[TLBSHOW]

There's also a rumor going around that Lott is blackmailing Bush--threatening to resign from the Senate entirely if he is called upon to step down as Majority Leader, which could place Republican control of the Senate in jeopardy.
http://www.thismodernworld.com/

[NautiNurse]

There's also a rumor going around that Lott is blackmailing Bush

...and this makes him a better man and majority leader of the Senate?

[marajade]

All is fair in love and politics... I don't blame Lott for threatening... what does he have to lose?

The Republicans should have waited until the new senate was seating in January anyway and gone to Lott then about his ineffectiveness as leader and told him not to run because of those issues not this one...

[JulieRNR21]

Drudge has a link to the following on his site regarding the 'threat' of Lott's possible resignation of Senate seat:

"As the call began, McConnell—second in command and a Lott ally—delivered a history lesson. “Leaders who are ousted tend to leave altogether,” he said in his voice-of-doom baritone. “That is what Newt Gingrich did. That is what Jim Wright did. They don’t stick around.” If Lott left, he noted, the Democratic governor of Lott’s home state of Mississippi would name one of his own as a replacement. Republicans relishing the return of perks, power and committee chairmanships could forget it.

Instead, they would face the kiss-your-sister chaos of a 50-50 Senate. “I was just explaining the history,” McConnell told NEWSWEEK. Other participants remember the moment differently. “He was raising the idea that Trent would blow himself up,” said one. Lott, for his part, distanced himself from the threat—even as aides still were making it on his behalf. “My term runs through 2006,” he told NEWSWEEK. “I intend to serve it, whatever happens.”

Entire story here:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/847739.asp?