Americans go to the polls a week from today. And while it appears that Republicans will maintain their majority in the U.S. House, the Democrats' control of the Senate is tenuous. Friday's death of Sen. Paul Wellstone of Minnesota only complicated the prognosticating.
But should the GOP regain majority status in the upper chamber, should Trent Lott once again become the majority leader⢠We think not. For Mr. Lott has shown he can't handle the power.
It was back in January 2001 that Lott was the beneficiary of a Republican House, a Senate split evenly, 50-50 (but with an incoming Republican vice president who could break ties), and an incoming Republican president.
And what did the junior senator from Mississippi do⢠He caved to Democrat whining and agreed to a ridiculous "power-sharing" deal that undercut George W. Bush's agenda even before he had a chance to swear the presidential oath.
Six months later, Lott did little to keep Vermont's Jim Jeffords from becoming an independent and agreeing to vote with Democrats, thus handing the Senate to the donkeys.
Now comes Lott, stumping the nation for GOP candidates, courting his caucus and trying to polish the tarnish from his prior tenure. But what's incredible is that a majority of his peers have lined up four-square behind him. Don Nickles of Oklahoma says he won't seek the leadership, and a clear majority would vote to make Lott their leader again, whether in the majority or continuing in the minority.
Party solidarity is one thing, party suicide is another. Pity that Republicans can't discern the former from the latter. Dumping Trent Lott would prove us wrong.
