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."
You got that right. Twice!
America's Fifth Column ... watch Steve Emerson/PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
New Link: Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)
But that really doesn't matter. Let's assume for a minute that Lott meant something completely innocent. He then was incredibly foolish in saying something that could so easily be interpreted so contraversially. He then compounded that error with an underwhelming apology.
Basically, Lott is either a racist jerk, or an idiot suffering from diarrhea of the mouth. Either way, he is not qualified to be Senate Majority leader of our party.
Actually, he wasn't. He was paying homage to Strom Thurmond. If he had said "and I think your segregation platform was just dandy," then you'd have a point.
But, you read into Lott's statement what you wanted to read into it.
Ah for cripes sake. What horseshit.
I have nothing to be embarrassed about, and I make no bones about the fact that I want Lott removed because of Impeachment. It is not petty, but Ill give you vindictive. So what? And about cajones, I just hope yours can hang on when you are disappointed with Lotts removal. If I am wrong about tomorrow, Ill admit it. We will see. But he is out either way, and you know it.
The Adam Clymer is right and President Reagan is a racist as well because his administration also filed an amicus brief in that case.
Of course, that won't matter one bit to you, eh?
This poster says what you wanted to say, Sabertooth, but running Lott off for stupidity isn't as high and mighty as damning him for "racist" remarks.
How utterly petty!
Yourself included it seems.
But hey, it's your vanity.
I am no longer calling for his ouster but not because I believe he should remain. I'm backing off because I believe that this country needs to be united while we are facing grave dangers. However! Once this is resolved, we need to keep him from ever being put in front of a camera as a representative of the republican party unless we surgically remove his tongue. We simply can't afford any more of his political ineptness.
He didn't bring it up.
You're bringing it up, along with all those whose racial-trip wires are set low to the ground.
This is about politics. The only people cheering for this mess are the democrats, the media and people that claim to be indignant conservative/republicans. I have a sneaking suspicion you and your cohorts were never conservative, not even legitimate republicans.
Unfortunately the big baby is threatening to resign from the Senate if he can't be the Majority Leader.
Incredible.
You really should think twice about feeding the wolves.
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