This from the Drudge Report...I hope he's gone! INSIDERS WARN: STEP DOWN OR BE PUSHED Mon Dec 16 2002 22:45:08 ET 2002 In words that seemed sure to surprise and possibly infuriate a good portion of Sen. Trent Lott's traditional political base, he told his interviewer, Ed Gordon of Black Entertainment Television, "There has been immoral leadership in my part of the country for a long time." MORE Many Republicans said Lott might not survive until a planned Jan. 6 Republican meeting, as some prominent party officials predicted privately that the Mississippi Republican might have to relinquish his post even sooner if it became clear he did not have the support of a majority of Republican senators or the White House, the NEW YORK TIMES is reporting on Tuesday. "One outside adviser with close ties to the administration said Lott had become a "walking pinata" and that the Mississippi Republican's departure from the Senate leadership had now become inevitable. "Political physics has set in -- it's only a matter of time," the adviser said. "The best scenario is for Lott to come to the obvious conclusion himself and avoid a painful confrontation." Another sign of Lott's growing political problems were private discussions among some of his colleagues to find an alternative position for Lott, other than his current leadership role. Such a position, such as a committee chairmanship, might help keep him from resigning his seat in the event he is dislodged as leader, the paper claims in its lead story. MORE Lott told a national black television audience that he regretted his vote against a national holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; seeking to explain his vote in 1983, Lott pleaded ignorance. "I'm not sure we in America, certainly not white America, people in the South, fully understood who this man was, the impact he has had on the fabric of this country," he said. Impacting.
Well, I read on www.politicalwire.com that if he did end up resigning his seat as well as his leadership position, there would only be a new Democratic Senator from Mississippi (assuming that the Governor, a Democrat, appointed a Democrat) until a special election could be held-within 90 days.
yeah..drudgereport is reporting the same... screw it...it's more important to have integrity than to maintain political majority.
I'm thinking that it would make more Republicans come out for him being removed as leader, regardless of his threat to completely quit, if they knew that Mississippi would have another election within three months.
I almost always vote Republican and I think Trent Lott should step down NOW. He is besmirching the recent success of the Republican party and is too easy a target for the Democrats to pick on. Looks like the Democrats received an early Christmas present from the most unlikely of givers...
If I was the Democratic governor of MS, I'd tell the GOP I'd appoint someone of their liking just to take the "I'll quit" card from Lott. Screw Lott. The BET host got him good when he asked why Lott voted against the MLK holiday.
Perfectly stated. The fact that almost all politicians have the exact opposite view of things scares me.
I can understand if Lott doesn't want to quit his job as Senator, but I think his ability to lead the Senate has been irreparably damaged by his remarks. If he is smart, he'll let someone else become the figurehead and then contribute behind the scenes (although he doesn't exactly have a reputation as a great mind or administrator).
