It is, however, fourth in the line of presidential succession. Black leaders have been repeatedly making false claims that Lott was in the line of presidential succession, when in fact he was (and is) not, and Byrd is.
That's ignoring the fact that Byrd is also chairman of the Appropriations Committee, which, far from being a merely ceremonial position, is an extremely powerful one.
Ordinarily, president pro-tem is nothing but a ceremonial role in the Senate with no real power. Lott has been humbled and demoted by his own party in recognition of racial equality. It's time for the dems to walk the walk, ie. walk the plank, the very same one they set up for Lott to walk. There is no way they can win a contest like this. Republicans have nothing to lose, but the dems have a great deal to lose. They will choose to stand down rather than slug it out with us.
The U.S. Constitution provides for a President Pro Tempore to preside over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore is also the third person in line of succession for the Presidency, following the Vice President and the Speaker of the House.
In addition, the President Pro Tempore serves as a member of his party's leadership team.
If the 'Let's Roll' plane had not been the scene of the first counter-attack for 911, and if Cheney and Bush had gone up with the White House, and if Hastert had been over at the White House... The Blacks would have a KKK leader as their president. And the Dems did nothing but run racist dragging ads, with the daughter of the victim as a tag line...