Trent Lott Must Go [Andrew Sullivan Gets 1st Dibs in Line]

Andrew Sullivan.com ^ | Dec. 9, 2002 | Andrew Sullivan

[ewing]

After his remarks at Strom Thurmonds 100th Birthday Party, is seems to me that my Republican party has a simple choice.

Either they get rid of Lott as Majority Leader, or they should come out formally as a party that regrets segregation and civil rights for African Americans.

Why are the Republican commentators so silent on this?

And where are the liberals?

Bill Kristol, to his credit, expressed disbelief.. (at Lott's comments)

[sinkspur]

This story has reached critcal mass and it matters to a goodly part of intellectual republicans as demonstrated in the half dozen threads on the matter here.

Free Republic represents, at MOST 20,000 people, and the threads you reference might have drawn 40 people.

The story has reached clownish mass with the involvement of the ridiculous Al Sharpton and his trained monkey Jesse Jackson.

You have got to be kidding if you think this story merits half of the attention it is getting.

Bush is not going to force Trent Lott to resign over a gaffe.

And you're not either.

[BillCompton]

These are the threads on it.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/803438/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/803452/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/802524/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/802477/posts

[Dante3]

What is the problem with that statement? Or is it only part of his statement? Anyway, what about the racial slurs uttered by Hillary? (And let's not forget the anit-Semitic comments by Rev. Jesse J.)

[republicanwizard]

He has agreed with Puff Daschle that Republicans will have a one seat edge on committees.

We need someone aggressive in the job, and it should not be a Southern Senator.

We have a President from Texas. We have a Vice-President from the Mountain West. We have a Speaker from the Midwest. We need a Senator from the Northeast, and no one is more qualified for that position than Rick Santorum, a telegenic, solid conservative. Best of all, Democrats hate him.

[Capt. Tom]

According to published reports, Lott said that “the United States would have been better off had Strom Thurmond won his 1948 presidential campaign.” Thurmond ran for President as a candidate for the breakaway Dixiecrat Party and was a known segregationist when he ran for President in 1948.

According to Sharpton: “Lott’s statements are blatant racism at the highest order, and are insulting to all Americans at a time that America needs to be unified.” In a time of unprecedented attacks on the American way of life, to have the majority leader of the U.S. Senate give tacit support to a white segregationist’s political philosophy, is frightening and offensive.”

[ewing]

Is George Allen as conservative as Nickels?

[RAT Patrol]

Exactly, sinkspur. Exactly

[Siobhan]

If Bush wants to get rid of Lott, this would be an opportune time.

Finn

[Tall_Texan]

Byrd notwithstanding, the Senate needs a more competant leader and if this is the excuse that causes him to relinquish that role, so be it.

How many times have we've seen Democrats poke Lott in the eyes, kick him in groin, stomp on his feet and Lott just grins that goofy grin and goes right back to trying to win the Democrats' favor again. Somebody needs to tell Trent that Democrats see socialist government as their God and see him as desecrating their church by his very existence. Democrats are not nice people, particularly if you stand between them and power. Trent never seems to get that.

What we need is Don Nickles or some other conservative who is willing to say what needs to be said instead of trying to play school marm.

The controversy over Lott's statements are probably a big heave over nothing but if it means we get a more competant Majority leader, well it's a good enough excuse to get what we need.

[Ditto]

And yet...no complaints about Senator KKK from West Virginia

Who at this writing is still President Pro-Tem even after his 'white-n*****' remarks only last year.

I want Lott to go too, but not for this stupid (too many drinks at happy hour?) remark of his.

[bigaln2]

You have got to be kidding if you think this story merits half of the attention it is getting.

Bush is not going to force Trent Lott to resign over a gaffe.

Look at it this way..when Strom ran for president in 1948, he ran as a "States' Rights Democrat." Effectively, he split off of the Democratic Party, but after the election, he returned to the Dems until he switched.

[End The Hypocrisy]

>>>Is George Allen as conservative as Nickels?<<<

It depends on the issue, I guess...

[Siobhan]

Rick Santorum is a great man, and your analysis and suggestion are the best I've heard or read. Rick Santorum would be brilliant and excellent in Lott's place.

Finn

[ewing]

And those are just from last last couple days..

[headsonpikes]

Sinkspur awaits a dispatch from bot HQ re that matter.

[BillCompton]

Bush is not going to force Trent Lott to resign over a gaffe.

What does Bush care about the black vote? Why should bush care when he gets to field questions like "Mr. President. Do you agree with Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott that the country would have been better off if a racist segregationist had been elected president?"

And you're not either.

What if I am the President and I am just killing some time between apointments?

[ewing]

Santorum would be good with the media..

[Bikers4Bush]

Whatever happened to Jessi yelling about "Hymie Town"?

[sinkspur]

"Mr. President. Do you agree with Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott that the country would have been better off if a racist segregationist had been elected president?"

The answer is "did I stop beating my wife?"

That's not what Trent Lott said, so Bush would be right to just ignore the dimwit who asks it.

The Democrats are not touching this, notice, because Robert Byrd is ex-KKK.

If you're gonna start digging around in somebody's past, you better be clean as a whistle yourself.

[ewing]

SNL had a great song sketch on Jesse singing a song called 'Hymie Town' after the controversy expolded on his face..