NewsMax Intern Tommy Donegan
Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002

With the Republicans recapturing the Senate two weeks ago, Lott is once again ready to take up the mantle as the majority leader. But this time will be different, the once-and-future Senate leader says, hinting that he's learned from past mistakes.

"I think in life and in experience you do learn lessons," Lott said during a post-election press conference on Capitol Hill. "I'm getting a second chance to do this job. I hope I will do it, you know, better then last time and learn from experiences."

Still, despite his pledge to do better, the 61-year-old lawyer from Mississippi is sending mixed signals about just what he thinks his past mistakes were.

Republicans groused loudly that Lott had given away the store in 2001 with the Senate power-sharing deal he struck with then-Minority Leader Tom Daschle. But now, according to the Washington Post, Lott says he's ready to do even more "to reach out to Democrats" in the Senate.

When speaking to conservative audiences, however, on venue's like Bill O'Reilly's "Radio Factor" talk show, the Mississippi Republican talks tough about stationing U.S. troops along the border to halt illegal immigration. But he has yet to introduce any firm proposal to actually implement the idea and hasn't mentioned it again since winning his old leadership post back.

First elected to Congress 30 years ago, Lott spent all but six of those years with his party in the minority. Now that he's won a rare second chance to prove he has what it takes to lead a majority party, the GOP can only hope he's a changed man.

Tommy Donegan attends St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School in Staten Island, N.Y.

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