# Trent Lott **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127 "2002-12-11T22:56:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![barton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@barton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/61 "2002-12-13T01:49:51Z")
I too find it interesting that Lott’s quiet nodding at his white constituents is suddenly important. My guess is the Democrats have finally found a clear-cut issue that they can easily win on that doesn’t involve Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/62 "2002-12-13T02:25:58Z")
I think it’s more that, while Lott wasn’t making bonehead remarks, his nodding and winking was deniable, and wasn’t actively hurting the Republicans attempt to recast themselves as racially inclusive. Then Lott dropped his cigarette butt on a pile of oily rags. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/63 "2002-12-13T03:08:20Z")
I’ve been pondering **elucidator’s** points about the seeming swiftness of the GOP in turning on Lott. I actually thought **Jeevemon** had nailed it in this post from the pit thread. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Jeevemon in the pit thread_ > The Bush administration brooks no political liabilities. My suspicion is that, having shown party solidarity and pledged his support for Lott as majority leader, Bush will send Karl Rove and/or Dick Cheney behind the scenes to “persuade” Lott to step down as majority leader. And then he would join a growing pile of prominent Republicans who were nudged out of their positions because they had become a liability to the administration. Of course, GWB has now publicly excoriated Lott himself. I wonder if this was precipitated in any way by W.'s close relationship with Condaleeza Rice. I don’t believe that she would buy any of Lott’s bullshit back-pedalling, and I also think that Bush values and respects Rice’s opinion far more than he values and respects Trent Lott. Essentially, though, I think Jeevemon is right. This administration will not tolerate a damaged political entity running the senate. I don’t think Lott will be asked to resign his senate seat, but he may get a phone call strongly suggesting that he remove himself as a candidate for senate majority leader. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/64 "2002-12-13T03:19:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Milossarian \* > \*\*If I were black, I’d be offended by Lott’s comments. > > \*\* while I agree with much of what you said, I’m not black and I was offended by what Lott said. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/65 "2002-12-13T03:42:05Z")
Somebody really needs to get rich by teaching public figures how to apologize effectively and in such a way as to do damage control. Falwell/Robertson’s post-9-11 “we didn’t mean any offense saying God was aiming for sodomites and feminists and missed” apology, Clinton’s “I did not have sex with that woman… well, sex is a tricky word” apology, Lott, etc… Maybe a multimedia update of THE PRINCE is in order. The public will forgive a sinner much sooner than they will an idiot or a liar. If Lott had said “I was drunk and talking out of my ass”, or Falwell had said “I had just seen a skyscraper blown up by an airplane and was trying to make sense of it and made a dumbass statement”, or Clinton had said “I committed adultery, I’m sorry I did it, I’d really rather not talk about it, let’s please drop it”, I think it would have all gone much better on them. But if I have never been a public figure and am working a middle-class job and I can figure this out, why the hell can’t their 6 figure handlers? ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/66 "2002-12-13T03:53:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > **Somebody really needs to get rich by teaching public figures how to apologize effectively and in such a way as to do damage control.** Just send them a tape of Jimmy Swaggart’s tearful begging for forgiveness. Now _that’s_ self-flagellation! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/67 "2002-12-13T04:24:54Z")
What’s up with Lott’s 1992 renunciation of the Council of Conservative Citizens ? Has he renounced the renunciation ? I was just perusing the ccc website, and they have nothing but praise for the good Senator. There’s a lovely picture of Lott on the main page: [C of CC](http://www.cofcc.org/) Also at the site is a resolution commending his work defending our borders from the **Hispanic Menace** : > [@](#): > > Resolution Commending Sen. Trent Lott > (Passed unanimously by the Board of Directors and members of the Council of Conservative Citizens meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, November 16, Year of Our Lord 2002.) > > WHEREAS the U.S. Constitution obligates the federal government to protect the states from foreign invasion; and > WHEREAS some 300,000 aliens each year violate our laws and threaten … > > NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of Conservative Citizens commends Sen. Lott for his statement and that The Council calls on President Bush to fulfill his constitutional duty and place U.S. troops on the border to halt the invasion of the United States by illegal immigrants. > > Done this 16th day of November 2002. [Here](http://www.cofcc.org/events.htm). Note the date on this ! This seems a little blatant for the republican party to credibly claim ignorance. Don’t they run background checks before electing their leaders ? ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/68 "2002-12-13T05:30:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > \*\*Clinton had said “I committed adultery, I’m sorry I did it, I’d really rather not talk about it, let’s please drop it” \*\* Clinton’s apology was actually pretty similar to that. Though he just said he was sorry for what he did without admitting anything. ---
**Author:** ![Saen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Saen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saen)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/69 "2002-12-13T05:56:56Z")
Buncha overreaction here and elsewhere. I don’t see Lott stepping down from majority leader. All that will come of it is a couple of weeks of Lott appologizing and being criticized by every Democrat who isn’t in a coma. And a couple of pubies who want to look good to their black constituents. The News hounds will find something else to slobber over, and your dem talking heads will try to bring up the dead horse next elections. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/70 "2002-12-13T14:27:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*Oh really? How about citing me a few prominent Republicans who’ve called for his resignation as Majority Leader, hmm? > > **Then later…** > > …Ah, the punditry. Like rats abandoning a sinking ship. I was really looking for Republican officials, but the blog feeders will have to do, I guess. \*\* OK, **Minty** is this high enough up the Republican leadership for you? [Bush denounces Lott’s remarks.](http://msnbc.com/news/845511.asp?0cv=CB10) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/71 "2002-12-13T14:56:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bnorton \* > \*\*OK, **Minty** is this high enough up the Republican leadership for you? [Bush denounces Lott’s remarks.](http://msnbc.com/news/845511.asp?0cv=CB10) \*\* But where did he call for his resignation? I for one hope he stays on as leader of the Republicans in the Senate. He would be a constant reminder of what might lurk in the hearts of the compassionate conservative. On another note, I have read postings of several conservatives/Republicans, here (IIRC) and elsewhere refer to Lott as having botched the impeachment. Perhaps this is a matter for a different thread, but how is he supposed to have done this? Seemed to me at the time he tried pretty hard. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/72 "2002-12-13T15:17:00Z")
With respect to party leaders calling for his actual resignation that would be almost unheard of this early into the story. You always want to give your own guys a chance to either wiggle out of their own mess or make the resignation call themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/73 "2002-12-13T15:47:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sampiro \* > **Of course, he does have a BS in Public Administration and a law degree** Well, he’s got BS all right. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/74 "2002-12-13T16:05:33Z")
Does racial discrimination always violate public policy? ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/75 "2002-12-13T16:39:51Z")
Yes, even though it does not always violate the law. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/76 "2002-12-13T17:46:09Z")
But consensual affairs do not have anything to do with public policy, despite the usual attempts to say “Clinton did something like that too, so shut up”. **elucidator** , there may not be any one scheme under the surface about Lott’s future. It’s impossible to have his position and not make enemies all around, or even simply be seen as an obstacle to others’ ambitions. The sharks are always circling, and now they smell blood in the water, and the feeding frenzy is starting. They don’t have to be organized to be frenzied, and all it takes is one shark to be the first to notice and tell the others (nice work, Al). I doubt Lott has been asked to depart by anyone who has influence with him, but the implication is there in every denunciation. If a Republican office-holder is holding back in public statements, it may be out of fear that Lott won’t be gone after all, but will still be in position to exact retribution. But when Jay Leno is making jokes about you, you’re done (unless you’re Clinton), and Lott’s done. Trent, take the rest of the bigoted cohort that Nixon wooed away from the Dems after the 1964 Civil Rights Act with his “Southern Strategy” with you, too. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/77 "2002-12-13T17:54:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*But when Jay Leno is making jokes about you, you’re done (unless you’re Clinton), and Lott’s done. \*\* I hope you’re right. Lott’s holding a press conference this afternoon at 4:30 CST to apologize again and put this behind him, but not to step down, says [www.drudgereport.com](http://www.drudgereport.com) ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/78 "2002-12-13T18:01:55Z")
The essential problem is not his recent comments, but his views. If he had never spoken this way in the past, explaining this as a slip of the tongue might work. But we know better. Whites outside the South over the age of 50 and Blacks of every age and place know what this is about. It’s not about what happened thirty years ago, but Lott’s view of those matters now. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/79 "2002-12-13T18:28:28Z")
A blogger named **Josh Chafetz** has a [different prediction](http://volokh.blogspot.com/2002_12_08_volokh_archive.html#90049124) about Lott’s press conference. > [@](#): > > Lott will be holding a press conference this afternoon in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The AP thinks the press conference is to apologize, as does Drudge. But a Republican Party source tells me that Lott is pretty close to being shown the door, and that the press conference this afternoon may in fact be an announcement that he’s stepping down. My source told me, however, that nothing had been decided yet for sure. Got my fingers crossed. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127/80 "2002-12-13T18:28:53Z")
Trent Lott has always been saying these kinds of things, and it was a tip of the hat to his supporters. Even those who like him (and I do have a conservative friend who knows him personally) say he is well educated and not a loudmouth, but an idiot. But his position and supporters over the years do nothing to dispell the notion that he is a racist who usually keeps his mouth shut. This is one of the major concerns that liberals have about the Republican party. I think the Republicans should have got rid of Lott as their Senate leader long ago. That they do not have better does not bode well for them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trent-lott/142127.md?page=5)