Posted on 12/14/2002 10:47:02 AM PST by Sabertooth
Once again, in his own indelible words, the Republicans' Senate Majority Leader-elect:
"I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. 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 all these years, either."
~Trent Lott - December, 2002
When Strom Thurmond ran for President, he was a segregationist Dixiecrat spurred into revolt against the Democrats by Hubert Humphrey's Civil Rights plank in the '48 Democratic Party platform. Mississippi was one of four segregationist Southern States that voted for Thurmond. Segregation was the purpose and limited appeal of the Dixiecrats. It was the banner under which they marched.
The plainest sense of Lott's words are that he approves of the above.
Even though I don't believe that's what Lott meant, nor that he's a racist, that fact is inescapable. It takes backpedaling and damage control to escape the plain meaning of what Lott said and explain what's really in his heart. It's disingenuous to suggest otherwise.
The only way to for Trent Lott to address Thurmond's '48 campaign would have been to chart how far the retiring senior Senator from South Carolina has traveled in the last 54 years, and to use him as a metaphor to further illustrate how far the South and America have come. Had he done this, Lott could have simultaneously honored the Centenarian Senator and reiterated that Republicans, like the South and like America, have learned the errors of racism and segregation, and have long since embarked on a better path.
That Lott could not grasp this after decades in Washington is striking, particularly since this isn't the first time he's failed to navigate this reef. Speaking after a Thurmond speech for Ronald Reagan in 1980, then-Congressman Lott told the crowd: ""You know, if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today."
Now, the Democrats are all over the opportunity Lott has injudiciously provided to them. That it seems unfair is irrelevant. He left himself open for the sucker punch and got pounded. He's only made matters worse with his tepid series of apologies: too little, too Lott. He is finished as a Senate Majority Leader of even mediocre effectiveness. It's time to cut our losses.
President Bush needs to invite Lott to the ranch in Crawford, and offer him a more artful and diplomatic rendering of the following:
"Senator, with your ill-advised remarks you've brought turmoil and embarrassment on yourself, the party, and the country. You've served all well in the past and I thank you for that service from the bottom of my heart. Unfortunately, the events of the past few weeks call for a reassessment of the nature of your future service. The horses have left the barn, but there does remain an open path for you, a path that is both honorable and humbling: step aside as Majority Leader and continue to serve in the Senate.
I understand the sacrifice my request places on you, and sympathize with it's burden, but our nation and our agenda are in peril.
I need you, and I'm asking you as you President to do this for the good of America."
How else should we interpret it?
Why is Trent proud that his state voted for a ticket whose sole focus was maintaining Jim Crow?
Why did he make the exact same remark at a Reagan fundraiser in 1980 - and God knows how many other times besides that didn't have cameras available?
Lott did not "mispeak." He did not confuse Jesse Jackson for Michael Jackson or use the word "niggardly" in proper (or improper) context. He spoke two full sentences that don't need much interpretation.
What "problems" would we not have had if Thurmond had been elected in 1948?
Sorry. I just don't buy that Trent was trying to say nice things about Strom at his birthday party and flubbed a word or two.
He ended up breathing new life into the scurrilous notion that underneath every Republican is a sheet-wearing racist.
The charge transcends "racism" at the point. The 'team' will transcend the individual -- it matters not whether you or I feel Lott has been railroaded.
You shouldn't be shocked that "politics over principle" is the first and last Cardinal Rule in Washington. It's tenet shall be enforced eventually by the GOP.
Do you know one of Senator Byrd's nicknames?
I don't know how many times I have to state that I don't believe he's a racists but a mindnumbingly inept politician who should never have attained a position of power in the republican party.
We all have to do whatever is necessary to get this thing under control but as far as I'm concerned, Lott should have absolutely zero power. His frantic grasping proves he's not capable of handling the position he has.
It was not what he said that has caused all this flap, it was his mindboggling ineptness that caused it. This should have been tamped down immediately by Lott. HE could have put a stop to it with some deft words and by pointing out the hypocracy of the left, but he didn't do that and now it's too late. We have to step in and do what we can for him.
So, as far as I'm concerned he can retain the title of ML, but all vestiges of power should be removed from he before he manages to do even more damage.
In fairness, his background also includes fighting for a peaceful integration of his university.
When James Meredith came to Ole Miss Lott fought for a peaceful integration of the university. That required a bit of fortitude.
"An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962,"
"As dawn came on Oct. 1, 1962 – this has never really come out before, and there is a bit of a mystery to it – there was a horrible riot that had just occurred. There were 375 injuries. There were hundreds of civilian arrests. There was pure chaos in the town of Oxford, on the campus of the University of Mississippi and this enormous military invasion of Oxford, Miss. Troops were dropping in by helicopter and convoy. What's one of the first things they do? They conduct a lightning surprise raid on the fraternity house that Trent Lott is the president of. They discover, and seize and remove from the fraternity, 24 weapons – shotguns, rifles and a pistol.
... he (Lott) spent the night before rounding his boys up and keeping them out of trouble. So he was a leader that night. It's documented. "
His behavior during integration was not exemplary, but he did exhibit responsible leadership to support it.
I don't blame the other side for using Trent Lott against us. We would do the same thing, if we had the balls. Lott, Gingrich and Livingston all did it to themselves FIRST, before their enemies piled on.
I blame THEM.
But the course of petulantly leaving the Senate is the most destructive path for the GOP possible...and as I've said repeatedly, there could only be one cause of such an action...putting foolish personal pride ahead of what is right for our country.
If Bush's fingerprints are anywhere near shoving Lott out the Leadership, his name could be mud in Mississippi. They've known Trent down there a lot longer than they've known Bush, and Trent's been in their corner.
Look, if Lott did nothing but live off his Senate pension, he'd still do alright.
Lott's got leverage; that's evidenced by the fact that rumors are surfacing about the fallout of forcing him from the Leadership.
Apologies to Tip O'Neill.
Beautifully said. And we need to clean our party of that impression.
If only the Dems have a policy of holding on to racists for power's sake, then we have given the American people a true choice. If we behave as they do, Americans are right to eschew both parties as hypocritical power-grubbers.
"Fine, Mr. President. Enjoy dealing with Tom Daschle. Again."
Ever hear of saracasm? What I was suggesting was he do whats right and he gets the continued respect of his comrades and party. He doesnt do the right thing and he then becomes persona non grata, kind of like Jumping Jim Jeffords.
I totally agree. Well said.
Except for the 'whatever' part...I hate it when my teenagers say that! LOL...
"I wish to announce that I will be resigning my seat in the U.S. Senate. My resignation will be effective as soon as my Senate colleague Ted Kennedy is indicted for the murder of that poor girl, Mary Jo Kopechne."
If you're going to go down, you may as well go down swinging.
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