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American Morning
Controversial Words by Senator Lott
Aired December 11, 2002 - 09:36 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The controversy surrounding Senator Trent Lott still going strong, brewing again today. The soon-to-be majority leader issued a statement apologizing for remarks he made last week at Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. Now it appears those remarks similar to the ones made about 22 years ago. At a rally in 1980 he said of Strom Thurmond then, "You know, if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today" -- end quote -- again from 1980 there.
Today, Jonathan Karl back on Capitol Hill gauging reaction there. More reaction from the senator today, possibly or not?
Jonathan, good morning.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is a lot of pressure on Trent Lott right now to come out and talk about this situation, to talk about this latest revelation. He said basically exactly what he's apologized for back in 1980, that there are Republicans who are talking about this. One thing going for Trent Lott is that Congress is out of session. There are not a lot of senators here. There are some. There are not a lot up here. But they are talking over the phone. I've been told by several top Republican aides that there is -- there are a lot of senators right now reaching out to Trent Lott and vice versa, saying that he has got to get out here publicly and deal with this issue and deal with it in a very forceful way.
HEMMER: Jonathan, is there much talk right now about how this may impact his leadership, knowing that he's going to be again the majority leader come January?
KARL: Well, the number two in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, right behind Trent Lott was on local radio in Washington this morning, and said Trent Lott will not resign and should not resign.
But I have tell you, Bill, there have been discussions here among very senior Republicans who are aware there is a possibility that he may in fact be forced to resign or do something dramatic. They still say it is unlikely that will happen, but they are now raising this as a very real possibility if he doesn't deal with this problem and deal with it directly.
Lott supporters are saying the outcry about this is about politics; it's not about race, that clearly he is not a segregationist, he is not a racist. Lott reporters are saying when Lott was back at the University of Mississippi as a student back when it was integrated and James Meredith became the first black student, that he was among the students out there trying to prevent the race riots that ensued and got recognized as such.
So there are supporters of Lott talking about this, talking about it right now behind the scenes. But There's a general consensus that he must get out here and deal with this directly himself, or in fact there is a possibility his leadership could be jeopardized.
HEMMER: Interesting development. Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill, thank you.
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 11, 2002 - 09:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The controversy surrounding Senator Trent Lott still going strong, brewing again today. The soon-to-be majority leader issued a statement apologizing for remarks he made last week at Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. Now it appears those remarks similar to the ones made about 22 years ago. At a rally in 1980 he said of Strom Thurmond then, "You know, if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today" -- end quote -- again from 1980 there.
Today, Jonathan Karl back on Capitol Hill gauging reaction there. More reaction from the senator today, possibly or not?
Jonathan, good morning.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is a lot of pressure on Trent Lott right now to come out and talk about this situation, to talk about this latest revelation. He said basically exactly what he's apologized for back in 1980, that there are Republicans who are talking about this. One thing going for Trent Lott is that Congress is out of session. There are not a lot of senators here. There are some. There are not a lot up here. But they are talking over the phone. I've been told by several top Republican aides that there is -- there are a lot of senators right now reaching out to Trent Lott and vice versa, saying that he has got to get out here publicly and deal with this issue and deal with it in a very forceful way.
HEMMER: Jonathan, is there much talk right now about how this may impact his leadership, knowing that he's going to be again the majority leader come January?
KARL: Well, the number two in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, right behind Trent Lott was on local radio in Washington this morning, and said Trent Lott will not resign and should not resign.
But I have tell you, Bill, there have been discussions here among very senior Republicans who are aware there is a possibility that he may in fact be forced to resign or do something dramatic. They still say it is unlikely that will happen, but they are now raising this as a very real possibility if he doesn't deal with this problem and deal with it directly.
Lott supporters are saying the outcry about this is about politics; it's not about race, that clearly he is not a segregationist, he is not a racist. Lott reporters are saying when Lott was back at the University of Mississippi as a student back when it was integrated and James Meredith became the first black student, that he was among the students out there trying to prevent the race riots that ensued and got recognized as such.
So there are supporters of Lott talking about this, talking about it right now behind the scenes. But There's a general consensus that he must get out here and deal with this directly himself, or in fact there is a possibility his leadership could be jeopardized.
HEMMER: Interesting development. Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
