THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

WHEN TRENT LOTT became Senate majority leader last year, he at once began striking deals with Democrats in Congress and the White House. He had an inner circle of one: himself. That’s changed. Now Lott meets with a small group of Senate Republicans — he calls it the Council of Trent — with whom he discusses ways to advance the GOP agenda. Six senators attend the meetings: Spence Abraham of Michigan, Paul Coverdell of Georgia, Slade Gorton of Washington, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Connie Mack of Florida, and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.