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CNN Live At Daybreak

Lott of Fallout

Aired December 19, 2002 - 06:31   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The firestorm continues to brew in Washington. Let's get more on the Trent Lott controversy, and that's where our Kathleen Koch is now on Capitol Hill.
Hi again -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredericka.

Well, they are beginning to line up. Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island now is the first Republican senator coming out saying that Senator Lott has got to go.

Then one of Senator Lott's most ardent supporters early on, outgoing Congressman J.C. Watts, the only African-American Republican congressman now says that if he were Lott that he would go ahead and resign, that he wouldn't put himself, he wouldn't put his friends and family through this ordeal that's going on right now.

There are supporters, at least nine senators that CNN has counted, ranging from conservative Orrin Hatch to moderate Arlen Specter, have come out saying, yes, that they will support Senator Lott. But that's a far cry from the 26 votes that he's going to need to hang on to his leadership position, when that vote comes up on January 6 where all of the Republicans here in the Senate will get together and decide whether or not they want to keep him, or if he's become an albatross for the Republican Party.

Now, someone who up to this point has been relatively silent is President Bush, though he initially condemned Lott in very strong words. Since then, the White House has been pretty quiet, but Senator Lott came out yesterday and said he still believes he has President Bush's support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MAJORITY LEADER: I talked to the president, and we had a very good conversation. There seems to be some things that are kind of seeping out that maybe have not been helpful, and I understand how that happens. Of course, you've got a lot of people who work there who have different points of view, but I believe that they do support what I'm trying to do here, and the president will continue to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, of course, you mentioned earlier, Secretary of State Colin Powell coming out criticizing Lott. This is someone again from whom Lott had initially sought support and was rebuffed. Colin Powell saying -- quote -- "There was nothing about the 1948 election or the Dixiecrat agenda that should have been acceptable in any way to any American at that time or any American now."

So, while the White House is, at least, publicly staying relatively mum, surrogates are beginning to come forward, and there are some who say that that's a strategy that could backfire, that senators here on Capitol Hill don't like to be told what to do. And if that begins -- if the White House (UNINTELLIGIBLE) even behind the scenes begins to take on that appearance, that could backfire and instead win support for the senator -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Kathleen.

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 19, 2002 - 06:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The firestorm continues to brew in Washington. Let's get more on the Trent Lott controversy, and that's where our Kathleen Koch is now on Capitol Hill.
Hi again -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredericka.

Well, they are beginning to line up. Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island now is the first Republican senator coming out saying that Senator Lott has got to go.

Then one of Senator Lott's most ardent supporters early on, outgoing Congressman J.C. Watts, the only African-American Republican congressman now says that if he were Lott that he would go ahead and resign, that he wouldn't put himself, he wouldn't put his friends and family through this ordeal that's going on right now.

There are supporters, at least nine senators that CNN has counted, ranging from conservative Orrin Hatch to moderate Arlen Specter, have come out saying, yes, that they will support Senator Lott. But that's a far cry from the 26 votes that he's going to need to hang on to his leadership position, when that vote comes up on January 6 where all of the Republicans here in the Senate will get together and decide whether or not they want to keep him, or if he's become an albatross for the Republican Party.

Now, someone who up to this point has been relatively silent is President Bush, though he initially condemned Lott in very strong words. Since then, the White House has been pretty quiet, but Senator Lott came out yesterday and said he still believes he has President Bush's support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MAJORITY LEADER: I talked to the president, and we had a very good conversation. There seems to be some things that are kind of seeping out that maybe have not been helpful, and I understand how that happens. Of course, you've got a lot of people who work there who have different points of view, but I believe that they do support what I'm trying to do here, and the president will continue to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, of course, you mentioned earlier, Secretary of State Colin Powell coming out criticizing Lott. This is someone again from whom Lott had initially sought support and was rebuffed. Colin Powell saying -- quote -- "There was nothing about the 1948 election or the Dixiecrat agenda that should have been acceptable in any way to any American at that time or any American now."

So, while the White House is, at least, publicly staying relatively mum, surrogates are beginning to come forward, and there are some who say that that's a strategy that could backfire, that senators here on Capitol Hill don't like to be told what to do. And if that begins -- if the White House (UNINTELLIGIBLE) even behind the scenes begins to take on that appearance, that could backfire and instead win support for the senator -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Kathleen.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.