James R. Matthews--Thomas Jay Ellis, Esq.--Ruth S. Damsker
Posted on 02/08/2006 5:09:35 PM PST by Mike Bates
On Tuesday's Hardball, the discussion turned to Jimmy Carter's remarks at the funeral of Coretta Scott King. The former president had brought up wiretapping. Host Chris Matthews observed: "Of course that‘s hot because J. Edgar Hoover was wiretapping Dr. King and feeding all the dirty to LBJ, you know?"
The former FBI chief had indeed wiretapped the late civil rights leader, but not on his own authority and initially not for President Lyndon Johnson. King biographer David Garrow wrote in a 2002 Atlantic Monthly article:
"On October 10, 1963, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy committed what is widely viewed as one of the most ignominious acts in modern American history: he authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation to begin wiretapping the telephones of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Kennedy believed that one of King's closest advisers was a top-level member of the American Communist Party, and that King had repeatedly misled Administration officials about his ongoing close ties with the man."
Earlier in the program, Matthews had said that at Mrs. King's funeral, "Senator Ted Kennedy reminded us of the role his brothers had played with Dr. King, getting him out of jail back in 1960." This role included Bobby Kennedy inappropriately calling the sentencing judge in the case. There's strong reason to believe the Kennedys' sudden interest was politically motivated. Kennedy's call took place only days before the 1960 presidential election. So grateful was Dr. King's father that he announced, "Because this man was willing to wipe the tears from my daughter (in-law's) eyes, I've got a suitcase of votes, and I'm going to take them to Mr. Kennedy and dump them in his lap."
It's understandable that Teddy Kennedy wouldn't bring up his brothers' role in wiretapping Martin Luther King. But why wouldn't Chris Matthews mention their widely known involvement?
There is still hope that Pennsylvania does not regress into New York.
A lot of commentators have been saying that the FBI actually wanted extramarital dirt on MLK and, to my recollection, that ended up being an afterthought, but I don't know.
Pennsylvania will be the state to watch this year. The Gov. race plus the Senate race (the only one that the GOP could lose) make it worth watching.
I think Santorum will pull out a win.
"Why did Nazism and Stalinism spring from the Left side of the spectrum? Yeah, its an extreme example, maybe unfair, but I feel it was no coincidence historically"
It is because Communists and Socialists exalt the collective and deny the rights of individuals. The right believes in individual rights and that governments exist to defend these rights.
As I understand it, one of King's top people in fact had been a Communist. Whether he still was one I don't know, but I doubt it.
Most worshipful.
Yeah, but some people feel the same way about Osama bin Laden, and he's a terrorist. Since Chrissy says that intercepting King's phone calls is like Bush intercepting calls between terrorists, I think he's saying that King was a terrorist.
The best thing he can do is not campaign. At all. Santorum will have to work, but based on voting patterns, the Nelsons look a lot more nervous than Rick.
Stanley D. Levison
and he drools
I believe there is a distinction to be made here.
I consider it more a froth and spittle combo.
Is he STILL on?? Don't suppose he mentioned we are spying on Terrorists like the 911 Commission screamed for?? Of course not because that would be the Truth.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Not only is he still on, but he's actually - once in a while - stopped fixating on Karl Rove's grand jury testimony.
It still is amazing that a show with as bad a ratings as his finds it necessary to Offend 60% of his potential viewers. Haven't watched him for a year, quicker to just go to the DNC website!
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
True, most Kennedy escapades are wiped from the history books.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. - Congressional Record - CPUSA
King himself was not a CP member, according to former FBI official Cartha DeLoach, but it was his association with Levison and O'Dell that led the Kennedy administration (not just LBJ, contra Matthews) to place him under surveillance.
Robert Kennedy and Hoover were worried about the communist influence on MLK.
MLK was a notorious womanizer as well as his penchant for associating with known communists.
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