Lott mulls writing book
'I'm going to tell all'
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Sen. Trent Lott says any book he might write about his experience in the Senate would cite a few colleagues "lacking in the character and courage to serve in this body."
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- With New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton grabbing the spotlight with her memoir, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott -- who resigned his leadership post under fire late last year -- said Tuesday he's thinking about writing his own book.
"I'm going to tell all," said the Mississippi Republican. "Whoo-ee, there are going to be a lot of nervous people around here."
Asked twice by reporters if he were serious, Lott insisted he wasn't joking.
Lott fell from power amid a political firestorm over comments he made at then-Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. At that party, Lott praised Thurmond's 1948 segregationist campaign for the presidency.
The remarks -- suggesting the nation would have been better off had Thurmond been elected -- drew a strong rebuke from, among others, President Bush, who called them "offensive" and "wrong."
Lott, despite several apologies, never managed to contain the criticism from Democrats and -- more important -- conservatives and Republicans. His legislative record on civil rights was scrutinized, and past statements about Thurmond's 1948 candidacy were also criticized.
Under pressure, he stepped down from the leadership post, and his colleagues elected Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee to replace him.
Tuesday, Lott said he would have kind words for friends who stood by him during the scandal, but he would expose colleagues whom he said betrayed him, including "a few lacking in the character and courage to serve in this body."
CNN Congressional Producer Steve Turnham contributed to this report.
