Posted on 12/11/2002 12:36:18 PM PST by The_Victor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle demanded "a fuller explanation and apology" from Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott on Wednesday for saying the nation would have been better off if segregationist candidate Strom Thurmond had won the presidency in 1948.
Daschle, who had earlier dismissed Lott's comments as misstatements, pushed for the action as a flap over Lott's remark last week escalated with reports the Mississippi Republican made a similar comment two decades ago.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) reiterated President Bush (news - web sites) maintains confidence in Lott, who planned to address the controversy in an appearance later on Wednesday on Fox News.
"Trent has to find a way to end this (controversy)," said one Republican senator who asked not to be identified by name.
The flap has caused an embarrassment for Lott as well as the White House and fellow Republicans as they try to attract into their ranks more minorities, who traditionally vote Democratic, and as they prepare to push their conservative agenda in the new 108th Congress, which will convene on Jan. 7.
For the most part, Republican congressional leaders have remained publicly mum over the matter, which has seen the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (news - web sites) (NAACP) call for Lott to step aside as a Senate leader.
The Family Research Council, a conservative group, suggested Republicans determine if they really want Lott to still be their leader, while People for the American Way, a liberal group, said Bush should ask him to step down from the post.
"If President Bush's claim to be a 'uniter not a divider' has any credibility whatsoever, he will ask Trent Lott to step down as the Republican leader in the Senate," said Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way. "If Lott doesn't resign his leadership post, senators should elect a new majority Leader."
While congressional Republican lawmakers and aides said they expect Lott to survive politically, they also said he must make amends.
Lott set off the controversy during a tribute on Capitol Hill last Thursday to mark the 100th birthday of Thurmond, the oldest member ever of Congress, who is retiring on Jan. 3. Thurmond is a South Carolina Republican.
Lott noted his home state of Mississippi voted for Thurmond who ran for president as the nominee of the States' Rights, or Dixiecrat, Party, as a segregationist. Thurmond was then South Carolina's governor.
"We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over the years," Lott said.
Lott, in a written apology on Monday, said, "A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embrace the discarded policies of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I apologize to anyone who was offended by my statement."
The New York Times and The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Lott made a similar comment in 1980 during a rally for then Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) in Jackson, Mississippi, at which Thurmond was a keynote speaker.
Said Daschle of South Dakota, "In light of today's news and the growing controversy, Senator Lott should come forward with a fuller explanation and apology."
It was Daschle's third statement on the matter in as many days. On Monday, he said he accepted Lott's explanation. But after some black U.S. lawmakers complained, he issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "Regardless of how he intended his statement to be interpreted, it was wrong to say it."
Rep. J.C. Watts, the only black congressional Republican and a member of the House of Representatives Republican leadership, said in a statement on Wednesday, "We should accept his apology."
"As the incoming majority leader already said about himself, Senator Lott went too far," Watts of Oklahoma said. "He told me he would like to have his words back."
She loves this kind of stuff.
Too bad it can't get out that Thurmond was not a Republican at the time. He was splintered from the Dems then went right back to them when his campaign was over.
It was the DEMS who were the big racists back then.
And who the f*ck is Ralph Neas to be offering commentary? This guy has led the most gutter level smear campaigns against political opponents. This guy is a grade A bastard who doesn't deserve to be quoted in the cow manure and fertilizer monthly.
Said Daschle of South Dakota, "In light of today's news and the growing controversy, Senator Lott should come forward with a fuller explanation and apology."
It was Daschle's third statement on the matter in as many days. On Monday, he said he accepted Lott's explanation. But after some black U.S. lawmakers complained, he issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "Regardless of how he intended his statement to be interpreted, it was wrong to say it."
Leftists...
Better not piss off Lott, committee numbers... haven't been decided.
-PJ
They sure work fast, don't they?
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