I am probably going to get in trouble again but what the hey. Lott was doomed from the start. Once the charge of "racist" is placed into circulation there is nowhere for a republican leader to hide or no explanation that will be acceptable. The entire process was predictable because it is a tried and true strategy. Lott was latest in a long string of victories. Lott is gone and that is a good thing but what are we going to do the next time? Is Frist going to face the wrath of single-issue forces on abortion from the right AND the left? If so what have we gained?
I wish I knew.. I don't has an answer to be honest about it.
IMO, we are just going to have to accept the fact that some people can see through the BS, some can't and some will but they aren't ready to yet.
We should have told the truth: "Trent Lott is an idiot and he made a mistake. He's very sorry for that and is not a racist. However, because of this Je$$ie Jack$on and the CBC are trying (again) to win in the court of public opinion what the American People denied them at the polls."
Like you, I don't know what all this bending and twisting is supposed to win us.
When it's all done we will have validated yet another false charge of racism and 95% of the Blacks still won't vote for us. Further, it won't be over Trent Lott if they ever do decide to vote for us.
I just don't see a victory here.
The achillees heel of the Lott tenure was the way Chafee pop and brat, McCain, Specter, Jeffords and the "I'd Bangor" twins from Maine extracted tribute from him with no exchange of loyalty or tribute of their own. Chafee is positioning himself as the new Jeffords ... it's now or never fancy boy. No extortion accepted from the pale and scrawny soccer lads from Rhode Island. No McCain shenanigans, if he sabotauges a Bush/GOP proposal, he's off Commerce. Cry on Russert's shoulder.
I think this is a crucial discipline, easily leveled on the arrogant, ambitious and amoral ... aka United States Senators. Look how unprincipled and gutless John Breaux has been the last 10 years ... the Dems know how to bury their mavericks forever. Zell Miller and Ben Nelson are a mouse hair from going GOP in my opinion. Their desire to vote the conscience of their citizens, regardless of party affiliation, has ended their careers within the Democratic Party forever.
Good, we'll trade Miller and Nelson for Chafee, McCain and a Lieberman in a Pear tree.