This is Hewitt and Steyn talking about the cloture vote before it happens, with clips of Trent Lott. (You may be able to listen to it online here.) Part of the reason I insist on posting it here is that the transcriber wrote “debark last November,” for “debacle last November,” but they don't have my experience interpreting unassimilated British accents. The “debacle last November” is what happened to the Republican Majority when George Bush got hold of it.

Hugh Hewitt: It is also a day that will go down in legislative infamy. It appears that we are only hours away before cloture is agreed to on the immigration bill, despite the obvious desires of the party. I based that on statements made by Trent Lott earlier today. To discuss those statements, the bill, and just generally what is going on in this country, Columnist To the World, Mark Steyn, joins me, www.steynonline.com. Mark, it appears as thought Senate Republicans are intent on taking the party over the cliff.

Mark Steyn: I think that’s true. I think in fact, people like Trent Lott are in large part responsible for the debacle last November, in that he embodies, both in his generally witless remarks, but also in the idea that he forms part of this permanent governing class, everything that he Republican base came to loathe about the Republican Congress. And speaking about republicanism in the small R sense now, I think what they’re trying to with this bill would, is actually an abomination in terms of small R republican government. This is simply not the way you citizen legislators pass responsible, wide-ranging, profoundly expensive and transformative legislation. Mark Steyn dissects Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott's floor speech today on the immigration bill, Hugh Hewitt Show, June 7, 2006

But here are couple of other points that echo what we've been saying at VDARE.com:

Mark Steyn: But in this situation, you have a situation where both parties in a two-party system are at odds with the vast majority of the American public. And if bipartisanship means that the two parties agree to gang up on the citizenry of this country, then I’d rather have none of it.

Amen.

The bipartisanship gets really deep and steaming when Trent Lott starts thanking Senator Kennedy for “educating” him on this issue:

Trent Lott: Senator Kennedy, I appreciate the legislative leadership you have been providing. I know it is not easy, you know, and your own colleagues and those of us over here have been beating you up. I mean, you’re a nice poster child. Thank you very much for what you do. But I'll tell you one thing I have learned the hard way. When it comes to legislating, when you are dealing with Senator Kennedy, you had better bring your lunch, because you are going to get educated, you are going to learn a lot, and you are going to get a result. Hopefully it is going to be a good one. Good luck, senator from Massachusetts. I yield the floor.

Teddy Kennedy: And the senator too. I thank my friend from Mississippi, and I commend him for a constructive and a positive attitude.

Of course, he wasn't elected by the people in Mississippi to have a constructive and a positive attitude towards Ted Kennedy. You really should read, and/or listen to the whole thing.