"Trent Lott has been an unprincipled disaster - the sooner he is made to fall on his sword, the better," wrote David Codrea, a co-founder of Citizens of America, a national gun-rights advertising campaign. "But Bill Frist is a completely unacceptable replacement. Republicans will elect him Senate majority leader at the risk of enraging and alienating the most reliable constituency they have ever had" – gun owners.

Lott resigned Friday, thanking his supporters.

"In the interest of pursuing the best possible agenda for the future of our country, I will not seek to remain as majority leader of the United States Senate for the 108th Congress effective Jan. 6, 2003," he said.

"To all those who offered me their friendship, support and prayers, I will be eternally grateful. I will continue to serve the people of Mississippi in the United States Senate," he added.

Bush praised Lott for his decision.

"It was a very difficult decision Trent made on behalf of the American people," said the president in a statement. "Trent is a valued friend and a man I respect. I am pleased he will continue to serve our nation in the Senate and look forward to working with him on our agenda to make America safer, stronger and better."

Lott faulted himself for the controversy. He said he had fallen into a "trap" set by his political enemies and had "only myself to blame."

The Washington Post reported Monday that Frist is poised to become the first majority leader "elected" by telephone.

Frist, an ally of Bush who is the Senate's only physician, also has a history of backing supporters of other controversial measures that are not palatable to most Republicans, like abortion and stem-cell research.

WorldNetDaily reported Friday that the junior Tennessee senator championed the nomination by President Clinton of former Surgeon General David Satcher, a fervent supporter of unrestricted abortion and someone who actually performed abortions.

And, Frist – a heart surgeon – once told National Public Radio that there are no absolute right, absolute wrong answers in medicine. During last year's stem-cell debate, he proposed using leftover embryos from in-vitro fertilization clinics for scientific research. The Weekly Standard also noted that Frist believes there is a moral imperative to use one unsalvageable life to save another.

Sen. Pete Dominici, R-N.M., threw his support to Frist last week, telling Fox News he wanted to move up a Jan. 6 Republican conference meeting to debate the party's fate and affirm Frist as the party leader.

Virginia's two Republican senators, John Warner and George Allen, backed Frist last week.

Over the weekend, other colleagues praised Frist and said they looked forward to his leadership.

"He personifies not just the rhetoric about idealism but as a life that has been lived," said Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., on Fox News Sunday. "There are actually hands-on examples of how he will make a difference. And I think it's a very exciting prospect."

Frist will "be a different face than what we've had," added Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "I'm not criticizing what we've had, but I think Bill has a kind of a more moderate record and a more moderate approach toward things, and I think that it's going to be very difficult to criticize him."

Others predicted Lott's demise would be forgotten soon.

"In the long sweep of American history, this is going to be a blip," Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

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Meet Bill Frist: Heir to Lott throne

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