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Friday December 13, 2002
Lott's Choice
An American Tragedy
By Howard Hobbs PhD Editor & Publisher
WASHINGTON -- President Bush
on Thursday openly denounced Senate Majority Leader Trent
Lott, for intemperate comments that shocked and may have cost the
Republican majority in Congress the goodwill of the nation.
Bush's censure came as calls for the Mississippi
senator to resign his congressional leadership post rang out at
the Capitol.
President Bush angrily told reporters at
a Philadelphia news conference on Thursday, "Any suggestion
that the segregated past was acceptable or positive is offensive,
and it is wrong. Recent comments by Senator Lott do not reflect
the spirit of our country. He has apologized, and rightly so. Every
day our nation was segregated was a day that America was unfaithful
to our founding ideals."
Political analysts are recommending that
Mr. Bush hold a public forum on the situation within the week after
Lott reportedly made derisive comments at Senator Strom Thurmond's
100th birthday celebration in the Capitol last week. Sen. Thurmond
was the segregationist candidate for the presidency in 1948. That
year Harry Truman (D) won on a pro-civil rights platform. Lott has
apologized for the comments made in private during the spirit of
Thurmond's birthday celebration.
The New York Times disclosed some gossip
about Trent Lott's college days at Bob Jones University, As the
story goes, Bob Jones U. "...banned interracial dating in the
1950's." Time magazine piled-on with its own accusations on
Thursday that Lott reportedly helped lead a successful effort while
a student at the University of Mississippi to prevent Sigma Nu
fraternity from admitting minorities to any of its campus
chapters.
By Friday, these critics appear to have
started an increasing drum-beat calling on Sen. Lott to resign his
Senate leadership.
[Editor's Note: The incoming
Senate Majority Leadership team members for the 108th Congress which
convenes on Tuesday, January 7, are, left to right, Senator George
Allen of Virginia, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial
Committee; Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Chairman of the
Republican Conference; Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, President
Pro Tempore; Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, Majority Leader;
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Majority Whip; Senator Kay
Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Vice Chair of the Republican Conference;
and Senator Jon Kyle of Arizona, Chairman of the Republican Policy
Committee. The leaders were elected by the Republican caucus on
November 13. ]
1876-2002
Copyright, The Daily Republican Newspaper. All rights reserved.
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