trent lott says goodbye, but why?

Republican Senator from Mississippi, Trent Lott, unexpectedly announced yesterday that he would be leaving the Senate by the end of the year. The pundits are suggesting that he’s getting out to become a lobbyist before a new bill passes that would require individuals sit out two years after leaving the Senate before cashing in as lobbyists. Some are speculating that it might be due to the widening corruption case against Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens. And, then there’s the third theory — that Larry Flynt was about to expose evidence of a relationship between the Senator and a a young male escort. If I had to choose one, I’d go with the male escort. Given the Republican obsession with gay sex and the number of conservative legislators brought down by gay sex scandals these past several years, I think it’s a pretty safe bet. But, I think it’s quite likely that all three are true. I think that what we’re seeing unfold is just the perfect political storm for a corrupt, greedy, closeted Republican. The only thing that could have made it any more overwhelming would have been if he were also being forced to share an office with a black Senator or something.