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After graduating from the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford, Trent Lott was the staffer for Rules Committee chairman [[William Colmer]], a conservative Democrat. When Colmer retired in 1972, Lott ran as a Republican for the House and received Colmer's endorsement.<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/16/timep.lott.tm/</ref>. In the House, Lott defended President [[Richard M. Nixon]] in [[Watergate]] and achieved prominence as Minority Whip from 1981-1989. In 1988 he was elected to the United States Senate to succeed [[John Stennis]]. In the Senate, he has served as Majority Leader and Minority Leader, and is currently the Minority Whip.

After graduating from the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford, Trent Lott was the staffer for Rules Committee chairman [[William Colmer]], a conservative Democrat. When Colmer retired in 1972, Lott ran as a Republican for the House and received Colmer's endorsement.<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/16/timep.lott.tm/</ref>. In the House, Lott defended President [[Richard M. Nixon]] in [[Watergate]] and achieved prominence as Minority Whip from 1981-1989. In 1988 he was elected to the United States Senate to succeed [[John Stennis]]. In the Senate, he has served as Majority Leader and Minority Leader, and is currently the Minority Whip.

Lott resigned his position as Majority Leader after commenting that things would have been better had [[Strom Thurmond]] won his presidential bid in 1948.  This angered many people, as Thurmond had run on a pro-segregation and states' rights platform.

Long attacked by the [[liberal]] media, they forced Lott to resign his position as Majority Leader after he praised [[Strom Thurmond]] at his 100th birthday party in connection with his presidential bid in 1948.  Media reports implied that it was racist for Lott to praise Thurmond in such a manner, as Thurmond had run on a pro-segregation and states' rights platform.  Lott was then replaced as Majority Leader by the Bush-selected Senator [[Bill Frist]], who was inexperienced and less effective in running the [[U.S. Senate]].

In 2007, Lott has come under increasing fire from many conservatives for his support of [[amnesty]] for [[illegal immigrants]]. His seat comes up for election in 2012, and there is speculation that Lott will not seek a fifth Senate term.  

In 2007, Lott has come under increasing fire from many conservatives for his support of [[amnesty]] for [[illegal immigrants]]. His seat comes up for election in 2012, and there is speculation that Lott will not seek a fifth Senate term.