Report: Trent Lott resigning
Won’t be missed.
Update 12:55pm Eastern. Check Yall Politics for local inside chatter. Lots of interesting info and rumors there, including this:
I actually heard something about this a couple of weeks ago at a convention—thought about sending Alan an e-mail, but it struck me as an odd rumor.
Anyway, one of our DC lobbyists asked me if I had heard anything about Lott resigning. She told me she had heard from several “insiders” that Lott would resign before the end of the year so that he and John Breaux (of Louisiana) could open up a lobbying firm in DC.
I found the notion of him and Breaux opening their own shop plausible, but not the notion of him leaving before his term was up.
Don’t know if that is the REAL reason, but I now give my original source a whole lot more credit than I did when I saw her 2 weeks ago.
The timing of Lott’s actual departure from office is important. A reader notes: “If the Miss. GOP Gov appoints a replacement (probably Pickering) in 90 days there will not be time for the Dems to effectively insert Moore in the 2008 elections in November (former corrupt AG also involved in the Scruggs trials). Otherwise, if the appointment is on Jan. 1st then the person will be in the Senate til the general election in 2008. Otherwise, after the 90 day election appointment the person would finish ole Trent’s appointment til 2012.”
Also this from another Yall Politics commenter:
If his resignation is effective Dec. 31, the vacancy will occur in 2007, not 2008. That puts the special election in the 90-day requirement, not the 2008 general. No primary. No interime appointment.
If the resignation is effective Jan. 1, then what Barbour wants to do with an interim appointment and an election in Nov. 2008 (reported on the C-L and linked by Mississippi Man) CAN happen. But then Lott goes under that new “no lobbying for 2 years” deal. That’s why he chose Dec. 31.
It’s a pretty short turn-around. Who currently has the network and money to put together a decent run in a no-primary free-for-all that will be settled before the 2008 Mississippi Legislature is out of session?
***
Update 12:03pm Eastern. Lott speaks: “It’s been really a great honor representing the people of Mississippi…a wild ride, but a very enjoyable one and that I’m proud of…I still feel strongly about fiscal responsibility (editor’s note: snort)…[Describes family gathering at Thanksgiving]…We do think there is time left for us to do something else…I will be retiring from the Senate by the end of the year…” Says his health is good…”I like being a Happy Warrior…no problems, no malice, no anger…I don’t know what the future holds for us. A lot of options will hopefully be available…” Mentions teaching and music and jokes about coaching at Ole Miss. Says there needs to be someone younger, fresh blood…
(I’ll second that.)
Q&A: Likens himself to a live oak tree. Admits he’s “made mistakes.” “I loved being whip.” Hillary Clinton and Pat Leahy have called sending well wishes. He’s “opening the door for a younger person, prayed a lot about it, feels good about the decision.”
Update 10:49am Eastern. Press conference will be held in Pascagoula at the top of the hour; another one is schedule in Jackson at 3pm Eastern. The Biloxi Sun-Herald reports that “speculation [about his exit] is centering on a possible academic posting.” Still doesn’t smell right.
Update: Trent Lott unites the blogosphere!
***
Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. We start off our Monday morning with a nice, big DLTDHYOTWO. The Politico reports that Trent (Vacant) Lott–you know, the goat-talking, anti-porkbusting Republican leader who thinks conservative talk radio is a “problem” –is going to resign by year’s end.
See ya. Buh-bye. DLTDHYOTWO (Don’t Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out)!
Hmmm. Wonder what’s going on:
Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) plans to resign his seat by year’s end, a senior Republican official told Politico.
The announcement took Capitol Hill by surprise because Lott, the former majority leader, seemed to be relishing his job as minority whip, the second-ranking GOP leadership job. He had regained a post in leadership after he resigned following racially insensitive remarks at a birthday party for the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.).
Lott’s departure opens up a position within Republican leadership, and there could be a fight to replace him. Lamar Alexander, who ran for the position last year, would be a natural candidate, but there are plenty of GOP up-and-comers who could compete for the slot, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who are part of the current leadership team and could be looking for a promotion to the no. 2 spot in the hierarchy…
…A Republican adviser close to Lott said: “He’s ready to move on. It’s that simple.
Not buying it.
Inveterate Beltway creatures who love the pomp and power of their office do not just decide they are “ready to move on.”
Is there another GOP Maalox moment in the works?
***
More coverage:
USAT says they’ll be two press conferences today announcing the decision.
MSNBC seems to think this has something to do with lobbying restrictions:
While the exactly 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.
AP quotes officials referring to Lott’s “other opportunities:”
No reason for Lott’s resignation was given, but according to a congressional official, there is nothing amiss with Lott’s health. The senator has “other opportunities” he plans to pursue, the official said, without elaborating. Lott was re-elected to a fourth Senate term in 2006.
***
More reax:
Glenn Reynolds: “He will not be missed.”
Allah starts the conversation about Lott’s replacement.
JWF: “Maybe he plans to do his barbershop quartet routine full-time.”
***
Flashback II: Reader L. points to this WSJ op-ed on Lott’s rage and political revenge campaign against insurers with his brother-in-law, infamous legal kingpin Dickie Scruggs.
Flashback: Audio: Mark Levin thrashes Trent Lott’s long and undistinguished record
See what others have said
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Trackbacks
- JammieWearingFool
- Senator Trent Lott to Resign | Morning Coffee
- Trent Lott Resigning? | The Pungo Picayune
- FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog » Senator Trent Lott to Retire By End of the Year
- No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » Trent Cave-A-Lott’s final cave
- Macsmind - Conservative Commentary and Common Sense
- Moonage Political Webdream » Blog Archive » Trent Lott retiring
- Another GOP Lawmaker Bites The Dust — This Time, It’s Trent Lott
- The McGehee Zone
- Lott more blogging/Round II « DJournal Breaking News 9 to 5
- The Crossed Pond » Trent Lott's Resignation Announcement: Theories and Reactions
- Michelle Malkin » What’s up with Trent Lott’s brother-in-law, Dickie Scruggs?
- Michelle Malkin » Indicted: (Retiring Sen. Trent Lott’s brother-in-law) Dickie Scruggs is in deep doo-doo
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Haley Barbour ought to be able to appoint a replacement at least as conservative as Lott.
Hmmmm…Resigning from the Senate, or just from his leadership position?
The whole kit and kaboodle.
Fox was reporting that he wants to avoid the soon to be 2 year wait to become a lobbyist rather than the current 1 year after leaving Government office.
Later, Politico reports:
So Trent was hanging drywall and driving a backhoe?
So, the Ole Miss cheerleader is calling it quits… This is a good thing. Haley Barbour will do the right thing and appoint a strong conservative to hold that seat.
Good luck and good bye.
No, he was busy building goat fences.
No,he was busy allowing illegal immigrants to re-build the Gulf Coast and filing lawsuits against State Farm.
Two bits says he gets a gig on talk radio.
This is another guy that, when I look at how he went from a pretty straight-arrow conservative during the Clinton impeachment days to a very different amnesty-for-illegals guy who was going to tell the talk radio peeps to shut up, and I wonder, what the hell happens to these people in D.C.?
Can somebody explain that to me? Anybody?
The same talk radio which is running America?
That was part of the original problem conservatives had with Lott – he made very clear to everyone that the Senate would be paying no more than lip service to the impeachment before they even conducted the trial.
Typical of Trent Lott. Not resigning to benifit the country, just him.
Instead of the DLTDHYOTWO I’d like to see these guys get one of these.
booted
When this happens to Dingy Harry I’ll be happy.
About time we had the final cave.
“He will not be missed.”
That just about says it all.
Lott was a “Nice Guy” in a Senate where the level of collegiality has devolved from a country club into something more along the lines of professional wrestling. When he was Majority Leader, watching him get outmaneuvered and hornswoggled again and again by the donkeys – who understood the cut-throat sea change much better, because they were responsible for it – was painful and embarrassing to watch.
Lott’s “Can’t we all just get along?” approach to the no-quarter battlefield that is today’s Senate makes him highly unsuited for today’s Republican Party, which is gradually re-learning under the more capable Mitch McConnell how to fight back.
I agree with Glenn Reynolds: He won’t be missed.
I’ll take those odds against.
Overall he has hurt the Republican party – and our country – as much or more than he’s helped.
He will be remembered, if at all, as just another wishy-washy politician who wouldn’t stand up and stand fast for conservative principles. He had many chances to be a strong leader and he almost always wimped out.
Let’s hope the Republicans replace him with a strong conservative. If they don’t it’ll show that they want more of the same – bigger government, higher taxes, higher spending, go along to get along…
You don’t suppose he was a recent visitor to the men’s room in the Minneapolis Airport?!?!?!?!
Dunno about that, but I’ll guarantee he didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn Express Saturday night.
What a great way to start the week!
DLTDHYWTGLSY!
Any word from Ted Kennedy? I’ll get excited when he resigns, and Senator Byrd WV, the fossilized Senate.
He should have left long ago, but his constituents didn’t have the guts to vote him out. Good riddance.
My personal take:
He came to the office for the money.
He is leaving the office for the money.
Out with the crusty and in with the gutsy! hopefully…
no great consequence as long as the good people of Mississippi continue to elect republican senators, preferably one with some cajones.
DLTDHYOTWO!!!!!!!!!!
At first I thought the idea that he would resign in order to avoid a 2 year wait before becoming a high paid lobbyist was far fetched……for about a millisecond. Then I thought of the two things sorely lacking in D.C. Loyalty to constituants and integrity. Yep, he’s just being the same self-serving person he has always been.
Two words: Deport him.
Beat me to it. See what happens when you don’t post early – LOL!
quote…A Republican adviser close to Lott said: “He’s ready to move on. It’s that simple. unquote
this doesnt pass the ‘dead fish’ smell test
The Republican leadership was given a great gift by the American people, and they abused it. The more of these folks who leave the better as this creates real opportunities for conservative rather than tax and spend Republicans.
I also believe that mostof these long term Republican politicians see the handwriting on the wall – that regardless of who is President, they will serve in the minority. These folks have been corrupted by the love of power, and they can’t bear to lose it.
It’s about freaking time!
Trent and his RINO ilk must be feeling underappreciated after all these years.
What they don’t realize is the gut reaction to big government by the average American is the same emotion one gets after being robbed.
Taxation without representation is stealing.
I bet shrillary has some dirt on him.
This guy is a mealy mouth ! He’s a perfect example of what’s wrong with the Republican party these days. I can think of a few other Republican senators who fall into the same boat including my two senators form Maine.
We need TERM LIMITS to get rid of these pompous power hungry people.
As far as a replacement, either Tom Coburn or John Cornyn would be excellent. Jon Kyl is not bad either, but I prefer the other two.
One RINO down many to go at least it is a good start to the week.
It has been rumored for some time in MS that Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat is considering resignation. Infamous trial lawyer, Dickie Scruggs is a huge alumni donor to the university. Oh, and he’s Trent’s brother-in-law.
Don’t dismiss that appointment at Ole Miss so quickly.
Pickering has long eyed Lott’s seat and he is his protege.
Gotta be quick around these here parts!
Now, if we can get rid of Mitch McConnell. It amazes me that he kept his post after stabbing the GOP in the back by working with Harry Reid to pass CIR.
Where does Pickering stand on the issues, especially amnesty?
Well, from the WSJ Op-Ed, looks like Trent Lott stayed in office long enough to get a payoff from the insurance company for something he wasn’t covered for in the first place. Payoff=Check. Laws changed=check. Revenge=Check.
All done, time to move on.
Ahhhh, so glad you asked.
Here is a link to his report card – notice the recent vote on amnesty Pickering gets a D.
One of the few things liberals like myself and most Michelle Malkin fans can agree on: good riddence! Give me an honest conservative like Tom Cockburn any day of the week.
Jon Kyl would be a disaster. He is better on spending, but he’s an amnesty hawk just like Lott. He’s pulled back in recent months, but only because he realizes the votes aren’t there right now. If given another chance at amnesty, he would take it in a second.
Either Coburn or Cornyn would be great.
Here’s you hat. What’s your hurry?
I wonder what Rush will say. I mean, afterall, Lott did say that talk radio runs America (you know it and I know it). Since Rush is talk radio, did Rush have something to do with Lott’s resignation!
No loss with his leaving. But one has to wonder at the recent number of people leaving Washington. We all know Hillary had files on Republicans and hid them from search warrents in an investigation. (not saying she is behind any of this).
I wonder what is going on behind the sences. Could it be hope and common sense is comming into play. These people see the wrting on the wall and are getting out before thrown out. Or is there something more sinister going on behind closed doors?
I say that as I have not sen nor heard of any fossils from the Demorats say they are leaving.
#10, I think what happens is they run into lobbyists. Suddenly money is everywhere, and people treat you with (fake) respect. Then slowly you think it’s because you deserve it…After awhile you realize you’re vested in a cushy health care and retirement system you won’t give anyone else (but you deserve it), and so you long to join the higher paying ranks of the lobbyists. Positions on issues follow the money.
My problem with the goats is he apparently makes tupees out of them.
Haley Barbour is a class act. Let’s hope he picks a good conservative to fill the seat.
Personally, I think Byrd died along about 1993 and has
been reanimated by Ted Kennedy as his ventriloquist
dummy. Anyone seen him reading a speech lately? As
often as he turns those pages, they must each contain
no more than four really, really, really LARGELY
written words. He’s 90 for goodness sakes! Go home
already!!!
TXRose: In the immortal words of Emeril Lagasse, “pork fat rules.” In WV the boss klegel of pork is Robert Byrd. He has his name on more public places than whoever follows “for a good time, call…..”
He’ll be reelected 9 months after his funeral eulogy is read.
Of course if Byrd records his own eulogy, it may take the whole nine months to get through it!
Call me a cynic but I think something more sinister is going on. Are we all going to find out that these guys have sold us out and they want to be in a secure place?
AuntiEm & CarpiJungulum – Dittos. I too am getting the feeling that these Repubics heading for the door KNOW a shoe is going to drop and they don’t want to be at either the political or physical Ground Zero they know is coming.
Glad to see them getting out of Dodge, but seems clear they are dodging something that is looming.
Please take Smell Martinez and Gramnesty with you. Got to car pool to make the envirowhacky’s happy.
So, God called him to open up a lobbying firm in DC? Somehow, I doubt it. I think mammon might have.
As to the concern about the interim appointment and/or the no lobbying rule, the solution is simple. H should resign on Dec 31 at midnight. There is no way that an interim appointment can be made until he resigns, If he resigns at the stroke of midnight, then the appointment cannot happen until Jan 1. Problem solved.
And Pat Buchanen’s new book came out earlier today. Check Drudge for the outline. He is saying what I have been trying to articulate to my family for a long time. No one wants to believe it but it has been obvious for a long time.I am 65 years old. I have been watching the slide down for a long time.Well at least since 1968. Being a member of the working class whose pensions went away with absentee owners of corporations doesn’t make me blind to the far left folbles. I am thankful that my house is paid for. But school taxes keep climbig here in the Poconos as we have been invaded by both legal and illegal newcomers.What I am thinking about today is how many others will be resigning and possibly leaving the sinking ship? What could be just on the horizon? Who will tell the truth about it? Do I have enough ammunition?
AMF!
AuntiEm, At least in TX we have frozen certain taxes for seniors. That’s one good thing I can say for a
state that has Perry (who subscribes to Kerry’s theory
of flipflopping and who is trying to sell off all of the
public land in TX ) for a governor. Let’s just say, he was the lesser of evils last election.
Good riddance.
Good bye and good riddance. Trent (spend a) Lott has been nothing but a disappointment going back to the Clinton Impeachment fiasco.
Sadly, there is no hope that common sense is returning to Washington.
Isn’t Lott the clown that came up with power sharing in the committees when the Senate was split 50-50? With the Veep as tie breaker, the Repubs actually had 51-50 for practical purposes. BTW… who’s going to notice that he’s not there?
So we lose another RINO…YIPPEEE!!!!
Trent Lott seems radically conservative to the two senators we have here in Washington State. We have Sen. Murry and Sen. Cantwell and they will probably be in there for life. Furthermore I hate to see Byrd and Teddy go because they are such great targets for us.
# 40 DLTDHYWTGLSY!
dont let the door hit you where the ? ? ? ? (help)
g l s y