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Trent Lott's Odd No-Frills Retirement Press Conference
Take a look at this highlight reel of Trent Lott's press conference announcing his retirement today, courtesy of TPM editor Ben Craw:
Doesn't this seem kind of no-frills and abrupt for such an announcement? No family there, no supporters, etc. Doesn't this thing seem like it was kind of hasty given how long his career was, how recently he grabbed the whip position, and how major a Senate fixture he was? Odd.
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Very, very odd. Something must have happened behind the scenes. There is no way that he would just chuck it all after he started moving up in the leadership again. I just don't believe it.
November 26, 2007 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone considered that this could have something to do with Larry Flynt's latest revelation that he said would be coming to light real soon?
November 26, 2007 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Health or scandal? I'd bet scandal.
November 26, 2007 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
He was pretty insistent that he was healthy, FWIW.
November 26, 2007 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Paging Larry Flynt. Please pick up the pink phone.
-GSD
November 26, 2007 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
makes the head spin to think what corporate america, or middle east governments, would pay for his sort of influence. it'd be a LOTT, that's for sure. cha-ching! i suppose like the president himself plans to do, it's time to refill the coffers....
November 26, 2007 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Follow the $$$.
If you don't quit this year, you have to wait two years before lobbying.
November 26, 2007 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Its probably because of Larry Flynt. Flynt came out today and said he has damning evidence of a sex scandal involving a prominent republican congressman that will "turn the country upside down."
November 26, 2007 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rep/Cons know that they have lost all control over congress and senate. The older GOP'ers know it's time to retire, they know that Dems will rule for the next 20+ years, and they dont want to wait it out.
November 26, 2007 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
ben fisher, that would be sweet. Talk about poetic justice. Only thing though, he would have said senator as opposed to congressman. However, one can always hope.
November 26, 2007 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Geeze, don't you guys watch Public Television? (does *anyone*?)
NOW speculated THIS FRIDAY in an investigation of VECO, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, that the unfolding corruption scandal and forthcoming indictments will reach "all the way to Washington".
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/347/index.html
Listen to the part about VECO trough feeders wearing their CBC (corrupt bastard club) hats to the state legislature after successfully nixing energy taxation. If I had that hat in my desk drawer, I might rethink spending more time with the fam too.
November 26, 2007 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I killed my television, but I watched the clip of NOW on Crooks and Liars :) And yes, the presence of Trent Lott in that group shot of Lott, Gramm, Craig... with the Alaskans did go through my head while watching this video of Lott's announcement. Hmmm. It could be Veco, it could be Flynt, it could be Josh's observation about the wave of retirements. It's less fun to be in the minority. In any case, no more Trent Lott! Thanks to the muckrakers, the mucky are facing lots of consequences and accountability. Hooray!
November 26, 2007 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
It could not have happened to a nicer racial BIGOT!
Lest we forget http://tinyurl.com/37dp7e
November 26, 2007 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
The lack of pomp and family is telling. If Lott were leaving only to hit the ATM (a normal DC tradition), they would gather to salute him, praise him, hug him and call him everything short of the second coming. He's resigning with almost no notice, probably packing for the indefinite trip back home even as we speak. He's in trouble over something. I will be surprised if it isn't related to Flynt's pending stink bomb. Or something like that (if it's not sex, maybe it's just plain ol' bribe-taking).
In any case, goodbye, Trent. It's been a blast...
November 26, 2007 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, apparently there was a rumor before 06 that lott would retire because he was wiped out financially by katrina. He apparently isn't very wealthy and was considering retiring. With the change in the lobbying laws, maybe that is the reason after all. I guess we shall see.
November 26, 2007 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
If it were to avoid the two-year lobbying ban, then he would have to resign no later than Dec. 30 (under the Senate ethics rules amendments passed a couple months ago). The governor announced that the special election would be held next November, which I think is only possible if he resigns on January 1 or later. So, I don't think this is about the lobbying ban.
November 26, 2007 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
@ Joe
There are some very contradictory statements being made.
Some of Lott's friends are saying that the lobbying ban IS the reason he's resigning. But if this is his reason, in order to avoid the lobbying ban he has to resign BEFORE the end of the year.
But the Governor is saying that the special election will be held next November. But Mississippi law (apparently) says that they can only wait until November if the vacancy occurs in the new year. If the vacancy occurs this year, a special 90-day election will be held htis spring. The 90-day spring election could greatly help a Democratic contender as it wouldn't get lost in the noise of the Presidential election.
Lott can't have it both ways. He can't informally resign this year and formally resign next year. He has to chose an exact date. A date this year will help Lott's wallet and hurt the Republican party. Choosing a date next year will help the party but could take a lot of money out of Lott's pocket.
So the exact, formal, date that he actually leaves office could be a very big deal.
November 26, 2007 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Another GOP gay escort scandal?
http://bigheaddc.com/2007/11/26/
November 26, 2007 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It could be Lott doesn't want to be
Repub Senate Minority Leader in 2009 when McConnell loses. They have no one else and it won't be any fun when most of Bush and Cheney's high crimes and misdemeanors come crashing down in the midst of a crushing recession.
November 26, 2007 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was not odd, this was a smart political move. Lott wanted to retire before the 2006 elections but he realized that any open senate seat in 2006 was dangerous for the GOP. So he ran and got re-elected. With Haley Barbour as Governor, Lott can hand pick the next Republican Senator in MS. Whoever the GOP powers that be in MS choose will now be the incumbent going into the 2008 special election and will likely face a much better atmosphere than they would have had they been forced to run for an open seat in 2006.
This was all planned out a couple of years ago. My guess is the Chip Pickering will be picked to fill the spot which will not only give the GOP in MS a candidate with good name recognition and campaign experience but will also give Haley the opportunity to fill Chips post giving that person a decided advantage in what would have been an open though safe GOP seat.
That's the way the GOP works in MS. Why hold election when hand picking their people for positions is much more effective.
November 26, 2007 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
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November 26, 2007 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, but the after-party is going to kick ass.
November 26, 2007 7:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to
http://pageoneq.com/news/2007/Rent_boy_on_sex_with_outgoing_Republican_Senator_Trent_Lott_No_com_1126.html
the reason Lott left is named Benjamin Nicholas.
Larry Flynt is more likely to have been hinting at a sex scandal more than a financial scandal.
Ssure seems to be a lot of Republicans in that closet.
November 26, 2007 8:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
If foggylady above is correct, that explains the Lott hair thing. LOL!!!!
November 26, 2007 10:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Possibly some soul searching at Thanksgiving dinner brought this about.
November 27, 2007 1:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Trent Lott oddly and abruptly announced his resignation from the U.S. Senate on Monday.
And now we know why!
The Mississippi Senator reportedly has had a relationship with one high-rent male escort!
Just another GOP gay sex scandal.
November 27, 2007 3:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
2008 Presidential Candidate Weekly Poll
www.votenic.com
The Only Poll That Matters.
Results Posted Weekly Tuesday Evening At Midnight.
November 27, 2007 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink