Trent Lott's Debacle - Now, Bush Must Act

December 14th, 2002 | Sabertooth

[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."

[TLBSHOW]

You obviously have a different opinion -- the same opinion as Trent Lott. And everybody's entitled to their opinion, certainly. Says Satan in attempt to smear Tex!

I can see your horns showing. says TLBSHOW to satan, hating to come right out and call satan what he is.

Its reverse ratology you know!

[TLBSHOW]

Night an remember the rat battle is 24/7

[XBob]

45- "now he's not worth a bucket of warm spit"

what's changed?

jellyfish T. incomp-a-lott is STILL not worth a bucket of warm spit.

Too bad he didn't fight for Republicans/conservatives as much as he is fighting to keep his own power.

[MeekOneGOP]

At the very least, Lott sure has made a bad start to the upcoming new GOP controlled Senate. Sheesh !!

[kcvl]

You will only be helping elect a BIGGER RACIST(I don't think Lott is a racist but I do think Hillary is) than Trent Lott by wanting to get rid of him. If you don't see that Hillary Clinton is having James Carville trash him I guess eight long years of Clinton politics worked. Divide and conquer is her motto. Say hello to President Hillary Clinton. I hope you all are happy.

[kcvl]

If Bush asks Lott to step aside because of this he has no spine either. He is letting the RATS run the country into the ground without standing up and telling them to "SHUT THE HELL UP" because Republicans aren't racists and he is sick of them saying that. He has tried to get along with these people and bent over backwards trying to "change the tone in Washington". IT HASN'T WORKED! It's time to FIGHT BACK and stop being a whimp. Stop being nice to all the RATS who are liars and bigots and start standing up for people who actually VOTED for him.

[kcvl]

Your "random musings" are bigoted and stupid. I don't see anyone standing up for Lott for what he said(or some THINK he said). I do see too many people making a big deal about nothing more than a stupid remark by a politician. Painting everyone who doesn't agree with you as a racist is nothing more than a way to make you feel superior to them.

You don't even know if Trent Lott has any children and you're already saying they would be better if their father wasn't a racist. You seem to think you KNOW what he thinks. I hope you never make a mistake and try to apologize and no one accepts it.

[kcvl]

"Incredible" that some people will fall for this RAT ploy every time they use it.

[Ken in Eastman]

I really hate to see this. I'm not a huge Trent Lott fan and have become less of one since he has "grown" in office. I would like to see him replaced with a more conservative Republican as Majority Leader, but not at this time.

To replace Trent Lott now is to yield to the worst elements of our society, those who profit from divisive politics and personal attacks. To replace Trent Lott is not a blow to racism, it is an encouragement to those who would diminish the need for ending racism with their continual use of the term to accomplish their personal political goals. If we give in on this we encourage them to continue their pursuit.

Trent Lott's words were unfortunate. It is a small step from saying that Strom Thrmond should have won the 1948 Presidential election to endorsing segregation, but these two things are not the same thing. Thurmond's platform could never have passed muster or had enough political support to move out of committee. That's the political reality and for those stating Lott understood what he was saying, perhaps he also understood this.

I am a Southerner by the grace of God. I am a Republican by intellect and thoughtful decision. For years, this made me a minority within a minority.

To be a white Republican is, to many, to be a racist. To be a white conservative Republican is, to even more, to be a racist. As a party, we fight it nationwide constantly.

For non-Southerners, this would give you only the smallest taste of what it is like to be a white male Southern conservative Republican. The assumptions of others can be outrageous. Let us not make those assumptions here.

The War is over, even though its remanants live on. Let us focus, instead, on a future and on issues where we can agree. The future of the Republican Party should be a bright, shining gateway to freedom and prosperity.

(Yes, I also posted this on the Dixiecrat Thread, so flame me for that if you must. I hate to see people who agree on so much fight over a single issue.)

[kcvl]

Raping a woman when you are Attorney General in Arkansas is less offensive than saying something stupid as ML. It sure as hell is getting more press.

All the RATS that are calling for Trent Lott's head were the same people defending Bill Clinton and ignoring what Juanita had to say about him. Who knows what else was in those files that we will never get to see and most of these same people didn't bother to find out before they voted to impeach him. I don't think I ever heard him apologize once for any of it.

[Ken in Eastman]

I agree. Unfortunately, the media culture only recognizes two sins: racism and hypocrisy. As for racism, as I just wrote, it's presumed to be conservatives. As for hypocrisy, the liberals can't be hypocritical because they don't stand for anything except the accumulation of power.

Believe me if Machiaveli were alive today he would be a Dem because they always believe the ends justify the means. In their case, this means obtaining more power by any means.

It's very frustrating, but hang in there. It's better than it was in October, right?

[kcvl]

I wonder why we have never seen these pictures on the nightly news?

THE BLACK LANDMARK THE CLINTON LIBRARY RAZED

I get sick of the double standard and the press ignoring what the RATS truly think of blacks(especially the Clintons(first black president my *ss)).

[Ken in Eastman]

If Byrd would just change parties, watch how fast it would be the story of the hour!

[rintense]

You are very welcome. I, too, am fried from it all. And now it looks like Lott is being challenged...

[Lurker]

Yea, Lott's just weanie enough to take his marbles and go home. It's not like he hasn't been the Dems best friend or anything....

The man is worse than useless.

L

[Nogbad]

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