Sen. Trent Lott Announces Resignation

Second-Ranking Republican Says He Will Leave Senate By Year's End

(CBS/AP)  Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, announced Monday he will retire from the Senate before January, ending a 35-year career in Congress in which he rose to his party's top Senate job only to lose it over a remark interpreted as support for segregation.

"It's time for us to do something else," Lott said, speaking for himself and his wife Tricia at a news conference.

Lott, 66, said he had notified President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Sunday about his plans. Barbour, a Republican, will name someone to temporarily replace Lott.

"There are no problems. I feel fine," Lott said.

Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, who helped broker a bipartisan immigration bill that went down to defeat this year despite Mr. Bush's support for it, will run to replace Lott as the Republicans' vote-counting whip, said spokesman Ryan Patmintra.

Lott described his 16 years in the House and 19 in the Senate "a wild ride - and one that I'm proud of."

He said he was leaving with "no anger, no malice."

Lott's colleagues elected him as the Senate's Republican whip last year, a redemption for the Mississippian after his ouster five years ago as the party's Senate leader over remarks he made at retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. Lott had saluted the South Carolina senator with comments later interpreted as support for southern segregationist policies.

Mr. Bush did not stand behind Lott after his remarks about Thurmond, increasing pressure on the lawmaker to step down from the No. 1 Senate job.

Asked about his conversation Sunday with the president, Lott said, "He was very kind in his remarks. Over the years we've had our ups and downs, good times and bad times, both of us." Mr. Bush, Lott said, "felt like I'd be missed in my role" as Senate minority whip.

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Lott a "true friend."

“Senator Lott is one of the strongest defenders of the institution of the Senate and one of the most pleasant Senators I have ever worked with," the Nevada Democrat said. "I am proud to have worked side-by-side with such a distinguished public servant as Trent Lott and I wish him well as he leaves the Senate.”

After the 2006 elections, when Democrats recaptured the Senate, Lott was put in charge of lining up and counting Republican votes as whip, the No. 2 job behind minority leader Mitch McConnell.

Lott, who said he wanted "to be able to leave on a positive note," said he began thinking about retiring in August. His term runs through 2012.

He said he doesn't have a new job lined up and that new restrictions on lobbying that take effect after Dec. 31, 2007 "didn't have a big role" in his decision to retire. The regulations extend the "cooling off" period for lobbying by former members of Congress from one to two years.

Lott becomes the sixth Senate Republican this year to announce retirement. Democrats effectively hold a 51-49 majority in the chamber, including two independents who align themselves with Democrats. His retirement means that Republicans will have to defend 23 seats in next year's election, while Democrats have only 12 seats at stake.

Lott expressed some frustration with the pace of progress on legislation under Democratic leadership, and said it was clearly better to be in the majority. But he also said that politicians often take themselves too seriously.

"In Washington, in life, we tend sometimes to get to thinking that we are especially anointed that only we can do this job, but somebody will pick up the flag and carry on."

Barbour said he will appoint an interim senator within 10 days of Lott's resignation and will set a special election for Nov. 4, 2008 to coincide with the general election. The governor also ruled out taking the job himself, which had been the subject of speculation.

"I will not be a candidate for senator in the special election, and obviously, I won't appoint myself to fill the vacancy on an interim basis," Barbour, who won a second term this month, said in a news release. He called Lott's decision "a terrible loss for Mississippi and for the country."

Lott's seat is likely to remain Republican. GOP Rep. Chip Pickering of Mississippi, a former Lott aide who recently announced his retirement from the House, is widely seen as a potential successor. Pickering issued a statement calling Lott "a great statesman" who "has been a mentor to me." He did not say, however, whether he would seek the Senate job.

Lott's 2006 comeback was an apt outlet for the Mississippian's talents. He was the rare majority leader who seemed to relish the vote-wrangling duties that some of his predecessors loathed.

But the smooth-spoken Mississippian found himself in hot water in December 2002 after going too far in his praise of Thurmond at the South Carolinian's 100th birthday party. Lott said Mississippi voters were proud to have supported Thurmond when he ran for president on a segregationist platform in 1948, and added: "If the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."

A few days later, Lott issued a statement saying he had made "a poor choice of words" that "conveyed to some the impression that I embraced the discarded policies of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth."

But the damage was done and Mr. Bush distanced himself from Lott's remarks, telling an audience the comments "do not reflect the spirit of our country."

Lott then made a round of public appearances, saying he regretted "reopening old wounds and hurting so many Americans." He told Black Entertainment Television he would use his position to help push through initiatives that would benefit minorities. (Read more about that interview in "Couric & Co" | Watch the video)

Lott later wrote in a book - "Herding Cats: A Life in Politics" - that Mr. Bush hurt his feelings by disavowing the comments in a tone that was "devastating ... booming and nasty."

Another event during Lott's exile changed his relationship with the White House: Hurricane Katrina. The massive storm devastated Lott's home state, not to mention his oceanside home in Pascagoula. For him, the administration's bungled response was personal. He considered retiring.

[pepperp1]

Good for him, playing second fiddle to that BAFOON Mc Connell had to be awful. Lott was BUSHwhacked for a lesser Bush crony.

[ianlou]

At a certain point, the "Bank Robbers" realize that they have grabbed as much loot as they can and the longer they stay in the bank, the greater their chances of getting caught.

[antoniof123]

Who cares he is a politician and he will get a lobbyist job and make more money then you me and about 20 other people. Furthermore, he will get Senate benefits, wow no wonder he voted against health care we might be able to afford it.

Good riddance.

[forthepeopl1]

5) just like the president and v.p i will put term limmits on congress senators no more then 2 4 year terms and the same goes to the house .
6) i would tell congress to pay back all the money that they have stole from ssn, and they are to put into law that no one in this united states government can ever take a dime from it again.period... this will shure it up..period.
7) i would enforce our laws on illeigals in this country, and to start i would put all law enforcement including our national guards and reserves to work in going house to house work place to work place and weed them out of america...

and much much more,david a belanger,a american for america. [e-mail]
i woulded beleive anything not one word comming out of anyone in this whitehouse not one word, they have disgraced this country and themselves.

and to congress i would tell the president, you know what its over, period now come to us and tell us how much money is needed to get our troops home. period we the people are done, so how much is needed thats all you will get.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAVID A BELANGER,U.S.ARMY VET,[e-mail],978-618-3105

[omega39-2009]

Lott becomes the sixth Senate Republican this year to announce retirement.

It would have been much easier and cost effective to give each Congressional Republican a hari-kari sword and a few moments of privacy.

[cyberus-2009]

I think the term limit should be one, NOBODY serves consecutive terms.
Why #1 Because every politician spends half their term trying to get re-elected, if they had to take a term off they''d spend more time doing a good job so people would remember them as a good office holder when their next chance comes up.
Why #2 Because as it stands now a few "lifers" control the committees that decide whether or not a bill is ever voted on by the majority of congress .. the people WE voted for.
Just MHO

[battyellison]

Do the U.S. people believe these Bush administrations croonies are resigning all of a sudden. They know that there is going to be a scandal worse than watergate its the Bush, Cheney plan to make Oil companies rich while destroying the country things are going to come out in the next 18 months and its going to be the worst most corrupt administration in the history of the world. What Bush/Cheney has done is plain and simple Criminal and the older repugs have to jump ship so they won''t be associated with dictator and his strong man and the destruction of the republican party and the U.S as we know it

[battyellison]

At a certain point, the "Bank Robbers" realize that they have grabbed as much loot as they can and the longer they stay in the bank, the greater their chances of getting caught.

Very Good observation and a correct one why do you think they''re jumping ship the Repug''s think they''re invincable and with a clown like bush in charge they went for the gold Bush could care less about the country just his croonies. Bush is a very dangerous man and should have been stoped long time ago

[omega39-2009]

Do the U.S. people believe these Bush administrations croonies are resigning all of a sudden. They know that there is going to be a scandal worse than watergate
Posted by battyellison

My own suspicion is that Bush and his rubber stampers have left the country in such a state of fiscal disaster, that some very unpopular legislation is going to be required to correct it. The people who caused the problems to begin with, would rather sit on the sidelines and point fingers at those trying to fix them.

[tyjohn47]

This is an excerpt from the MSNBC version of this story. It provides what is likely the real reason Lott is not fulfilling his obligation to the people of Mississippi who, when they voted for Lott, appearently should not have expected that he would complete the term he ran for and was elected to. Instead, $ wins out again. Geezus!

"While the exact reason Lott is stepping down before he finishes his term is unknown, the general speculation is that a quick departure immunizes Lott against tougher restrictions in a new lobbying law that takes effect at the end of the year. That law would require Senators to wait two-years before entering the lucrative world of lobbying Congress."

[samrensho]

It''s called cut and run. Bail out in the waning days of this administration that has gutted America and slide into some cushy job in the private sector before the bandini hits the mixmaster.

[jowand]

Trent Lott isn''t a Bush guy at all, great news he is resigning. Fiscally we are in as good shape as we were in the 1990s, National Dept to GNP is the same.

[konabike]

About time!

[newz4i]

"Lott becomes the sixth Senate Republican this year to announce retirement." The American voter removed Republican politicians in 2006. Of those who remained, six announced retirement. There''s a current in this country, a current removing failure from our culture. The American voters can follow the flow downward to remove Republicanism in their state and local elections. Replace failure with success by removing more Republicans throughout the country.

[gramto7]

Fiscally we are in as good shape as we were in the 1990s, National Dept to GNP is the same.

Posted by jowand

Jowand,
If you will notice on the graft on the page noted below, the ratio was improving greatly when Clinton was in office. However, with your idol, it is once again returning to its prior state.
http://uspolitics.about.com/library/bl_gross_national_debt.htm

[frankly6]

Another rat jumps overboard before the ship sinks.

[starleo146]

HOW MANY ARE LEFT THAT WE CAN VOTE OUT? He said he hasn''t made his mind up how about another lobbyist in the making. What ya think?

[starleo146]

ott becomes the sixth Senate Republican this year to announce retirement.

It would have been much easier and cost effective to give each Congressional Republican a hari-kari sword and a few moments of privacy.

Posted by omega39 at 09:23 AM : Nov 26, 2007

You did it again ROTFLMAO, good way to start the day with agood laugh thanks Omega39, I owe you one.

[fairandbal]

Lott is a snake, he''s bailing out now because of a new law that takes effect in 2008. the law extends the ban on how long legislators can become lobbyists AFTER leaving office. He''s bailing so he can become a lobbyis t and milk us out of even more money for his own personal gain.

[jetranger7]

No, their leaving, so they can have time to prepare, and build their concrete bunkers for saftey, they know what BUSH has up his sleeve, were all probably gonna see another attack in 2008, about 2 months before the election, and guess what, it''ll be blamed on some other country, when actually it was Ol'' George up to his antics again,so the ones they want left to be alive in this country, are bailing out, and preparing for whats about to come , the - NEW WORLD ORDER - out of CHOAS & FEAR !!

[macusweil]

This reflects just a small part of a revolutionary new beginning for the GOP. After Dec 16th 2007 nothing will be the same in the Republican party.

The party of Lincoln will have a bold new front runner. A man who represents honest leadership based on integrity and the principles of freedom and liberty.

http://teaparty07.com/

[wdrussell1]

Larry Flynt said he was going to bring somebody down.
I wonder if this was who he meant?

[sgtrds]

Don''t let the doorknob hit you in the as*s on the way out. Unless you have a wide stance like Larry Craig does.

[bigpecker4]

Ya have to take the good with the bad. Thats just the way it works sometimes.

[bigpecker4]

Imagine that. A republican who''s a nice guy. You liberals go after the easy ones first, doncha.

[terrapin78]

Lott is just another cut and run Repug.

[harp1963]

It''s time to teach other young Klansmen how to remove the hood and sheet and wear a suit and tie.

This is a man who said America would have been better off if Strom Thurmond had won the Presidency back in the 1940''s.

The only problem with his comment was that Strom''s main campaign theme was the seperation of the races.

Let''s all Praise the Lord and convulse, but not burn crosses in our neighbor''s yard, one last time for one of George Bush''s closest friends in Washinton as he leaves office.

[tyjohn47]

So, how is this picking on a "nice guy"? Lott was reelected only last year. So, the cement-head that Barbour picks to take his place gets to be an unelected, handpicked patsy to a neo-con governor (and his good buddy GWB) for five years before he has to face the voters of Mississippi?! Christ, this is an end-run around democracy if I''ve ever seen one!

Let''s see, Barbour was just reelected this fall too, wasn''t he? Suppose Lott waited until the race for guv was over before going ahead with his plans to resign not even a year into his current term?

For F''s sake, how the hell can anybody continue to apologize for these facists????

[harp1963]

P.S.

If Strom Thurmond had won back in the 40''s as ole'' Trent had hoped, can you imagine how the United States would have been cut up? Black Americans would probably be living in the desert, non-white new immigrants would be living in low lying swamp areas, and Strom Thurmond type whities would live in the mansions on the plantations. Non whites would be allowed travel into white areas for the sole purpose of working for food on whities plantation.

P.S.S I''m white, but don''t like the klan boys club in Washington D.C.

[infidel_us]

He''s a Lott of nothing. A real RINO. If anyone squandered their position of leadership, it''s this bozo. I hope the ''something else'' he''s referring to is picking cotton or shrimp fishing.

[lochlan-2009]

And the criminals are just walking away. The largest robbery of the U.S. government was carried out by these people and they are just walking away. I know the real America now. I''ve done enough research to now know this country isn''t the great country I was raised to believe it was. Not even close. It is corrupt to the core and has been for a while. The same names and faces keep popping up, playing the same game, robbing me.

[gkc99]

The real reason Lott is leaving??--he was spotted in a mens'' room stall next to Larry Craig, snapping his fingers and tapping his feet.

[micma-2009]

They''ve bankrupted the country and walked away with the cash. Why would Republicans stay to watch the whole thing collapse when they can just sit on the sidelines and blame the consequences on the Democrats who will soon be in power?

[gkc99]

Lott?--"with rings on his fingers and bells on his toes, he shall make music wherever he goes", especially if he has to use a stall.

[micma-2009]

They''ve started a war for profit, bankrupted the country and walked away with the cash. Why would Republicans stay to watch the whole thing collapse when they can just sit on the sidelines and blame the consequences on the Democrats who will soon be in power?

[buddhabman]

The Republican Party Ship makes the Titanic look like SEA-Doo Water Craft. One Presidents administration has literally destroyed that party.

[tylenol6]

Another loser leaves. Hope all the other idiots follow.

[roger_inkart]

The greed and motivations of Trent Lott are clear. They are common among all politician, but especially in the GOP.

These people don''t care about the US. They certainly don''t care about anyone but themselves. It''s sad we can''t find qualified, decent people to fill the the most important positions the nation has.

[david1737]

GOP=Good-Bye Old Prejudice

[david1737]

How many Repubs. have planned to resign?

It''s so sad that these Neocons have destroyed the GOP.

Frustrating isn''t it Repub.?

I see a lot of angry posts in here. I know, I know I get to name calling and cursing when I''m frustrated too.

Sorry Repubs.

[david1737]

I could hardly recognize Lott without his white hood.

[tyjohn47]

SHURCH4TRUTH I sincerely hope you are prepared to give the EXACT SAME lecture to the hateful neo-con posters on this site too. If you are not, YOUR point loses any merit it may have and you read like a blatant partisan.

[david1737]

SHURCH4TRUTH

Sorry "SHURCH" I''m just speaking the truth!

[roger_inkart]

SHURCH4TRUTH I sincerely hope you are prepared to give the EXACT SAME lecture to the hateful neo-con posters on this site too. If you are not, YOUR point loses any merit it may have and you read like a blatant partisan.

Posted by tyjohn47 at 02:44 PM : Nov 26, 2007

Unless s/he, like me, expect more from one side then the other.

Besides, isn''t Reid LDS? Don''t they HAVE to be nice to people? ;)

[macusweil]

A sea change in the leadership in the Republican party is a must!

After Dec 16 2007 there will be a new front runner in the race for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. His name is not yet that well known, but that is about to change.

http://teaparty07.com/

[david1737]

SHURCH4TRUTH

Here''s a little background for you:

No WMD

No opperative conection

No Yellow Cake

Secret prisons/Gitmo/Torture

Bush lying during the State of the Union Address (about Yellow Cake)

Outing of a CIA Operative

Wire taping

Data mining

Foley

Hagarty

Abromoff

Gonzales

Walter Reed

The National Debt

Katrina

Haliburton


And the list goes on.

Yeah! I''m gonna do some name calling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[david1737]

There''s no excuse for the GOP.

Wake up America!

If you support the GOP

Then you support TREASON, TORTURE, PEDOPHILIA!

Are these the values which you will vote for?

I hope not.

[prairiefox1]

AH! ONE LESS BOSS HOGG!

[smiley676]

"If only you were as critical of the conservative posters here. But, as usual, there is a set of rules for your side, and one for the rest of us."

Please be serious and be an adult.

The liberals have one rule for themselves and any time a non-liberal says something even a tiny bit off track, liberals pounce.

Conservatives are the same way.

Don''t make this one sided when it is so obviously not. It is simple human nature.

[whth2odude]

Could it be the reason he is leaving is that he is connected to Bill Allen and VECO? I%u2019m looking at a picture of Lott next to Allen on an Alaskan fishing trip. (not paid for by Lott)

Wait%u2026there is former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Sen. Phil Gramm in the picture too.

Allen is cooperating with prosecutors and the FBI recently raided (unprecedented) Senator Ted Stevens%u2019 home in Alaska. (Stevens and Lott are close allies)

There is no mention of this in this story. The timeing seems fishy to me.