Posted on 12/15/2002 6:33:57 AM PST by rightwing2
Fox News just reported that ABC reported that Nickles has called for a new Senate leadership challenge to Trent Lott!
That told me all I need to know about how much Lott cares about the party and this country.
And if he stays on, I won't be able to respect the OTHER senators who let Lott blackmail them.
Hello!!!!!!!
Hello!
This is a THREAD ABOUT TRENT LOTT!
We agree on much when it comes to issues, however if the "whole party" is dependent upon the survival of a weak at best SML, severely damaged by both his actions and his words, then the party is just a cracked shell waiting to crumble at even the smallest chip.
Of course I am biased as I used Lott's unwillingness or inability to make the DemocRATS stand up and support the slick one in a real trial, with real witnesses, to move me from remaining in the GOP after 32 years of loyal support anyway.
I could be wrong but I think Lott has been the biggest liability to the GOP even before his verbal gaff and I don't find that gaff all that bad. I just want Lott gone. For the sake of the Republic.
You are using the proper word alright, fiasco. Yes, I was behind Lott when this first broke willing to give him benefit of doubt but then he time after time dug himself a deeper hole by mismanagement of his "fiasco." First he let this thing fester for four or five days before he sent his staff out to read a statement that blamed everyone else if they misinterpreted his words. Then he sent an aid forth to give another half hearted statement. Then he went on radio to apologize personally and talked about "discarded" policies rather than wrong or immoral policies. Besides he couldnt be bothered to drive 45 miles to go on TV and put this to rest because its just a bunch of racebaiter RATS causing trouble on the plantation. Then he finally made a real apology but one lacking in emotion and where he made a few additional mistakes such as claiming I have black friends, blah blah. Lott shot himself in the foot. Then he totally mismanaged his predicament. Lott destroyed himself and now he's either in denial or just wants to take the party down with him.
Now where is Lott going to rebuild his name? Can he do it from the private sector? Not a chance. He needs to stay in the Senate in order to build his name back and establish some kind of legacy.
If he was samrt, which, unfortunately he's not, he'd negotiate his resignation with the Senate so that he has a nice high profile committee chair from which he can use to prop up his reputation and rebuild his power base. In 5-10 years this will all blow over and if he stays in the Senate that long, he can re-estabish himself to a position of leadership.
If he leaves the Senate, then he might as well leave wearing white sheets and a Red Coat, because he'll forever be known as a racist Benedict Arnold, and after he leaves no one will mention his name again.
It's up to Lott as to what his legacy will be. If he has any brains, he'll voluntarily remove himself from leadership and quietly take his seat in the Senate.
And when did Lott show loyalty to him? When he said he wasn't going to bring anything up for a vote during a lame duck session after he knew how hard Bush worked during the campaign? How about during the week that Bush gave him to take care of this mess? Lott was too busy being on vacation to properly address a matter that he was undoubtedly told was important. Do you really think Bush would have gone out and rebuked Lott of Lott hadn't ignored the situation and pretended it wasn't important enough for him to interrupt his vacation?
I really don't understand why you are dragging President Bush into this mess. You want him to stand up for Lott? NO president should get involved in a senate leadership race. He has to work with whoever the SENATORS decide should be leader.
Lott handled this whole situation poorly, first by having his press office issue a flip statement, then by not caring enough to travel into town to publically appear before the people to apologize, and then by holding that press conference with all those tacky cheers in the background. IF he survives, he's going to be a weakened leader, but that's for the senators to decide, not President Bush, at least not publically.
Pot... Kettle.... That cuts both ways doesn't it. All some of us are trying to say is if you let the race pimps call the shots on this one at this immediate time then be prepared to dance their jig for many moons to come. In due course things need to change but to let them push you into this because they hollered and squealed like stuck pigs is no way to govern.
I have no eartly idea why you are anyone would think that the man wouldn't leave the Senate if ripped apart and demoted by his peers. Tell me you could honestly stick around and hold your head up.
My gut feeling is Lott is gone and the Republican Party can kiss any effective governing out the window for the foreseeable future. All the democrats have to do is put up road blocks and they will now cave. The opposition has won. But then that's the position the Republicans like to be in, underdogs and then they can moan and groan about the democrats, etc. They haven't learned how to lead and apparently never will......
President Bush is a united as you say. That means he compromises with the opposition to accomplish parts of his objective. He's not a staunch conservative, never has been. jmo, of course.... You have a nice one also.
According to who you???
Get real.
So TLB how should the President show guts??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.