Don Nickles, the honorable conservative from Oklahoma, is preparing to knock Trent Lott aside from senate leadership. My prayers are answered twofold: if Nickles can procure the top position, the Senate is not only free of the ponderous tentacles from Lott's illegitimacy on domestic politics - but in far better hands. As many have said, Trent Lott would be unqualified to lead a conservative agenda if he wasn't racist.
Mitch McConnell, who surprised me in defending Lott, particularly with some none-too-disguised threats on television, apparently doesn't see how absolutely self-destructive Lott's resignation would be. In hindsight, we would read about a Senate Majority Leader who spoke against civil rights in so clear a tone that his party would have been committing suicide to sustain his command; and how, upon being rightfully deposed, the erstwhile leader thumbed his nose at party, country and consituents; waxing whiny, sour grapes through a totally unnecessary early retirement.
He would be ostracized, quite obviously - nationally, locally. Considering the missteps he would have taken to end up in that situation, such a failure might find acceptance to work at local polls difficult.
In any other situation, Nickles could be considered playing to opportunity - looting his wounded comrade. But not this time: he's relieving a besotted officer of his duty. The Republicans had better rally behind this, not only Don Nickles but a powerful new direction in politics and public relations that can heal the wounds caused by Lott as well as show to the American people a Republican revulsion with bigotry and cowardice.