Bush Offers Praise For Lott

President Bush offered glowing remarks for Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) following Lott's announcement this monring that he will retire within weeks. You can read Bush's statement below, but as you do, please remember that Bush helped push Lott out of his majority leader post following Lott's 2002 comments about the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.). Bush favored former Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) over Lott, and Bush got what he wanted. So please take any praise by Lott and Bush of the other with that in mind.

"For more than three decades, Trent Lott has been an outstanding advocate in the United States Congress for the people of Mississippi. With service in the Republican leadership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, he has skillfully advanced legislation and effectively championed key principles of our party, including low taxes and a strong national defense.

Trent has worked to enhance the economic vitality of our Nation and his home state throughout his career. By focusing on the important defense, transportation, infrastructure, agricultural, and educational needs of Mississippi, he has helped bring new development and opportunity to his constituents.

Throughout his service, Trent has always been a leader – someone his colleagues have known they could count on to stay true to his principles while working cooperatively to achieve results for the American people. Trent enjoyed bipartisan respect because of his reverence for the institutions of Congress and because Republicans and Democrats knew they could count on him to keep his commitments and his word. His immense talent will be missed in our Nation’s capital. Laura and I wish him and his wife Tricia all the best."