wins reelection as ML? Couldn't we then say that the Senate weighed the charges, gave it serious consideration(by having the challenge and the vote), and in the end deemed the accusations to be overblown. Not every mistake is a felony. When the media howls then start handing out bio's of Byrd's, Hollings, Hillary's, etc. similar racial gaffes(which the RNC should have already compiled) and ask if they really want to keep this character guerilla war going?

[cake_crumb]

That's who I think of every time I see Don Nickles' name

[habs4ever]

Why not wait until June to see if Lott's failed? Bush is setting the agenda and maybe Lott is the best person capable of steering it through the Senate...Bush is the national voice, not Lott.Lott's job is to get the votes, if possible, so that requires TRIMMING.

It's very premature to call him failure before he's had a chance to work with Bush and a Majority, don't you?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I doesn't seem unrealistic to me to expect Lott to step aside as leader while remaining as Senator.

Being a back bench Senator is far from the worst job in the world. He can continue to represent his state, build brdiges, maybe even enjoy life a bit more.

There is an upcoming gubernatorial election in Miss., and it looks likely that Haley Barbour will win. If Trent wants to resign after Haley becomes Governor and can appoint a Republican to replace him, he can do so then.

But to resign now and imperil the GOP majority would be churlish and would only hurt Lott's own legacy.

[sinkspur]

You're misinterpreting what is happening here, IMHO. Lott's failure of political leadership has damaged his party

I'm not misinterpeting anything, beckett.

The race pimps see an opening to damage the GOP, and the GOP is allowing them to do it.

And the "canonized conservatives", who've hated Trent Lott since impeachment, see an opening to kick him out the door. If he goes out branded a "racist," they could care less.

[John Lenin]

but without them we become just another power-loving bunch of prostitutes like the dems!

Like Nickles isn't ?

[AmericaUnited]

Couldn't we then say that the Senate weighed the charges, gave it serious consideration(by having the challenge and the vote), and in the end deemed the accusations to be overblown.

Right! Except this is the same senate that did just that for ScumBag42

[Republic of Texas]

Lott has indirectly threatened to quit the Senate altogether if he is removed as Majority Leader. This is his "Samson" defense, and one that would put the Senate at 50-50...again.

[kcvl]

Yippee! How about we lose it all because people fall for the race-baiting EVERY TIME they use it? Where does it stop? Maybe you didn't notice but Mississippi helped put President Bush in the White House.

[BuddhaBoy]

"Shooting the wounded" is something the Republicans do very well.

Trent Lott shot himself. We "perennial bitchers" don’t need him as leader. Just answer this question: Do you think Nickles is LESS of a conservative than Trent Lott?

You are only after Nickles now, because he had the nerve to go against you.

[sinkspur]

If Nickles wins, he is a front runner for 2008.

No Senator has been elected president in 42 years.

This isn't about 2008; it's about taking advantage of an opportunity NOW.

Nickles is not presidential material, now or ever.

[cake_crumb]

"maybe as a complicated strategy, we should nominate Sen. Byrd and see what kind of votes he gets."

OOOOOO.....that is such an EEEVEEEL idea....I LOVE it!

[alnick]

You're being generous.

[AmericaUnited]

I don't think Lott is really one-bit of a racist. I just say let's use this opportunity to dump him as leader because of past sins and current stupidity.

[SoCar]

You are 100% correct in your assessment of Nickles. This is a craven, opportunistic, move by a man who has always wanted to be Majority Leader. He would be a poor ML as shown by his lack of loyalty and tact.

After seeing Mitch McConnell this morning, I am greatly impressed by this man. He also wants to be ML, but unlike traitor Nickles has not taken advantage of this opportunity to advance himself. He also said that if a centure vote was put forth against Lott he would introduce one against all Senators who have made racially insensitive comments (Byrd). HOORAY!!!

We truly are the Stupid Party if we do not follow McConnell's lead. Lott has apologized several times and is not a segragationist. The double standard is appalling. The Rats response to questions regarding Byrd's comments are "well he is not the Majority Leader." No, he's only President Pro-Tem and in the line of succession!!! We need to throw this back at them and ask "well, if he was the Majority Leader would you then ask for Byrd to step down over his comments?"