Herding Cats: A Life in Politics
Encyclopedia
Herding Cats: A Life in Politics is a book written by U.S. Senator Trent Lott
, a Republican
from Mississippi
. Published by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. on August 23, 2005, the book spans 320 pages. The major points of the book are Lott's childhood in Grenada
and Pascagoula, Mississippi
, including his struggles with his alcoholic father; his election to Congress; his years in the House of Representatives during the Nixon, Carter, and Reagan administrations (including his service as Minority Whip in that body); and his service in the Senate, especially his service as Majority Leader during the Clinton and Bush Administrations. He recounts the formative events of his youth and the stories from his political life. From his decision to support Gerald Ford
over Ronald Reagan
in the 1976 Republican primary
to his working partnership with Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle
during the Clinton impeachment and the September 11 attacks in 2001, Lott traces the inner workings of congressional life.
One major focus of the book is the comments Lott made at the birthday party of Sen. Strom Thurmond
in 2002 and the subsequent intense media coverage, which eventually led to his resignation as the Senate Majority Leader
in December 2002. Lott names several figures who he believes orchestrated his downfall, including members of President George W. Bush
's administration, such as then-Secretary of State, Colin Powell
, and former Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) head Joe Allbaugh
(who Lott claims has admitted that he intended to bring Lott down as Majority Leader); as well as the successor to Lott as Majority Leader, Sen. Bill Frist
.
Lott suggests that his forced resignation was a "strategic plan" devised by Bush and others who wanted Frist to take his place, since Frist supported key White House
policies like the Medicare expansion, which Lott opposed. Lott notes, however, that his response to the Thurmond controversy played poorly in the media.
Lott wrote in the book that Frist betrayed him by not telling him about Frist's decision to run for majority leader beforehand. Lott says he took Frist as his protege, as Frist had no political/public experience when he was first elected to the Senate.
Some suggested that Lott's book, which portrayed Frist in a negative light, was designed to impede Frist's possible presidential campaign, but Frist did not run. Lott indicated in the book that he had repaired his relationship with Frist to some extent.
Lott also emphasizes his years as Majority Whip in the House and his years as Majority Leader in the Senate, where Lott claims to have built an efficient vote-getting organization and played a key role in several legislative accomplishments, including the Reagan-era budget cuts and tax cuts, and welfare reform and the tobacco settlement during the Clinton years. This emphasis may tie into Lott's ambition to rejoin the Senate Republican Leadership.
Lott's experience in political Washington as an elected official entered year 35 in 2007, and historically he shares a unique distinction of having been in congress during the 1972 Nixon impeachment proceedings and the 1998-99 impeachment proceedings and trial of then-President Bill Clinton
.
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Published by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. on August 23, 2005, the book spans 320 pages. The major points of the book are Lott's childhood in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
and Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
, including his struggles with his alcoholic father; his election to Congress; his years in the House of Representatives during the Nixon, Carter, and Reagan administrations (including his service as Minority Whip in that body); and his service in the Senate, especially his service as Majority Leader during the Clinton and Bush Administrations. He recounts the formative events of his youth and the stories from his political life. From his decision to support Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
over Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in the 1976 Republican primary
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1976
The 1976 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 1976 U.S. presidential election...
to his working partnership with Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
during the Clinton impeachment and the September 11 attacks in 2001, Lott traces the inner workings of congressional life.
One major focus of the book is the comments Lott made at the birthday party of Sen. Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
in 2002 and the subsequent intense media coverage, which eventually led to his resignation as the Senate Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
in December 2002. Lott names several figures who he believes orchestrated his downfall, including members of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's administration, such as then-Secretary of State, Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, and former Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) head Joe Allbaugh
Joe Allbaugh
Joe M. Allbaugh is an American political figure in the Republican Party. After spending most of his career in Oklahoma and Texas, Allbaugh came to national prominence working for Texas governor George W. Bush and helping manage his 2000 presidential election campaign...
(who Lott claims has admitted that he intended to bring Lott down as Majority Leader); as well as the successor to Lott as Majority Leader, Sen. Bill Frist
Bill Frist
William Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. He began his career as an heir and major stockholder to the for-profit hospital chain of Hospital Corporation of America. Frist later served two terms as a Republican United States Senator representing...
.
Lott suggests that his forced resignation was a "strategic plan" devised by Bush and others who wanted Frist to take his place, since Frist supported key White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
policies like the Medicare expansion, which Lott opposed. Lott notes, however, that his response to the Thurmond controversy played poorly in the media.
Lott wrote in the book that Frist betrayed him by not telling him about Frist's decision to run for majority leader beforehand. Lott says he took Frist as his protege, as Frist had no political/public experience when he was first elected to the Senate.
Some suggested that Lott's book, which portrayed Frist in a negative light, was designed to impede Frist's possible presidential campaign, but Frist did not run. Lott indicated in the book that he had repaired his relationship with Frist to some extent.
Lott also emphasizes his years as Majority Whip in the House and his years as Majority Leader in the Senate, where Lott claims to have built an efficient vote-getting organization and played a key role in several legislative accomplishments, including the Reagan-era budget cuts and tax cuts, and welfare reform and the tobacco settlement during the Clinton years. This emphasis may tie into Lott's ambition to rejoin the Senate Republican Leadership.
Lott's experience in political Washington as an elected official entered year 35 in 2007, and historically he shares a unique distinction of having been in congress during the 1972 Nixon impeachment proceedings and the 1998-99 impeachment proceedings and trial of then-President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.