Are you wondering why all of these long-time (so-called) “public servants” of the Republican Party have been stepping down lately? I have my OWN little theory — it has a little somethin’-somethin’ to do with the infamous “D.C. Madam’s” phone records and the resulting investigations into the sexual “improprieties” of so many [psst -- "alleged"] Republican lawmakers, but hey — I’m just thinking out loud here.

Scenario in mind — the Democrats go around poking a few Republicans on the back of their shoulders and say something like: “Hey man, looky here. Isn’t that YOUR phone number? Should we go public with this or would you rather just step down, kick back with your wife and enjoy the golden years on your rocking chair?” Hey — again — just thinking out loud; that’s all; I just KNOW nothing of the sort would be even REMOTELY possible, right? Another one of those radical “liberal conspiracy theories” — yeah, that’s it. And, how DARE I be the one to cook up such a “rumor” regarding this ole’ segrationist -slash- Strom Thurmon fan and his cronies in Congress anyway? What am I thinking? That just couldn’t be the case with all of these falling “Red” dominoes lately…

COULD IT?

From MSNBC:

Trent Lott announces his resignation
Minority whip says he will leave Senate before end of the year

Pascagoula, Mississippi – Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, announced Monday he will retire from the Senate by end of year.

“It’s time for us to do something else,” Lott said, speaking for himself and his wife Tricia at a news conference. …”

(Snip!)

… “There are no problems. I feel fine,” Lott said. …”

(Snip!)

“… Lott’s colleagues elected him as the Senate’s Republican whip last year, a redemption for the Mississippian after his ouster five years ago as the party’s Senate leader over remarks he made at retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond’s 100th birthday party. Lott had saluted the South Carolina senator with comments later interpreted as support for southern segregationist policies. …”

(Snip!)

“… Lott becomes the sixth Senate Republican this year to announce retirement. …”

(Snip!)

“… The smooth-spoken Lott found himself in hot water in December 2002 after Thurmond’s party. Lott said Mississippi voters were proud to have supported Thurmond when he ran for president on a segregationist platform in 1948, and added: “If the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn’t have had all these problems over all these years either.” …

And folks — the phrase “Minority Whip” is NOT a pun; at least not in THIS guy’s case…

I also have no choice but to wonder if the independent thinking and voting Larry Flynt might be behind this one as well (source: The Politico)? We’ll probably never hear the truth, but I have a feeling you’ve just read it right here at The GTL™…

***

Thanks to Buck Naked Politics for linking in…

Other bloggers weigh in; H/T to MemeOrandum (Bloggers, both Left and Right seem to be united in thinking something smells “fishy” and wishing him a “good riddance”): Talk Left; PoliBlog(TM); The Carpetbagger Report; Senate 2008 Guru; The Newshoggers; Outside The Beltway (Right); Drudge Retort; The Left Coaster; Hot Air (Right); Michelle Malkin (Right); The Heretik; The Van Der Galiën Gazette

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