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Trent Lott 'Will Not Be Missed' By Bloggers

By his own account, Trent Lott was the "first pelt" of the blogosphere. Although Lott's political career was revived somewhat last year with his elevation to Senate minority whip, the Mississippi Republican has been a bit player on the Washington scene since bloggers helped force him from the Senate majority leader's post five years ago next month.

With that in mind, you can expect a lot of celebration today if, as expected, Lott announces that he will be resigning from the Senate at the end of the year. The good-riddance blogging already has begun, in fact.

Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, one of bloggers whose criticism of Lott in 2002 led to his downfall, hinted that Lott got tired of fighting with the "Porkbusters" who have badgered him (and other lawmakers) about special-interest spending in recent years. "He will not be missed," Reynolds said of Lott.

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo, another of the bloggers who helped force him from power, poked fun at the idea that Lott is leaving so abruptly for the trite reason often cited by departing public officials. "That's a pretty rapid onset desire to spend time with [family]," Marshall said.

Michelle Malkin agreed: "Inveterate Beltway creatures who love the pomp and power of their office do not just decide they are 'ready to move on.'"

Jerome Armstrong of MyDD, who labeled Lott "a symbol of failure," suspects a more profitable reason. He said Lott is leaving now so he can avoid new lobbying restrictions on former lawmakers. "Lott will be able to jump right into the money during the last giveaway year of the Bush reign," Armstrong wrote.

I'll update this post as more blog reactions are posted.

UPDATES:
-- Captain's Quarters ponders Lott's legacy and concludes: "Lott will most likely be remembered for his arrogance and his inability to adapt to the paradigms of open government in the Internet/blogosphere era. He staunchly defended an old tradition of trading power and influence at a time when America finally started to see the costs inherent in those mechanisms. Lott could have led the Republicans to adapt to the new reality and become the vanguard of ethics reform and smaller government, but instead remained entrenched in the trappings of a vanishing era. When challenged, he lashed out instead of listened, and now he walks away with little credibility left."

-- Firedoglake: "Best of luck, Trent. ... Clearly you've already got a platinum parachute lined up, or you wouldn't be jumping ship. Cozy."

-- Outside The Beltway: "Resigning in order to pursue a career as a lobbyist ...would further tarnish his public image. ... It’s considered kosher to leave early to pursue higher elective office, since it ostensibly allows the candidate to better serve his constituents, but doing so for private financial gain is rather unseemly."

-- RedState: "Trent Lott long ago stopped being useful and started being bitter. He hates the Porkbusters. He hates conservatives. He hates most anything other than establishment Republican ideals of entrenched power and earmarks. ... So, now we have a leadership fight on our hands. We need to get a conservative in his spot."

-- Oliver Willis: "One less pro-segregation, racist, right-wing Republican to deal with in the Senate."

Posted by Danny | 10:13 AM

Comments

Good riddance to that corrupt, arrogant, nonentity of a Senator with the rats nest on his head - and please take his Godfather John McCain and his girl friend Lindsey Graham with him! As for racism, he is no more racist then most liberals.

Scipio | 11.26.07 12:23 PM

Good riddance to ole "Vacant" Lott. I've long felt he had a tin ear and didn't understand the important part of what he heard. His amnesty position simply didn't make sense. His Strom comments, however, were blown out of proportion and he should have been able to ride them out; a democrat would have.
But, most commentators are being far kinder than I. He is leaving because some one has something on him and he knows it's coming. Maybe, Flynt has something on him, maybe, some neocommunist, but he's dirty and the triuth is coming out.

Ed | 11.26.07 03:14 PM

As a former Alaskan I'd add Ted "Jurassic Pork" Stevens to Scipio's list of Lott's fellow travelers, if only wishing could make it true.

McGehee | 11.26.07 05:57 PM

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