Friday, December 20, 2002

posted 12/20/2002 10:55:00 AM by Daniel   0 comments

I missed it by that much...

Okay, so my timing was off. Trent Lott desperately hung on for much longer than I expected. It took 9 days instead of my upper estimate of 6.

But his eventual departure was never in doubt. The pattern was just too obvious. I'll repeat my quote from a previous post on how these things happen:

These events follow a trajectory. The politician lashes out at his critics and denies that he's ever done anything wrong. He insists that he will defend his honor and reputation and never give up. The pressure grows and grows, until it becomes obvious that his ouster is only a matter of time. The media begins to focus on questions of how and when he'll depart. The politician's protestations of innocence grow louder and louder, as does his defiance of all his enemies. But the louder he shouts, the more desperate he sounds. His staunchest supporters distance themselves from him. He appears delusional and cut off from reality, as he frantically tries to convince anyone who will listen to him that he'll never give up.

Then suddenly he cuts a deal and resigns and it's all over....