Lott: I May Oppose Troop Escalation
By on Jan 5th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Lott: I May Oppose Troop Escalation
Yesterday on MSNBC, Trent Lott (R-MS), the second ranking Republican in the Senate, said that he may oppose troop escalation in Iraq. Watch it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2007/01/lott.320.240.flv]
Lott’s comments are particularly significant because, as the Minority Whip, he’s responsible for bringing his caucus in line with the Senate leadership’s position. If he’s not for escalation in Iraq, it’s unlikely there will be any serious effort in the Senate to get other members of his caucus to support it.
Transcript:
Matthews: Is there a chance you’ll say no to the surge?
Lott: There is.
Matthews: Thanks for making news here.
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Flip-flopper.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:26 amI don’t like Trent Lott but I hope he is really opposed to more troops in Iraq.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:27 amSo, Trent says “there’s a chance” that he will oppose the troop escalation in Iraq. On the one hand, I guess that is heartening. On the other hand, it might be just as meaningless as GDumbya saying that he “wants to be a uniter”.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:28 am“Minority whip”
AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!!
ok I’m still giddy. But really what is this “May oppose” business? There appears to be an implication of “if” there.
Come on Trent you have no other options!
January 5th, 2007 at 10:29 amMatthews: Is there a chance you’ll say no to the surge?
Lott: There is.
Matthews: Thanks for making news here.
Thanks for nothing, Chris.
‘There’s a chance’….great. Let me know when he graduates from ‘a chance’ to reality.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:29 amKind if a limp-wristed hand shake there.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:29 am#1 – RATFASP, doncha know that when Democrats do it, it’s “flip flopping”.
When Republicans do it, they’re being retrospective and realigning themselves with new realities.
Republicans are NEVER flip-floppers.
And trickle-down economics saved our country.
And Pres. Bush has never made any mistakes in his life.
And I can fly if I flap my arms hard enough.
Uggghh. That much sarcasm turned my stomach!
January 5th, 2007 at 10:32 amWhat does that matter?
it’s war-time…havn’t you read the patriot act?
The secretary of state, defense, the president, and a TON of appointed officials can take us to war now..
who cares about trent lotts little veiw of things….?
Do you really think that the will of King George can be, *gasp* Usurped by an ELECTED official…
hahahaha
January 5th, 2007 at 10:34 amAlthough I would agree that there’s a small chance Trent would oppose, never underestimate the revenge factor. Trent still is testy about how he was Bush whacked out of Leadership position.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:35 amWhat a pathetic little peice of drivle…..
Congress is no longer involved with war….read the patriot act..
Its a nice peice of propoganda, insinuating that Trent Lott actually has a say in anything..
He’s a PNAC member, things are going as planned…
January 5th, 2007 at 10:36 amIt’s true, if you flap your arms hard enough, you can fly, get up on the roof and try it Halbert.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:37 amMatthews: Is there a chance you’ll say no to the surge?
Lott: There is.
Matthews: Thanks for making news here.
The only news is that Matthews again fails to press the question. Saying no on TV and voting no to fund it are two different animals.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:37 amdlet sez:
Exactly. Chris Matthews needs to change the name of his show to Softball.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:42 amWe will see whether Lott’s actions will match his words! Since Bush has screwed him over in the past, he would be wise to back impeachment of Bush and Cheney this year!
January 5th, 2007 at 10:45 amChris loves this guy.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:46 amYou can’t be a fan of Senator Lott, however , he is a lot better than Senator ‘Yes, Sir” Frist. Frist never questioned anything Bush asked him to do….Lott is still bitter at the way Bush helped in letting him go in favor of Bush’s beloved Frist.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:47 amEither that or . . Mushball.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:47 amObviously escalating in Iraq won’t help and almost certainly will make matters worse. Also, if one thing has been demonstrated these past six years, it’s that Republicans in Congress aren’t moved by right and wrong. So the decision whether to support escalation should be viewed as a purely political one. Bush’s chosen path of escalation is in many ways a manifestation of his deep psychological problems, but that won’t stop Republicans from going along for their own reasons, most likely as a strategy to run out the clock until 2008. But this is a risky strategy. Many voters won’t be fooled, and the GOP risks further steep losses in the next congressional elections, with no guarantee of winning the presidency. Bush is all the way off the rails now, and I hope that his party is starting to weigh the possible benefits of impeaching him.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:48 amWhat kind of ambiguous crap is that? Grow a pair and say what you think.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:49 am#12 – dlet
Exactly. No follow up question? Or six?
January 5th, 2007 at 10:50 amYup softball questions from Matthews, as usual, where did the term HardBall come from, did he have prostate problems?
January 5th, 2007 at 10:52 amExactly. No follow up question? Or six?
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 10:50 am
Because he had to go to a commercial. Commercials are so much more important than actual news!
January 5th, 2007 at 10:55 amRepublics*, masters of vacillation and pussy-footin’ around.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:59 amA rubber-stamping comedian.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:02 amBecause he had to go to a commercial. Commercials are so much more important than actual news!
Comment by Jules
And a Minimum Wage increase is so much more important than out troops in Iraq.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:08 amRobert, when you learn to T-Y-P-E, much less make sense, we’ll honor you with a reply…
January 5th, 2007 at 11:11 amBecause he had to go to a commercial. Commercials are so much more important than actual news!
Comment by Jules
Which is why I can’t watch television news — Keith Olbermann
BTW Jules, I saw Keith last night and he says hi. :)
January 5th, 2007 at 11:13 amHeh.
ooh, somebody better rebuild his porch fast
January 5th, 2007 at 11:14 amRemember the Bush crew engineered Lott’s downfall, he may very well be more interested in showing that he might work with the dems either as an act of revenge, or as a means to squeeze concessions out of the Bush cabal.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:16 amAnd a Minimum Wage increase is so much more important than out troops in Iraq.
Comment by robert — January 5, 2007 @ 11:08 am
You are used to the 109th Congress that worked one day a week and would have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time
This congress plans to put in the hours. If they cannot tackle more than one issue at a time then they also need to be thrown out and others voted in. I expect my students to be able to multi-task. Surely our elected officials can do this also.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:18 amBTW Jules, I saw Keith last night and he says hi. :)
Heh.
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 11:13 am
That was just rude!!!
January 5th, 2007 at 11:21 amAnd a Minimum Wage increase is so much more important than out troops in Iraq.
Comment by robert
I would say yes. A better income gets people out of recruiting offices.
January 5th, 2007 at 11:21 amThat was just rude!!!
Comment by Jules
I’ll wake him up and tell him you said he was rude…
January 5th, 2007 at 11:25 amI’ll wake him up and tell him you said he was rude…
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Let him rest. When he wakes tell him I will be ready by 8!
January 5th, 2007 at 11:27 amZooey,
When he wakes up can you ask Keith who he’s featuring on his entertainment segment?
January 5th, 2007 at 11:29 amJules & Truth,
What am I? A messenger pidgeon? The poor man is exhausted!
January 5th, 2007 at 11:31 amZooey you are the last messinger pigeon. Take a break.
Why is he so exhausted Zooey?
January 5th, 2007 at 11:35 amWhat am I? A messenger pidgeon? The poor man is exhausted!
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 11:31 am
That is why I said to let him rest.
And yes you are a messenger “pidgeon”
January 5th, 2007 at 11:36 amWhy is he so exhausted Zooey?
Comment by ForTruth
We were up all night playing parcheesi!
And yes you are a messenger “pidgeonâ€
Comment by Jules
Low blow, Jules. Oy, I shall have revenge…
January 5th, 2007 at 11:41 amLow blow, Jules. Oy, I shall have revenge…
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 11:41 am
You started it!!!
January 5th, 2007 at 11:55 amYou started it!!!
Comment by Jules
Details….
January 5th, 2007 at 11:58 amDetails….
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 11:58 am
If I did not know any better I would swear you were a republican! You know – facts and their liberal bias.
January 5th, 2007 at 12:06 pm“If he’s not for escalation in Iraq, it’s unlikely there will be any serious effort in the Senate to get other members of his caucus to support it.”
uoy… don’t get your hopes up…
and, juan, EXCELLENT point (as usual) @ 11:21 am
c’mon, robert… open the mind…
January 5th, 2007 at 12:07 pmIf I did not know any better I would swear you were a republican! You know – facts and their liberal bias.
Comment by Jules
Learn by observation….
Use when convenient for own purposes.
I am the black sheep in a family of wingnuts!
January 5th, 2007 at 12:12 pmI am the black sheep in a family of wingnuts!
Comment by Zooey — January 5, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
Damn, that’s my problem. I come from a long line of progressives.
My sisters kind of weird though (no surprise there). She is liberal in a lot of ways but used to be very homophobic. We would have huge arguements about it until she found out her favorite brother-in-law was gay. She got mad at me once and screamed at me. “you just want everyone to be happy.” Damn those progressives and their just wanting people to be happy!!!
January 5th, 2007 at 12:18 pmZooey,
But everything O’Reilly tells muffy and poppy is true.
January 5th, 2007 at 12:18 pmI come from a long line of French Canadian progressives from upstate NY. I’m not sayin’ they arent’ nut bags anyway. Just Democratic nutbags.
January 5th, 2007 at 12:22 pm…Just Democratic nutbags.
Comment by ForTruth — January 5, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
and that explains so much! :-)
January 5th, 2007 at 12:28 pmyou are a lucky one!
Katy,
Yes I have some nutbag in me for sure. If you haven’t noticed. :)
January 5th, 2007 at 12:30 pmtest
January 5th, 2007 at 12:48 pmSpeaking of nut-bags….
January 5th, 2007 at 1:06 pm[...] Minority Whip Trent Lott says he may oppose a troop escalation in Iraq. Details here. [...]
January 5th, 2007 at 1:42 pmDamn those progressives and their just wanting people to be happy!!!
Comment by Jules
Yeah, I hate that.
What are you smiling about….?
January 5th, 2007 at 2:07 pmYes I have some nutbag in me for sure. If you haven’t noticed. :)
Comment by ForTruth — January 5, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
test
Comment by Daryll — January 5, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
Speaking of nut-bags….
Comment by ForTruth — January 5, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
L O L …
January 5th, 2007 at 2:24 pmYeah Katy,
Daryll’s test post was impeccible timing during my nut-bag discussion.
January 5th, 2007 at 2:54 pmLott will say no to the surge and yes to the escalation.
January 5th, 2007 at 3:20 pmI’m not fond of Lott, but this is wonderful.
Lott must still be smarting over Bush/Rove’s use of the Strom Thurmond eulogy to have him booted out from his Senate Majority Leader post and replaced by blatant Bush lapdog Frist.
Now he gets to remind Bush that there are indeed three branches of government, with checks and balances, and that nobody in the Senate, Republican or Democrat — and especially not those who are up for re-election in 2008 — is particularly interested in furthering the agenda of a guy who’s just dropped to 30% in the polls with two years left in his term.
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January 6th, 2007 at 4:49 pmCNN Late Edition Preview for 1/7/2007…
CNN Late
January 6th, 2007 at 5:03 pmEdition (Wolf Blitzer)
Below are the topics and guests announced for
this program, along with my take on the “memes” that the show is trying to
push. With each guest’s name are a series of links that I found in a web search……