Weld's bid to become ambassador is lost, Lott says

WASHINGTON (AP) Massachusetts Gov. William Weld's
chances of being confirmed ambassador to Mexico may have
disappeared when he criticized the powerful head of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Majority
Leader Trent Lott said yesterday.

But Weld, a moderate Republican, indicated that he by no
means is giving up. In Boston, sources close to Weld
said that Weld will resign as governor to fight for the
ambassadorship full time.

Weld will announce his resignation as governor,
effective 5 p.m. tomorrow, at a news conference today,
the source told The Associated Press.

It likely will be an uphill battle, if Lott's comments
are any barometer.

``The biggest problem right now is Gov. Weld shot his
foot off,'' Lott, RMiss. said on NBC's ``Meet the
Press.'' ``He held a news conference and bashed the
chairman of the committee that held his fate on this
nomination.''

Weld, who was formally nominated by the White House last
week to the Mexico City ambassadorship, has run into the
possibly insurmountable opposition of Sen. Jesse Helms,
RN.C., the conservative head of the Foreign Relations
Committee.

Helms, who effectively can kill a nomination by refusing
to schedule hearings, has said that Weld is unqualified
for the job because he is soft on drugs. Weld has
supported the medical use of marijuana and a needle
exchange program for addicts.

The governor made his decision to resign and pursue the
ambassadorship at a meeting yesterday afternoon at his
home in Cambridge, according to the source. Among those
attending were his wife, Susan, his chief of staff,
press secretary and two top political advisers.

Weld has fought back, accusing Helms of ``ideological
extortion.''