Trent Lott

Two years ago, when regional phone companies wanted Congress to make it easier for them to compete in the high-speed Internet market, they did what special interests usually do with billions of dollars at stake: They amassed an army of experienced lobbyists. But one of the so-called Baby Bells didn't stop there. BellSouth also hired a pair of lobbyists distinguished by their family trees -- John Breaux Jr. and Chester T. "Chet" Lott Jr.

Four days after Hurricane Katrina flattened 65,000 Gulf Coast homes, President Bush promised that at least one would rise from the rubble. Where Sen. Trent Lott's 154-year-old home once stood, the president said, "There's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm going to look forward to sitting on the porch." Not only is there no porch five months later, but Lott's house on Beach Boulevard is nothing but a concrete slab and a neat stack of bricks.

Re "Lott Campaigns to Segregate Himself From Extremist Group," Jan. 26: The far right might spend less time worrying over what to tell children about people who lie and consider instead how to explain to those politically interested toddlers about people who support segregationist and neo-Nazi groups--like Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.). According to The Times, it seems that "when he wasn't hunting turtles," young Lott was listening to front-porch talk about race from his Uncle Arnie Watson, the state senator who chaired Mississippi's Carroll County Citizens Council, a forerunner of today's segregationist Council of Conservative Citizens.

The 83-year-old senator, asked about the state of race relations in America, offered his opinion: "They are much, much better than they've ever been in my lifetime," he said, despite the presence of a few "white niggers." The venue was the television show "Fox News Sunday." The date was March 2001. And the speaker was the senior Democrat in the Senate, the white-haired, Socrates-quoting Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia.

Two U.S. senators threatened to introduce bipartisan legislation that would block the Federal Communications Commission from acting quickly to ease media ownership rules. Sens. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said they were studying possible legislation that would nullify an FCC decision expected Dec. 18. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has not proposed exactly what to do about the ownership limits.

Trent Lott is finally cashing in his chips. Or is he planning to cash in on his chits? The Mississippi Republican stunned Washington on Monday by announcing his retirement from the Senate before the end of this year -- with five years remaining in his term. The decision was particularly odd because the former majority leader had staged a comeback from political disgrace a year ago by landing the Republican whip's job, the second-highest GOP leadership post in the Senate.

Sen. Trent Lott, a 35-year Capitol Hill veteran who staged a political comeback after losing his Senate leadership post because of racially insensitive remarks, plans to resign from office before the year is out. With his decision, the Senate's No. 2 Republican will avoid a new ethics rule that takes effect by the end of the year, allowing him to pursue a lucrative lobbying job after a year's wait rather than after two years.

Ending months of speculation, Sen. Trent Lott announced that he would run this year for a fourth term, saying Mississippi "is hurting and needs help." The 64-year-old Republican told a hometown crowd in Pascagoula that he wanted to continue working on federal issues related to the state's recovery from Hurricane Katrina, saying now was not the time to consider leaving the Senate. The hurricane destroyed Lott's beachside house Aug. 29.

EVERYONE FROM President Bush to pundits of the left, right and center have acknowledged that last week's election results show that voters wanted change. So why have Democrats and Republicans in Congress apparently adopted as their theme the Who's famous line: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"? On Wednesday, Senate Republicans went back to the future to choose Trent Lott of Mississippi as the soon-to-be minority whip, the No.

Even in a city known for career comebacks, it was a remarkable rebound. Four years after racially insensitive remarks toppled him from one of Capitol Hill's preeminent posts, Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi on Wednesday reclaimed a position of power, winning election as Senate minority whip. Lott's narrow victory in a vote among his colleagues to be their No.

Harry Reid doesn't owe me an apology. Sure, it was a little odd to see the term "Negro" used outside of a history class or documentary. Sounds like Reid is stuck in the last century. But the Senate majority leader didn't say anything many Americans -- especially us Negroes -- don't already know. If you're black, it is easier in this country to be light-skinned. That's borne out not just by anecdote and experience, but by research documenting favorable treatment for fair-skinned blacks in criminal cases, employment prospects, even social and romantic liaisons.

Trent Lott is finally cashing in his chips. Or is he planning to cash in on his chits? The Mississippi Republican stunned Washington on Monday by announcing his retirement from the Senate before the end of this year -- with five years remaining in his term. The decision was particularly odd because the former majority leader had staged a comeback from political disgrace a year ago by landing the Republican whip's job, the second-highest GOP leadership post in the Senate.

Sen. Trent Lott, a 35-year Capitol Hill veteran who staged a political comeback after losing his Senate leadership post because of racially insensitive remarks, plans to resign from office before the year is out. With his decision, the Senate's No. 2 Republican will avoid a new ethics rule that takes effect by the end of the year, allowing him to pursue a lucrative lobbying job after a year's wait rather than after two years.

Two U.S. senators threatened to introduce bipartisan legislation that would block the Federal Communications Commission from acting quickly to ease media ownership rules. Sens. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said they were studying possible legislation that would nullify an FCC decision expected Dec. 18. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has not proposed exactly what to do about the ownership limits.

EVERYONE FROM President Bush to pundits of the left, right and center have acknowledged that last week's election results show that voters wanted change. So why have Democrats and Republicans in Congress apparently adopted as their theme the Who's famous line: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"? On Wednesday, Senate Republicans went back to the future to choose Trent Lott of Mississippi as the soon-to-be minority whip, the No.

Even in a city known for career comebacks, it was a remarkable rebound. Four years after racially insensitive remarks toppled him from one of Capitol Hill's preeminent posts, Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi on Wednesday reclaimed a position of power, winning election as Senate minority whip. Lott's narrow victory in a vote among his colleagues to be their No.

Four days after Hurricane Katrina flattened 65,000 Gulf Coast homes, President Bush promised that at least one would rise from the rubble. Where Sen. Trent Lott's 154-year-old home once stood, the president said, "There's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm going to look forward to sitting on the porch." Not only is there no porch five months later, but Lott's house on Beach Boulevard is nothing but a concrete slab and a neat stack of bricks.

Ending months of speculation, Sen. Trent Lott announced that he would run this year for a fourth term, saying Mississippi "is hurting and needs help." The 64-year-old Republican told a hometown crowd in Pascagoula that he wanted to continue working on federal issues related to the state's recovery from Hurricane Katrina, saying now was not the time to consider leaving the Senate. The hurricane destroyed Lott's beachside house Aug. 29.

U.S. Sen. Trent Lott says personal losses he suffered because of Hurricane Katrina will weigh on his decision whether to run for reelection in 2006. The Mississippi Republican lost his waterfront home in Pascagoula during the Aug. 29 storm. "It was about half my net worth," the former Senate majority leader said. "I have a $400,000 loss after the flood insurance. From a personal standpoint, I need a little more income.

Republican members of the Senate on Sunday braced for partisan controversy about President Bush's next Supreme Court nominee, and at least one GOP senator urged the White House to bring in new advisors, given the problems with the previous nominee as well as the ongoing investigation into the leak of a CIA official's identity. "You should always be looking for ... new blood, new energy, qualified staff, new people in administration.