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CNN Live Today
Lott on the Line
Aired December 18, 2002 - 11:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Embattled Senator Trent Lott is determined to keep his leadership position. So as you might imagine, the last thing he would wanted to see in the headlines is yet another embarrassing statement coming out of his mouth about Strom Thurmond being president.
But guess what, we've got just that. Our Kathleen Koch joins us with more on all of this.
Good morning, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
And there is a bit of debate over just how damaging this new statement is. This video, this tape was unearthed yesterday, and it shows a defense bill signing ceremony where Senator Lott was present and can be heard talking in the background while Senator Strom Thurmond signs the legislation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: This is a famous signature right here. He should have been president in 1947.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, Lott in that case did not go on to add what he said on both December 5th and at a similar Strom Thurmond party back in 1980, that if the then-segregationist had been elected president back in 1948 that the U.S. would not have had all these problems. Lott's office contends the setting of that particular ceremony, the defense bill signing ceremony, helps bolsters their case that what Senator Lott was praising Strom Thurmond for was his strong anti-communism stance.
Lott, though, is clearly digging in his heels on this one. He is a fighter, he says he's not about to give up the fight, and he's won some very strong endorsements, particularly from Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska, the senior Republican in the Senate, also Senator Ben Nighthorse-Campbell, of Colorado, who is a Native American, the only minority GOP senator, and also from Utah's Orrin Hatch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: This man has given 30 years of service to the United States of America, and whether you agree with him or don't, my gosh, here's a very good man who's had a terrible mistake, and I think at this point, it's piling on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: There's also talk turning now to successors. Let's start with a short list of them, Oklahoma Senator Done Nickles, age 54, number two Republican in the Senate, elected at the tender age of 31, a reputation for being conservative, very pro business, very pro defense, 50-year-old Tennessee Senator and heart surgeon Bill Frist. He helped orchestrate the GOP takeover of the Senate in the November elections, said to be a favorite of the White House; 44-year-old Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a quick rising star in the party, one of the few who spoke out supporting Trent Lott yesterday. And then finally, 60-year-old Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who is slated next month to succeed Nickles as assistant GOP leader.
Much of the talk, the debate here on the Hill amongst Republicans remains just how much damage is this continuing controversy doing to the party, and it is prompting suggestions by some that Senator Lott should step down as Senate majority leader, not after this vote on January 6th, if he loses it, but even before Christmas, to shorten the pain and bring this to a conclusion sooner versus later -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting. Thanks, Kathleen. Kathleen Koch, reporting live for from Capitol Hill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 18, 2002 - 11:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Embattled Senator Trent Lott is determined to keep his leadership position. So as you might imagine, the last thing he would wanted to see in the headlines is yet another embarrassing statement coming out of his mouth about Strom Thurmond being president.
But guess what, we've got just that. Our Kathleen Koch joins us with more on all of this.
Good morning, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
And there is a bit of debate over just how damaging this new statement is. This video, this tape was unearthed yesterday, and it shows a defense bill signing ceremony where Senator Lott was present and can be heard talking in the background while Senator Strom Thurmond signs the legislation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: This is a famous signature right here. He should have been president in 1947.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, Lott in that case did not go on to add what he said on both December 5th and at a similar Strom Thurmond party back in 1980, that if the then-segregationist had been elected president back in 1948 that the U.S. would not have had all these problems. Lott's office contends the setting of that particular ceremony, the defense bill signing ceremony, helps bolsters their case that what Senator Lott was praising Strom Thurmond for was his strong anti-communism stance.
Lott, though, is clearly digging in his heels on this one. He is a fighter, he says he's not about to give up the fight, and he's won some very strong endorsements, particularly from Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska, the senior Republican in the Senate, also Senator Ben Nighthorse-Campbell, of Colorado, who is a Native American, the only minority GOP senator, and also from Utah's Orrin Hatch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: This man has given 30 years of service to the United States of America, and whether you agree with him or don't, my gosh, here's a very good man who's had a terrible mistake, and I think at this point, it's piling on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: There's also talk turning now to successors. Let's start with a short list of them, Oklahoma Senator Done Nickles, age 54, number two Republican in the Senate, elected at the tender age of 31, a reputation for being conservative, very pro business, very pro defense, 50-year-old Tennessee Senator and heart surgeon Bill Frist. He helped orchestrate the GOP takeover of the Senate in the November elections, said to be a favorite of the White House; 44-year-old Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a quick rising star in the party, one of the few who spoke out supporting Trent Lott yesterday. And then finally, 60-year-old Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who is slated next month to succeed Nickles as assistant GOP leader.
Much of the talk, the debate here on the Hill amongst Republicans remains just how much damage is this continuing controversy doing to the party, and it is prompting suggestions by some that Senator Lott should step down as Senate majority leader, not after this vote on January 6th, if he loses it, but even before Christmas, to shorten the pain and bring this to a conclusion sooner versus later -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting. Thanks, Kathleen. Kathleen Koch, reporting live for from Capitol Hill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
