Republicans Continue to Embrace Racially Divisive Politics
When incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott told a roomful of people that "we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years" if America had voted for Strom Thurmond's segregationist presidential campaign in 1948, his words shocked the nation.
It was almost inconceivable that, in 2002, an incoming Senate Majority Leader would even imply that segregation would have a beneficial effect on the country.
But then we learned this wasn't the first time.
In 1980, Lott said almost the same exact thing, saying at a political rally, "You know, if we had elected [Thurmond] 30 years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today."
Do Senate Republicans really want someone with a pattern of racially divisive statements and a history of supporting organizations with racist policies and goals as their leader? Does Lott's statement represent the values of the Republican party?
With the GOP supporting voter intimidation efforts in recent elections, it's hardly a surprise that they would choose someone like Lott as their leader.
Lloyd Grove of The Washington Post told Tony Snow that James Carville was behind this. It is about getting back control of the Senate NOT about Trent Lott. Who do you think James Carville works for? Had you ever heard of him before the Clintons?
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.