Trent Lott: “I have always observed in a legislative body you have to have a closer. You have to have somebody who says: This is good…”

“I have always observed in a legislative body you have to have a closer. You have to have somebody who says: This is good enough; let's go for it. We have had all of last week and now half of this week. We continue to negotiate. I guess I will have to assume some responsibility because if I had known we were not going to be able to go to the education bill--the No. 1 priority in almost everybody's mind in the country--we could have been considering other legislation. I have continued to hope that with one more half day, one more day, we could get going; we could have a full debate and offer amendments. If I had known we were going to be stalled out on education, I would have gone to other issues, and maybe that is what we ought to do now. If I understand correctly, Senator Daschle indicates he doesn't think this idea that any amendment would be considered to be applicable to the bill or the substitute, that we might not get an agreement to do that, but would it help if we could do that?”