Trent Lott: “let me just say briefly, Mr. President, on the education issue, it is very difficult to deal with these negotiations…”

“let me just say briefly, Mr. President, on the education issue, it is very difficult to deal with these negotiations fairly and honestly and productively when you have the President and the Democratic leadership coming out and bashing negotiators on issues like education. It also makes it difficult, when you have that happen, to be able to work with people with whom you disagree philosophically, although you try to work in good faith, but also it begins to diminish respect and trust. That is one of the biggest problems we have right now. It is so difficult to maintain a sufficient level of trust to be able to get your work done. I think most people who know me--Senators on both sides of the aisle--know that is very important to me. I strive to be trustworthy myself and to keep my word, and I find it very hard to work with people who I don't have that same feeling about. When it comes to education, I will stand aside to nobody, especially a bunch of people who went to private schools and then holler and scream about what ought to happen in public schools. I went to public schools from the first grade right through college. I went to Duck Hill Elementary and Grenada Elementary and Pascagoula Junior High School. My wife went to public schools. My children went to public schools. I believe and care about education and public schools. I worked for the University of Mississippi. My mother was a former schoolteacher. She taught school for 19 years.”