Thread: Lott says criticism of his immigration stand unjustified

Lott says criticism of his immigration stand unjustified
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JACKSON -- U.S. Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott has felt the sting of criticism before, but being vilified by conservatives for pushing for a new immigration law was a bitter pill for the Mississippi Republican.
Lott worked with an unlikely coalition of Republicans and Democrats to try to secure passage of the massive immigration bill backed by President Bush. Those efforts were derailed Thursday as the Senate failed to limit debate and clear the way for final passage of the legislation.

The bill would have tightened border security and workplace enforcement, created a guest worker program and provided ways to earn legal status for many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Opponents painted the bill as nothing more than amnesty for millions people who live and work in this country illegally.

Lott, usually the darling of conservatives, was painted in television and Internet ads as turning his back on those who elected him and joining forces with the likes of liberal Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

"A lot of people have questioned my judgment, my motives, my integrity in all of this," Lott said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "I was trying to get a job done. We didn't make it."

Lott said one criticism still perplexes him.

"What possible reason would Trent Lott have for wanting to have more illegal immigrants?" Lott asked. "That doesn't make sense. What I was trying to do was come up with a comprehensive way to stop the flood of illegal immigrants, have a controlled, identifiable, enforceable, temporary work program..."

While the bill fell short of what was needed, Lott said there were amendments waiting that would have addressed many of the critics' concerns.

Criticism of Lott by conservative talk shows peaked this month when he told reporters: "Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem." He said some of the hosts simply didn't know what was in the bill.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh asked on the air, "What are we going to do with Mississippi Senator Trent Lott?"

Lott told The Associated Press that his comments had been misunderstood and, at times, twisted.

"I was saying, yes, we need to get in there and try to tell our side of the story," not muzzle talk shows, Lott said. "My criticism is of us, not of them."

"I don't think we did a good job talking to them and telling them what we are trying to do," he said. "I don't know if it would have made much difference in this case because we didn't explain what was in this bill. It came out of the box wrong and we could never get it turned around right."

Lott said many of his critics failed to realize that his position as minority whip puts him in difficult positions at times.

"When I was re-elected the whip last year, most people in Mississippi thought, 'Hey, this is good. This will give him a little more leverage to try to help Mississippi,"' he said. "Well, it's not an honor you get for free. It requires you to try to find a way to make this body, which is very difficult to get to come together, to come together and to move forward in a positive way."

Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., who voted with the majority in against limiting debate on the immigration bill, said he understands Lott's position.

"Sen. Lott had a responsibility which he carried out in a highly professional way," Cochran said in a separate interview. "He did the best that could be done with a tough issue.

"There is no doubt legislation is needed to strengthen our border and improve the (immigration) laws we have and that's what this legislation was designed to do," Cochran said. "As it turned out, most of the senators decided it was not the right combination of changes that we needed to improve our laws, that more work has to be done."

Lott said the problem of unlawful immigration remains.

"What the American people said they wanted and what Congress did was nothing," he said. "We didn't do anything, so whatever the situation is will continue."

http://www.sunherald.com/news/breaking_ ... 87929.html

While the bill fell short of what was needed, Lott said there were amendments waiting that would have addressed many of the critics' concerns.

They still don't hear us. We don't want amendments; we don't want the bill in any form.

Trent, go sit on your porch.

Please call and leave Mr. Lott a message. Tell him he doesn't need to pass any more bills. Enforce the ones they have already passed. Secure the border and he might try reading the Constitution and send a copy to the President.

1-800-862-5530

JJ

Lott doesn't understand, the american people do understand. We were promised by Lott in 1986 that our borders would be secured; that illegal immigration would be stopped; and our laws would be enforced. Instead here you are trying to give a path to citizenship to illegals who have broken the laws that you promised were be enforced.

Send Lott a note that it is he who does not understand, the american people understand all to well. he needs to resign and go help rebuild houses in Mississippi.

Lott, usually the darling of conservatives,

Is that so?

Since when?

You can tell the man is an idiot, every time he opens his fool mouth.

Originally Posted by pjr40

You can tell the man is an idiot, every time he opens his fool mouth.

We'll have to tell the bigot to shut-up. Maybe he should start a song and dance routine with his man Teddy.

That Scarlet Letter "A" isn't feeling very comfortable today.

Guess he has noticed that his Amnesty fan club isn't calling him up and congratulating him on his vote.

Dixie

Trent Lott is a turd.