Maxine Waters Defends Ex-Klansman, Attacks GOP'er as Racist

Newsmax.com ^ | 05/09/03 | Carl Limbacher

[mware]

Maxine Waters Defends Ex-Klansman, Attacks GOP'er as Racist

Firebreathing California Congresswoman Maxine Waters angrily defended former Ku Klux Klansman Sen. Robert Byrd this week, saying that the one-time member of the cross burning, night-riding anti-black terror group was no more racist than her House colleague, Republican moderate Peter King.

"Unfortunately we do have racism in the backgrounds of many members of Congress, past and present. And [King is] one of them," Waters complained Wednesday on MSNBC's "News with Brian Williams," as a stunned King looked on.

"Wait, wait, Maxine. Whoa, whoa, Maxine. Let's end that right there," King shot back. "Senator Byrd and the Klu Klux--don't call me a racist, Maxine."

The verbal donnybrook erupted after King said that Sen. Byrd's Klan background undermined the credibility of his complaints about President Bush's appearance on the flight deck of the USS Lincoln last week.

"If they're going to rely on someone like Senator Byrd as their spokesman," King taunted, "a man who, years ago, with his racist background, gave up any right to be a moral arbiter of anything - then bring it on."

The barb sent Waters into a full-fledged meltdown, with the radical Democrat charging hysterically that the former Grand Kleagle's credentials on race were no worse than King's.

"I said you're guilty of some racism also," the California Democrat repeated, as King fumed.

"You come over there with Robert Byrd, I will stand with President Bush," he told Waters.

King told substitute anchorman John Seigenthaler that Waters' racism charge was "absolutely disgraceful."

"Just when I thought the Democrats couldn't go lower, they just did," he added. "You can bring out anything out about me. My record is--is clear and clean."

The full exchange went like this:

KING: Let me tell you, as a Republican, I almost welcome this. This is handing us an issue, because the Democrats make themselves look so small and petty. And if they're going to rely on someone like Senator Byrd as their spokesman, a man who, years ago, with his racist background gave up any right to be a moral arbiter of anything, then bring it on.

But you know, this shouldn't be about politics. This was a war that was won, the American people have a right to be proud of the armed forces, the president was out there. If anyone says that the president had some custom-fitted suit, I remember any time--any number of times where Bill Clinton would appear with troops with bomber jackets with his name on it, "commander in chief." I didn't begrudge him that. He was entitled to do that. And the president is a trained military pilot. So he had every right to be there. I think as an American, I'm proud that he was there. Whether he was a Democrat or Republican, no matter who the president was, I think all of us as Americans should be proud and not be petty begrudgers the way the Democrats are being today.

SEIGENTHALER: Well, what about this, Congresswoman Walters? I mean, President Clinton made appearances before troops before. He had a flight jacket on.

WATERS: Well, let me just say this. First of all, Peter King said something about racism in the background of Senator Byrd. And unfortunately we do have racism in the backgrounds of many members of Congress, past and present. And he's one of them. So let's take that off the table.

KING: Who is? I am? I am?

WATERS: Oh, yes, you are. And let's take that off...

KING: Wait, wait, Maxine. Whoa, whoa, Maxine. Let's end that right there.

WATERS: Take that off the table as an issue. Let me just say we are talking...

KING: Senator Byrd and the Klu Klux--don't call me a racist, Maxine.

WATERS: We are talking--yes, I did. We are talking about...

KING: Yeah.

WATERS: ...what this president did. Now, we have just come out of a crisis created by this president. Don't forget, he told us he was going to Iraq because there were weapons of mass destruction. He told us he was going there because we were in imminent danger from this dictator. We've not found any weapons of mass destruction. All we have is an invasion where millions of people--maybe, well, thousands of civilians have been killed, over 125 service people have been killed, Americans have been killed. The country has been looted and robbed of its arts and artifacts, and this president then gloats and flies in, a tailhook landing on the USS Abraham in a custom-fitted suit? I think it's an embarrassment.

SEIGENTHALER: Con--Congressman King, let me let you respond to that.

KING: Well, first of all, Maxine Waters has said something about me being a racist. That is absolutely disgraceful. And just when I thought the Democrats couldn't go lower, they just did. Robert Byrd belong...

WATERS: You went lower when you called--when you tried to inject racism into this argument.

KING: I never injected racism into any--I--I didn't belong...

WATERS: We were not talking about racism...

KING: Maxine, I...

WATERS: ...we were talking about the president of the United States.

SEIGENTHALER: Well, let me let--let me let Congressman King...

WATERS: You injected racism.

SEIGENTHALER: Let me let Congressman King respond if I can, Congressman Walters.

WATERS: If you don't want to talk about it, don't inject it. Don't inject, if you don't want to talk about it.

SEIGENTHALER: Well, let him--let's let him respond if we can.

KING: I didn't say a word about Maxine Waters. I said--John asked what I thought of Robert Byrd making a moral opinion. I'm saying as far as I'm concerned because of his background, he lost any right to be making moral judgments on anyone. As far as the president...

WATERS: You said racist background.

KING: Exactly. He was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. I consider the Klan...

WATERS: And I said you're guilty of some racism also.

KING: And I have absolutely--I have--I have never been a racist. I don't--maybe you--I think your problem is maybe you ascribe your sins to others and that's your problem.

WATERS: No.

KING: You come over there with Robert Byrd, I will stand with President Bush...

WATERS: No.

KING: ...the president of the United States. I'm proud that he's my commander in chief.

WATERS: I stand on the truth.

KING: You can be proud of Robert Byrd. And I'm delighted and proud that we had a...

WATERS: See, there you go putting words in people's mouth.

KING: ...that we had a president of the United States...

WATERS: That's what wrong with you, you're a spin artist, that's what's wrong with you.

KING: ...that--the fact is--no. I'm a--I'm a--I'm a proud American. I'm proud of having a president who led us through a war which the majority of Dem...

WATERS: Don't forget, I know something about what you have done. I know how you used my pictures and used me in your campaign. Yeah, you're guilty of racism.

KING: You--you can bring out anything out about me. My record is--is clear and clean.

WATERS: I know who you are.

SEIGENTHALER: Well...

KING: Absolutely, Maxine.

WATERS: I know very well who you are. [End of Excerpt]

[mware]

Peter King was right. Never let a charge of racism go unchallenged.

[wideawake]

He should sue her for defamation.

[HEY4QDEMS]

[Mister Baredog]

To Maxine ALL whites are RACISTS. She is one of the biggest RACISTS in Congress.

[LibWhacker]

What an Uncle Tom.

No, wait . . . I take that back . . . I read the book and not even an Uncle Tom would stoop so low as to defend a Grand Kleagle. She's a thousand times worse than Uncle Tom.

[timestax]

Unreal!!

[cicero's_son]

Absolutely incredible.

30-40 years from now, decent black folks will look back on this shameful incident in amazement. Imagine it! The spectacle of a so-called civil rights leader DEFENDING a Klansman merely to protect her own power base.

[journey7873]

Ah, democrats...always willing to lean on the crutch of racism...only when it works in their favor.

[BulletBobCo]

She IS the hideous hag of hate.

[fml]

She just blathered on and on. She didn't make any sense, but I'll bet she was real loud about it. Just goes to show - liberals are strangers to the truth because they will lie and then swear to it.

[txzman]

LOL - all I am seeing is normal Democratic behaviour.

1984 has nothing on the Dem's ability to Double Speak!

[mware]

Peter King is from NYC. He will not take her garbage laying down.

I am surprised that this is not bigger news. According to the article it happen on Wednesday.

[doug from upland]

This is great. She attacks Peter King, one of the least conservative Republicans. They are out of control. Hey, Mad Max, it's not working anymore.

[van_erwin]

Waters' comments make no sense to me. If she's calling King a racist, what the heck is she talking about?
How is he a racist according to her?

[b4its2late]

She's the best thing to happen to the Republican Party. Let her keep spewing her hate...... But, watching her get sued would be fun too.

[GiveEmDubya]

I watched that. I'm shocked but not surprised.

The ex-Klansman Democrat is OK but the squeaky-clean Republican is a racist just because Maxine says so. If Byrd was a Republican she'd be all over him...

[clintonh8r]

The bitch is crazy. King should have pounded on her without mercy. She had no substantiation for such outrageous charges.

[Eric Esot]

Ah Maxine Waters - loved her rant a few days after the '92 riots in LA, about how whites "better treat blacks better", and how it was the racism of "Reagan and Bush" that caused the riots. She was just brilliant I tell ya, really bridged the gap on that one!

[Zavien Doombringer]

She IS the hideous hag of hate.

Is she from Ithaca?

[Reagan79]

Peter King a racist??? Hahahahaha. Now that is so typical of Maxine Waters. Everybody knows Peter King is one of the most progressive members on issues of racial diversity. She is the worst racist thug in Congress! She just throws out wild accusations because since she is a racist, she assumes everybody is a racist. Of course the rats or the media won't call her on that. She should apologize to King in front of the entire Congressional body.

[mware]

Yeah, Peter King is a RINO, but a media darlings in NYC.

[BulletBobCo]

She is to the left of Ithaca.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Maxine Waters Birth Place

[Argus]

All we have is an invasion where millions of people--maybe, well, thousands of civilians have been killed, over 125 service people have been killed, Americans have been killed. The country has been looted and robbed of its arts and artifacts

Millions...well, thousands...okay, hundreds.

BTW, when Angelenos were looting and robbing their own city of its "arts and artifacts", Ms Waters called it "an uprising". You'd think a good communist like Maxine would approve of the people redistributing the wealth.

[Ceebass]

Remember the old joke:

Q:What's a racist?

A: Someone winning an argument with a liberal.

[plain talk]

You went lower when you called--when you tried to inject racism into this argument

She calls him a racist and then accuses him of bringing up racism?

[lilylangtree]

Go getter' Peter! Get so sick of the Black RATS trying someway to point the finger at the Repubs when they can't clean their own house. When I think of what they did to Trent Lott (and I'm no fan of Lott's) and they have the unmitigated gaul to defend other RATS of far worse, I have no respect for them.

[Republican Red]

I saw it Wednesday and posted about it. I was so upset with her words and contemptable behavior I called her CA office and took it out on the lackey that answered her phone. She is a totally vile person.

[sheik yerbouty]

Mad Maxine is one crispy critter!

[mware]

I didn't know anything about this incident until I read it on newsmax. I am really surprised this did not get more play on MSNBC.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Selective reporting.

[koba37]

USS Abraham? Was this a subconsciously made anti-Semitic Freudian slip? Hmmm. Odd that a "woman of color" would short change the Great Emancipator....

BTW, when a RAT calls a Republican RACIST they really want to say "CRACKER" or another slur for white males of European heritage..

[Post Toasties]

It seems Maxine Waters doesn't mind being a house negro on the Leftist Plantation whatsoever - she even smears Republicans with her own party's wrongdoings on cue. Peter King ought to haul Waters into court for slander over this.

[mabelkitty]

I want to hear her defend Dennis Kucinich, too.

Read the article on posted on his blatant racism THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT!!! HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, FOR G-D'S SAKE!!

[Aracelis]

I can think of no one more vile and racist than someone "of color" who continues to support legislation that oppresses the Black community. Maxine remaines in power because she keeps her constituency ignorant...which is jus' how she like 'em...in the ghetto and ignorant.

Maxine, if they ever catch on to you, you'll be out of Washington faster than crap through a goose.

[Post Toasties]

Has Waters ever aspired to be a civil rights leader? How can she lead anything except maybe a death squad when she's always down in her racist lying slimepit?

[chainsaw]

Maxine H2O The country has been looted and robbed of its arts and artifacts, and this president then gloats and flies in, a tailhook landing on the USS Abraham in a custom-fitted suit?

ROTFLMAO

That stupid dork makes my day every time she opens her mouth.

[aristeides]

The spectacle of a so-called civil rights leader DEFENDING a Klansman merely to protect her own power base.

Maxine Waters isn't alone in this. I heard Alcee Hastings defend Byrd despite his Klan membership on Hannity's radio show some months ago.

[aristeides]

He should sue her for defamation.

I wonder if King can seek to have Waters censured by the House. After all, Joe McCarthy was censured by the Senate.

[Post Toasties]

Waters and Hastings have thusly revealed their total corruption - not only don't they not give two s**ts about eliminating racism - propagating racist attitudes among African Americans is what keeps their paychecks rolling in.

[Post Toasties]

Waters and Hastings have thusly revealed their total corruption - not only do they not give two s**ts about eliminating racism - propagating racist attitudes among African Americans is what keeps their paychecks rolling in.

[cookcounty]

Fact: The most racist white guy at my company--always ready with the N word or "jungle-this" or "welfare-that"----is also the biggest democrat, who never misses a chance to bash Bush. And there are lots of these brainless morons in Chicago. And Durbin and Daley and all the rest just love 'em.

[Paul Atreides]

Maxine Water is nothing but a race whore. He should have referred to her as such in front of the entire audience.

[evad]

I wish the media would stop referring to "Sheets" as a FORMER klu klux klansman.

He was, IS and always will be a klu klux klansman.

[Princeliberty]

If you read the book then you should Uncle Tom
should not used an insult, they need
another term for sellout.

[Princeliberty]

that is "you should (know)

[ladyinred]

Maxine Waters is the most racist of all. She is so full of hatred for anyone who isn't like herself. I can't understand how someone as mean spirited and single minded as she is gets reelected, or is taken seriously by anyone. There will come a day when people realize that racism is not limited to whites. How she can defend a former KKK member is proof of how biased she is, and what a hypocrite.

[Mark17]

She IS the hideous hag of hate.

With a special emphasis on the hideous. The epitome of ugliness. I wonder if she has to sneak up on the toilet to keep it from flushing reflexively?

[Tall_Texan]

Ms. Waters is a medical marvel. No matter which end of her digestive system is considered, the same ugly black crap comes out of it. Without the lipstick, you couldn't tell the two ends apart.

[BulletBobCo]

Her mother always took her everywhere because she couldn't stand to kiss her goodbye.