# Trent Lott starts with the threats now-- nice **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323 "2002-12-17T13:52:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/21 "2002-12-17T15:58:26Z")
You really have to ask yourself what sort of an idiot shoots himself in the foot this badly after his side wins. Jesus christ, they have the senate majority all he had to do was keep his mouth shut, mumble some words about strom thurman’s lifetime of government service and get drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/22 "2002-12-17T16:10:42Z")
Trent Lot is a fool and an ass. Buh bye. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/23 "2002-12-17T16:12:18Z")
Lott. Not “Lot”. Sigh. Need more coffee. Two typos in two different threads in a span of two minutes. I’m a real winner today, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/24 "2002-12-17T16:28:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > **Virtually all members of the U.S. Senate are power hungry, egotistical fucks.** And you know all of them personally, I suppose? Or have worked for all of them? I didn’t think so. As for Lott’s BET interview. I think it would have been better for him if he hadn’t done it. I think my favorite part was when Lott said, “I’ve never felt superior to anyone because of skin color in my life.” The interviewer responded with, “Not even when, as fraternity president, you actively sought to block blacks from joining your fraternity?” Lott’s answer? “No, not even then.” I mean, come on. That just makes him look like a liar. He should have come out and said that in his youth he was a racist. But as he began to get out in the real world and had to interact with more and more people of different races, he came to realize that those views were not just wrong, but reprehensible and said that it was something about his past that he is terribly ashamed of. Then he should have stated again that he recognizes that his comments were inappropriate and racially insensitive, and stated again that they in no way reflect his outlook on race. Then announced his push for tripling the funding for inner-city schools in Mississippi. I should be his Chief of Staff. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/25 "2002-12-17T16:31:47Z")
But Lot **is** a righteous man – it says so in the Bible, right!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/26 "2002-12-17T16:34:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*So if Lott resigns, Musgrove assigns Lt. Gov. Tuck to the position, tying the Senate at 50-50, is some Rep. senator from New England obligated to switch to Independent again? \*\* Amy Tuck is actually a Republican – she switched parties about two weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/27 "2002-12-17T16:37:54Z")
Link to Tuck’ switch: [http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0212/03/m01.html](http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0212/03/m01.html) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/28 "2002-12-17T16:39:50Z")
> [@](#): > > I should be his Chief of Staff. Are you looking to pick up some quick cash over christmas break ? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/29 "2002-12-17T16:43:44Z")
Lott should take Lot’s cue and get the hell out of dodge…and don’t look back! ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/30 "2002-12-17T16:44:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*But Lot **is** a righteous man – it says so in the Bible, right!!! 😃 \*\* Well, Lott is no Lot, that’s for sure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/31 "2002-12-17T16:53:47Z")
A pre-lunch odyssey through GoogleNews. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*I may be wrong, but the weasily way Lott made this statement led me to suspect that he has no black staffers right now. Since his staffers probably come from D.C. and Mississippi, there ought to be plenty of potential black emmployees available. \*\* You’re right, it does sound weaselly. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64210-2002Dec16.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64210-2002Dec16.html) > [@](#): > > LOTT: I am for affirmative action. And I practice it. I have had African-Americans on my staff, and other minorities, but particularly African-Americans, since the mid-1970s. > > I have had a particular program… > > GORDON: But to have one on one’s staff–you understand the difference, though, to have a black on your staff and to push legislation that would help African-Americans, minorities across the board, are completely different. > > LOTT: You know, again, you cam get into arguments about timetables and quotas. Still, it’s possible he just didn’t want to single out or otherwise endanger the black staffers he may have. Besides the Washington office he also has five “field offices” in Mississippi, and I’d be really surprised if he had absolutely no blacks working in any of them. How would he keep the lid on something like that? Sooner or later somebody would notice and would have said something. But then, there’s this. [http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/nation\_and\_world/article/0,1426,MCA\_454\_1614571,00.html](http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/nation_and_world/article/0,1426,MCA_454_1614571,00.html) > [@](#): > > South’s voters dealt with race card long ago > By Reed Branson > December 17, 2002 > > …But for others, such as Lott and Thurmond, their political journey through the Republican Party demanded less outreach to black voters. > > "It was not nearly as much of a transition for Strom and for Trent Lott because . . . the base in the Republican Party included so few blacks,’’ said [Robert J. Norrell, a professor of history at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville who specializes in race relations in the South]. "Now they have constituents who are blacks, and Thurmond at least made some efforts to have black staff members and make those kind of connections without abandoning his fundamental conservative positions.’’ And I turned up one actual African-American Strom intern. [http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=\\Culture\\archive\\200212\\CUL20021210b.html](http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5C%5CCulture%5C%5Carchive%5C%5C200212%5C%5CCUL20021210b.html) > [@](#): > > Nationally syndicated conservative columnist Armstrong Williams, an African American who served on Senator Thurmond’s staff as an intern, told [CNSNews.com](http://CNSNews.com) that Senator Lott’s comments “sent chills down my spine.” Still looking for Trent’s. This is as close as I’ve gotten so far. [http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/11/lott.comment/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/11/lott.comment/index.html) > [@](#): > > Lott told King he hoped he could be judged in the full context of his career, which he said has included support of historically black colleges and universities. > > “I do have a long record of trying to involve African-Americans and supporting our historical black colleges and universities – Jackson State University, Alcorn University – making sure that we had an active intern program to bring African-Americans into the state,” he said. > **[Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines](https://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=68&ncid=68&e=17&u=%2Fnyt%2F20021214%2Fts_nyt%2Flott_apologizes_but_won_t_yield_leadership_post)** > > The latest news and headlines from Yahoo! News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos. > [@](#): > > Lott Apologizes but Won’t Yield Leadership Post > Sat Dec 14, 8:59 AM ET > By DAVID M. HALBFINGER The New York Times > > PASCAGOULA, Miss., Dec. 13 Senator Trent Lott delivered a lengthy public apology today… > > \< snip \> > > In his defense, Mr. Lott said he had spoken at one historically black college, Alcorn State University, and provided federal research funds for another, Jackson State University; hired numerous minority interns and staff members over the years; and appointed black Mississippians and others to national and regional federal posts. And then we’re back to this. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52111-2002Dec13.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52111-2002Dec13.html) > [@](#): > > I’m trying to help our universities, including our historically black universities and colleges. I have a program named for me at Jackson State University because I helped get some research funds from Defense and NASA to help them do some research for the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. I gave the commencement address at Alcorn State University. I probably had six or eight interns from Alcorn State University. > \< snip \> > > And I’ve had staff members for years and years and years, including some from right here in Moss Point and Pascagoula, Mississippi, area. And I do today. And it’s not just African-Americans. I have other minorities that have worked or work for me now. So I’m gonna say that he probably does have some African-American staffers somewhere, because for one thing, with these comments being disseminated as widely as they are, and with so many hungry journalists on the prowl, if the fact was that he really didn’t have any black staffers, somebody somewhere would have raised their hand by now and said, “Um…” ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/32 "2002-12-17T16:55:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Squink \* > \*\*Are you looking to pick up some quick cash over christmas break ? \*\* Hey, who isn’t? And I’m right here in DC anyway, so… ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/33 "2002-12-17T16:56:25Z")
Of course even if Lott resigns and Musgrove appoints a Democrat to replace him (Jean Carnahan, up for a move to Mississippi?) the Republicans by din’t of holding the vice-presidency will still control the Senate, as Dick Cheney will cast any tie-breaking votes. At least if that happens, though, we’ll know where Dickie is on a day-to-day basis, unless the entire Senate plans on moving to a “secure, undisclosed location.” ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/34 "2002-12-17T17:08:50Z")
Gee… no one seems to be squawking about the root source of all this trouble: the guy Lott was praising when he stepped in the baaad stuff, one Strom Thurmond. Thurmond is about as racist as they come and still hold political office. How come no one’s squawking about HIS voting record? Not that I’m wild about Lott’s either, but if we’re going to clean all the poisonous evil scum out of Congress, why think small? ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/35 "2002-12-17T17:21:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wang-Ka \* > \*\*Gee… no one seems to be squawking about the root source of all this trouble: the guy Lott was praising when he stepped in the baaad stuff, one Strom Thurmond. > > Thurmond is about as racist as they come and still hold political office. How come no one’s squawking about HIS voting record? > > Not that I’m wild about Lott’s either, but if we’re going to clean all the poisonous evil scum out of Congress, why think small? \*\* Well, Thurmond is retiring (finally), and just celebrated his 100th birthday. We don’t expect that he will be with us much longer. It has also been said that Thurmond has recanted the views he held in 1948, and Thurmond did vote for extending the Voting Rights Act and for the King holiday, both of which Lott opposed. So, the reason no one is squawking about Thurmond is that he’s not going to be in public life anymore, and is not expected to be in this life much longer. Thurmond is also not the incoming majority leader. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/36 "2002-12-17T17:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wang-Ka \* > \*\* > Thurmond is about as racist as they come and still hold political office. How come no one’s squawking about HIS voting record? > \*\* Same reason that Robert Byrd is in the Senate even though he was in the klan. Recantation baby. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/37 "2002-12-17T17:36:52Z")
Good article discussing Lott’s voting record on race issues: [Critics say Lott’s voting record reveals his true colors](http://www.redding.com/news/national/past/20021213nat052.shtml) > [@](#): > > In an appearance Wednesday on the talk show of conservative radio host Sean Hannity, Lott said that he had hired or appointed many African-Americans. > > But his office did not respond to a request for a racial breakdown of his staff. In 1999, when Lott was embroiled in another racial controversy, he had only one African-American worker, a mail clerk, out of a staff of 65. ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/38 "2002-12-17T17:46:44Z")
Rank and file Republicans I know have long been disgusted with the party’s coddling of the far right wing, to the extent that several of them are now _former_ Republicans. The best thing the Republican party could do is to loudly denounce this shit-stain without giving his whiny-ass threats to step down any consideration at all. With the VP, even a 50-50 split still goes in their favor- and come next election I know several former Republicans that could be enticed back if the party would just take a hard line with the racist assholes within their ranks. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/39 "2002-12-17T18:16:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grendel72 \* > \*\*Rank and file Republicans I know have long been disgusted with the party’s coddling of the far right wing, to the extent that several of them are now _former_ Republicans. > The best thing the Republican party could do is to loudly denounce this shit-stain without giving his whiny-ass threats to step down any consideration at all. With the VP, even a 50-50 split still goes in their favor- and come next election I know several former Republicans that could be enticed back if the party would just take a hard line with the racist assholes within their ranks. \*\* Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to happen because the racists, gun lovers, and fundamentalists also tend to be the ones who go out to vote. If Karl Rove took one lesson from nearly losing the election in 2000, it is that turnout is key. If pandering to the racists means that more GOP voters turn out than Democratic voters, then pandering will occur. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323/40 "2002-12-17T18:42:19Z")
If Lott is going to learn anything from this, it is that apologizing is not going to help any more. Those who are after him are doing so because they see a chance to pick up a Democratic seat in the Senate. They are not going to listen to any apologies, and nothing will satisfy them except his ouster. Lott is going down the wrong path. He should stop apologizing, stop trying to combat any of this, and respond to all press questions on the subject with, “I have already apologized for my comments, which were wrong. I don’t support segregation in any way, shape, or form.” And keep repeating this, using the same words, until the press gets tired of baiting him. This is no longer about race relations, and Lott is fooling himself if he thinks the press is interested in better relations between the races in America. This is pure power politics. The press wants control of the Senate back in Democratic hands. This is payback for the Republicans winning the elections. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott-starts-with-the-threats-now-nice/143323.md?page=3)