Senator Trent Lott, in his first public remarks since resigning as Senate Republican leader, said Sunday that had fallen into a “trap” set by his political enemies. He said he had only himself to blame.
Lott became the focus of a raging controversy for his remarks praising Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist run for president.
Asked whether he was disappointed in a lack of support from President Bush in keeping his post, Lott said he didn't think it would be useful to say he was disappointed “in anybody or anything.” He said, “an inappropriate remark brought this down on my head.”
However, Lott said there were those who had been gunning for his resignation.
He said there were “some people in Washington” who had been trying to “nail” him for a long time. He said, “when you're from Mississippi and you're a conservative and you're a Christian, there are a lot of people who don't like that.”
