Lott vows to fight, but support slipping: Many on Capitol Hill see Bush push to replace SML

The thing is, Lott didn't have much capital left with the base after all of his screwups:

Impeachment, CWC, power-sharing, not preventing Jeffords from jumping, etc.

Something was going to give, and Lott was probably down to his last chance with the new majority. And, at Strom's birthday party, he blew it - before he even had the chance to cave to Daschle in the 108th Congress - and he blew it by making a comment that Carville was able to twist. He made that comment on national TV (CSPAN), and he should have known that there would have been such a risk. Not only was it something that has unfairly tarred conservatives as racist, but it also put outreach efforts to blacks and Hispanics at risk - outreach efforts promoted by a popular President.

Now, there are several reasons to dump Trent Lott:
1. The abject stupidity of the man to make such a comment on national TV.

2. His pretty poor performance as Majority Leader.

3. The fact that we, as conservatives, tend to hold our side to higher standards of decency and conduct.

4. Since the firestorm started, Lott has moved left on certain issues.

5. The presence of better options as Majority Leader in the Senate (Frist/Santorum/Nickles take your pick).

We would not be in this situation if Trent Lott had not opened his mouth before his brain was engaged. That is where this matter came from, and Trent Lott's the only person who can control what he is saying. And he messed up, big time. I support freedom of speech, but I'm NOT going to support efforts to protect someone from the CONSEQUENCES of exercising freedom of speech. The consequences in this case for Trent Lott will probably involve him losing the position as Majority Leader.

Unfortunately, we've seen some stuff bubble up here. Part of it might be a carryover from other contentious issues. Part of it might be the fact we're all a little touchy and sensititve right now because of the firestorm Lott created with his big mouth.

The fact is, segregation was wrong. It implied that some people did not warrant the same protection as others did because of their race. It harmed blacks by excusing stuff that was inexcusable (like lynching). That was morally wrong, and it was flat-out unconstitutional. And EVERYONE, particularly those targeted by segregation, knew it was an effort to keep a certain group of people down.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the welfare state is also wrong, and it's also nsidious. Because right now, not everyone realizes that it is keeping people down, particularly the group of people it is hurting the most - blacks. Heck, the VICTIMS of the welfare state seem for the most part convinced that it is in their interest to keep supporting the welfare state, and that any effort to reform it is an attempt by racists to screw them over.

If anything, the Left made a BIG miscalculation. They thought we'd all close ranks around Lott and defend him tooth and nail - the way they defended Clinton. They thought they'd have a Senate Majority Leader who would flinch whenever they twitched. Well, they miscalculated, and there is a good chance that Lott's going to have to call a new vote for Majority Leader - one he'll probably lose.

We've got a chance to get the high ground here. And we can work over a few Dems in the process. So let's see if we can't get to work on that front, shall we?

One final note: Free Republic has a preview feature. I suggest we use it so as to make sure we're tyiping what we really mean to say out there. It's rough enough as it is - we don't need misunderstandings to make things worse than they already are.

"Then I broke the bad news to him: The GOP, despite weeks of wall-to-wall negative coverage, hasn't been the least bit tarnished by it. Well over half -- 56% -- view the Republican favorably in an ABC News/Washington Post poll just out, while 60% believe the GOP is "committed to equal opportunity for minorities." But that's not the worse news for Democrats: Even a majority of minorities in the survey -- 52% -- see the Republican Party, despite all the propaganda, as "committed to equal opportunity for minorities."

LOL, John. Thanks for putting these little tidbits in your wonderful 2 Cents. Funny though: the presstitutes have breathed nary a word about these numbers. Hmmmmm. That's strange. Not.

In any event, in scrolling down this thread, I see that, once again, opinions differ on this Lott thing. From the experienced Common Tator to savvy self studied FR pundits, opinions differ. I am so tired of this Lott thing. So tired. It is piling on by the press and does not seem fair any more. Methinks that the pressholes and Clymers may be overplaying their hand and turning Lott into a victim. I would think many of the sheeple are tired of it too. Oh well, as the beat goes on, I'm moving on....

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