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Lott Resigns as Majority Leader
Aired December 20, 2002 - 14:00 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We start with Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill -- Jon.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, It's looked inevitable for the last -- at least the last day or so, that Trent Lott would be forced to step down because of that controversy surrounding his comments at Strom Thurmond's birthday party, and the news came this morning at 11:00. It was a short statement from Senator Lott's office, and it read -- quote -- "In the interest of pursuing the best possible agenda for the future of our country, I will not seek to remain majority leader of the United States Senate, effective January 6th, 2003. To all those who offered me their friendship support and prayers, I will be eternally grateful, and I will continue to serve the people of Mississippi in the United States Senate.
So Trent Lott is not stepping down his seat from the U.S. Senate, just his very important role as the Republican leader, and hence the majority leader in the Senate.
Now it's off to the races to see who will replace Trent Lott as the Republican leader, and far and away, the favorite in this, the clear front-runner is the only official candidate, and that is Dr. Bill Frist, senator of Tennessee. He had some strong support from many Republicans today, including George Allen of Virginia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: I believe that Bill Frist is a person who is most capable of accurately portraying the sentiments of Senate Republicans to advance opportunities for all Americans. He's capable to represent those views and express them in a coherent, logical, and I think motivational way, as well. He has my support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: And there is a lot of support here for Bill Frist. I've encountered about 20 senators so far. Of course he would only need 26 to have the majority of his conference. The latest statements we're hearing coming out include Kay Bailey Hutchison, a member of the Republican leadership, senator from Texas. She has come out, is about to come out in favor of Bill Frist. Also, Elizabeth Dole, the newly elected senator from North Carolina put out a very strong statement in favor of Bill Frist.
And many, many others. As for the Democrats, a short while ago, I spoke with the Democratic leader in the house, the incoming leader, Nancy Pelosi, who had this reaction to the news of Trent Lott's departure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: Clearly, it is an issue that the Republicans could not ignore. It became too hot to handle. And I think the American people conveyed to the Republican Party that this was would be unacceptable way to proceed with its leadership.
But it's up to the Republicans to choose their leadership, and they have done that. It's not up to Tom DeLay or to Nancy Pelosi. But it is up to the Republican senators, and I hope in choosing new leadership on the Senate side, that the Republicans in the Senate will also disassociate themselves from some of the campaign tactics that were used in the last election, that centered on race.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: And get ready for that. You heard an allusion to what the Democrats will be doing in terms of Bill Frist. The Democrats have already been doing opposition research on Bill Frist, prepared to attack him for his ties to pharmaceutical companies, the managed care industry, and also talking about the tactics that the Republicans used in the midterm elections. Democrats are prepared to try to paint Bill Frist as somebody very similar to Senator Trent Lott.
The Republicans will get together and formally declare their leader, decide their leader, on January 6th, when they come back to Washington to start the 108th Congress.
Right now, it is only Bill Frist who is a candidate. But Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has been calling his colleagues here in the Senate, trying to sound them out about possibly running against Bill Frist.
Right now, though, a lot of momentum, virtually unstoppable momentum in favor of Bill Frist -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I know we'll be talking more about that past when it comes to Bill Frist as the story progresses.
Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill, thank you so much.
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 20, 2002 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We start with Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill -- Jon.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, It's looked inevitable for the last -- at least the last day or so, that Trent Lott would be forced to step down because of that controversy surrounding his comments at Strom Thurmond's birthday party, and the news came this morning at 11:00. It was a short statement from Senator Lott's office, and it read -- quote -- "In the interest of pursuing the best possible agenda for the future of our country, I will not seek to remain majority leader of the United States Senate, effective January 6th, 2003. To all those who offered me their friendship support and prayers, I will be eternally grateful, and I will continue to serve the people of Mississippi in the United States Senate.
So Trent Lott is not stepping down his seat from the U.S. Senate, just his very important role as the Republican leader, and hence the majority leader in the Senate.
Now it's off to the races to see who will replace Trent Lott as the Republican leader, and far and away, the favorite in this, the clear front-runner is the only official candidate, and that is Dr. Bill Frist, senator of Tennessee. He had some strong support from many Republicans today, including George Allen of Virginia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: I believe that Bill Frist is a person who is most capable of accurately portraying the sentiments of Senate Republicans to advance opportunities for all Americans. He's capable to represent those views and express them in a coherent, logical, and I think motivational way, as well. He has my support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: And there is a lot of support here for Bill Frist. I've encountered about 20 senators so far. Of course he would only need 26 to have the majority of his conference. The latest statements we're hearing coming out include Kay Bailey Hutchison, a member of the Republican leadership, senator from Texas. She has come out, is about to come out in favor of Bill Frist. Also, Elizabeth Dole, the newly elected senator from North Carolina put out a very strong statement in favor of Bill Frist.
And many, many others. As for the Democrats, a short while ago, I spoke with the Democratic leader in the house, the incoming leader, Nancy Pelosi, who had this reaction to the news of Trent Lott's departure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: Clearly, it is an issue that the Republicans could not ignore. It became too hot to handle. And I think the American people conveyed to the Republican Party that this was would be unacceptable way to proceed with its leadership.
But it's up to the Republicans to choose their leadership, and they have done that. It's not up to Tom DeLay or to Nancy Pelosi. But it is up to the Republican senators, and I hope in choosing new leadership on the Senate side, that the Republicans in the Senate will also disassociate themselves from some of the campaign tactics that were used in the last election, that centered on race.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: And get ready for that. You heard an allusion to what the Democrats will be doing in terms of Bill Frist. The Democrats have already been doing opposition research on Bill Frist, prepared to attack him for his ties to pharmaceutical companies, the managed care industry, and also talking about the tactics that the Republicans used in the midterm elections. Democrats are prepared to try to paint Bill Frist as somebody very similar to Senator Trent Lott.
The Republicans will get together and formally declare their leader, decide their leader, on January 6th, when they come back to Washington to start the 108th Congress.
Right now, it is only Bill Frist who is a candidate. But Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has been calling his colleagues here in the Senate, trying to sound them out about possibly running against Bill Frist.
Right now, though, a lot of momentum, virtually unstoppable momentum in favor of Bill Frist -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I know we'll be talking more about that past when it comes to Bill Frist as the story progresses.
Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
