[deport]

Are you sure the blackmail story is true? Someone in Lott's office said it was not.

Does it matter anymore whether it was true or not at this point. It's been picked up and scattered and repeated at every opportunity .... so Lott may just as well have said it as he'll be tarred with the smear for the rest of his life and beyond.

Was Lott even on the conference phone call to which it is attributed the said the statement?

[aristeides]

The Washington Post yesterday explicitly reported that Lott was not on the conference call.

[Torie]

No, Lott was not in the call. Of course, Lott has not taken the opportunity to say that he will not resign from the senate. That is probably something he should do at some point, if he wants to try to win this thing. Otherwise, senators will be asked if they supported Lott because he blackmailed them. That cannot stand. In short, Lott's failure to do so, would be an indication that he knows the jig is up, and just wants to keep folks guessing, so that they have to sweat for awhile.