Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Calls for Senate Censure of Robert Byrd-Likens Comments to Lott's

The Los Angeles Times ^ | December 18, 2002 | Joanna Neuman

[Mo1]

It was broadcast on FOX News Sunday and I think Tony Snow beeped the 'White N*gger' comment out..

Are you sure, I don't remember a beep

[AmishDude]

Would "Affirmative Action" qualify as a code word? Or perhaps a euphamism?

[livius]

the national conversation on race...

Huh? I would hardly consider politically motivated Dem race baiting to meet the above description. But then, I'm not a Dem.

[The_Victor]

I don't know any "code words". Do you know any "code words"?

They are distributed weekly via your decoder ring. You do have your decoder ring, don't you?

[KQQL]

Frist wants to be POTUS...so I doubt he wants to be ML .

LOTTS best buddy is Mitch, so he rather have him take over..

[MamaLucci]

.. has it been confirm that is was Carville that started this mess ..

There's a thread up right now saying that Sid Blumenthal played a big part in it,
as well. All the usual suspects.

[ewing]

Still Jesse and the race pimps say Byrd use of that word is just as bad as what Lott said.

CENSURE HIM FOR IT!-What is good for the goose..

[KQQL]

@

[BaghdadBarney]

"McConnell for Majority Leader. He's playing the best hand throughout all of this."

What a load of crap. McConnell, Santorum and Frist have all been AWOL on calling for Lott's ouster. Nickles call for Lott's head was a very courageous thing to do. To sit back and let Nickles hang out there all by himself when McConnell knew it was the right to do do is despicable and certainly shows ZERO leadership. Calling for Byrd's censure is the politics of a coward. We conservatives didn't like it when liberals shouted "everybody does it" when Clinton was in trouble; now all of a sudden we're all for it? Crap. Crap. Crap. If there wasn't such pathetic fear and equivocation in the Senate GOP Caucus, Lott would have stepped down by now...

[leadpenny]

Who said that it was wrong for Newt to say politics was "War without the bloodshed?"

This is gettin' good.

[DoctorMichael]

...................about damn time somebody took the offensive and got in these guys face.

If this were happening to, and during, the Klintoon Administration they would have had a team of talking heads on all the shows the next day obfuscating and changing the subject.

Anybody remember Sid Blumenthal?

How about Rham Emanuel?

Susan Estrich?

etc.etc.etc.

[Coop]

Firing back! It's about time!!

[Corin Stormhands]

Byrd was basically saying there are good whites and blacks and bad ones. Unlike Lott Byrd was not reminicing about good ole days.

White-n****r doesn't harken back to the "good ol' days?"

Lott was not reminiscing. He was honoring a friend with an off-the-cuff comment. Fact is, if Thurmond had held his present views in 1948 we would've been better off. There's no question about that.

I'm no fan of Lott. I've wanted him gone since he squished on impeachment. But this is a witchhunt, plain and simple.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Lott is politically stupid and I think he should resign but his comments were an inept attempt to praise Thurmond. They did not exactly tout the good old days, they were too murky and insensitive. Byrd's comments were also extremely inept and actually quite personally insulting. Neither man, however, should be censured for their comments. Neither man also deserves a leadership position.

[cactusSharp]

now let's use media logic here.....
white nigger....hmmmm that means white as opposed
to black right ? or an addendum to the always black nigger
....so Byrd meant his disdain for white niggers is louder
than black niggers which Byrd EXPECTS to act like
he thinks they do......the words "white nigger" cannot survive unless a "black nigger" is the attacks
primer base. Where in hell is the black outrage
or media outrage ?

[alisasny]

What makes me ill over this is Stroms party was only covered live on CSPAN so only a few people even saw it.

I want a leader who will put little Tommy Daschle back in the hole he belongs in. Not some panderer like Lott!

What is amazing to me is the silence by both Byrd and Daschle. I think Daschle is silent because he wants Lott to stay since he knows he can pander to Lott while some other leader is not going to give him time of day.

[Bluntpoint]

Byrd used the word in a manner that was not, on its face, derogatory to Blacks.

Talking about Dixiecrat ideals, is insulting to both Blacks and Whites.

[Coop]

Actually McConnell is being intellectual dishonest comparing Lott and Byrds comments.

No, he's not. He's demanding equal treatment for both parties (not that we think he'll really get it). You know Byrd's true intent about as well as Jesse knows Lott's true intent.

[NYlurker]

What Lott said was worse. In saying there were white n---s, he was saying the worst of the whites are like blacks.

[MattinNJ]

About damn time.

Lott's biggest mistake was in apologizing. He should have called a press conference and said the following "The Democrats and the media are correct-the Senate needs to be cleaned up. Let's proceed in an orderly and chronological fashion. First, we'll address Byrd's KKK past and use of the N word on FNC, then we'll launch a thorough investigation into Ted Kennedy's leaving that young girl to drown, then we'll get around to me. Let me know when you're ready."

The "outrage" would have stopped right then and there. By apologizing he showed weakness and emboldened his enemies.

We need someone like Mitch who will play hardball. The Dems are at war with us and will stop at nothing-vote fraud, politics of personal destruction, etc...Never bring a knife to a gunfight.