That did me in as well.
It was a disgusting thing to do.
Trent could have fought, he could have turned this into a national debate on race, and racism as a blackmail card. He could have discussed Jackson's "Hymietown" comment, Sharpton's Tawana Bradley incident, the "white nigger" episode (and yes, if it's OK for a US Senator to use that word, then it's OK for me to use that word), and FOUGHT for himself.
Instead, what we get is the nation's top Republican selling out the GOP agenda, and apologizing to anyone darker than George Hamilton who crossed his path.
I am a little bothered also that he didn't get more of a defense from the right.
I mean, Daschle even opened the door with his apologizing FOR Lott's stupidity.
I really think it was a real opportunity that could have been crammed successfully right back down their throat with a bare minimum of effort.
Heck, if anyone has a shameful history in this regard it's them. From Carl McCall (sp?) to "Jew Bastards" to the Civil Right's Act, they don't have a leg to support them under any kind of serious scrutiny.
But, that was yesterday. Today I am just hoping our agenda didn't get too dinged up and that our brave politicians won't be ashamed to put it forward.
There's really no use in having control if they don't have the nerve to push our agenda.
Yes, but he would have been accused of passing the buck, which would not sit with him well, either. You know, like everybody does it.
What did he mean that things would have been "better"? There is a legitimate proposal to ponder when some Dixie old timers note that in "racist" 1950 Atlanta, a black father en route to enroll his son in a black-only college had to aim his car toward a restaurant or filling station that offered "Blacks Allowed" restrooms where his wife and kids could satisfy their travel break - while in "enlightened" 2000 Atlanta, the black mother and her kids can use any restroom and attend any college anywhere - only there's no father living in the family to drive them there, no college plans cuz the kids dropped out by 10th grade, and there's no money for a family car anyway.
If Lott felt the "problem" in America was the obliteration of strong Black American cultural roots in the institutions of family, church, education, community well-being and lawfulness, and personal industry since the "Civil Rights" movement and all its State largesse won the war in the 50s-60s - he should have said it straight out. And, let's be real, he wasn't speaking to Strom - who has morphed into a Sid and Marty Kroft puppet (God bless his soul) - he was speaking to the wistful nostalgia for a South that some of his Mississippi "greybeards" who were there would argue was safer, friendlier, more cooperative, prosperous and happier for Whites and Blacks and their friendships and shared community alike. Regardless of the level of morality or truth underlying that sentiment, he had to know that ANY articulated or intimated support for that bygone, divisive Jim Crow social order evokes a big, big blowup of "s**t". To give a "shout out" to America's long past, and wholly reviled, racial segregation system with a wink and a nod like Trent did is just plain idiocy - for any politician, much less the incoming Senate Majority Leader. A guy who is to lead a Senate majority newly won - a party automatically under unyielding seige of smears, deceits and despicable personal attacks gushing from the disempowered leftists of the Democrat Party and their ethically corrupt cohorts in the elite media ... needs to comport himself with the utmost of care and savvy. Stuuuuupid stuuuuupid man tried to blowed up the hard won GOP leverage in D.C. ... was fixin to blow'd it up real good!
Well, the Trent Lott joy ride on the "Peter Principle" express finally "petered" out. I've defended the guy on this forum, but his birthday toast and subsequent performance of obsequious (and insincere) apologies were nauseating and insightful to the quality of his character and judgement. And the size of his brainpan.
The Democrats and their media whores manically overplayed, as usual, the winning hand they were given. They're in worse shape now than before the mess. Frist is - to all evidence - virtually unassailable to left wing smears, and he IS conservative. This was painful, but it is a huge gain for the GOP going forward. Frist is the mentor, benefactor and natural leader of EVERY new GOP Senator elected six weeks ago. He, along with the President, made this Senate majority a reality by recruiting, funding and handling the incoming Freshmen. Lott, had he survived, would have been rolled by lefty race-baiters at every opportunity, to the ultimate demise of any welfare reform, conservative judicial nominations of Southern jurists, dismantiling of affirmative action schemes, Tort, SSA and Medicare restructuring, school choice, ANWAR redesignations and other Conservative legislation that might find it's way into the Chamber. Lott was kaput. Frist is new school, smart, talented and unencumbered by the usual political baggage. He'll be a tremendous face for the Party, and he'll cement the Senate team and force Democrat support of popular measures. He can tackle Medicare reform and testify to the pernicious effect of abusive tort litigation on the cost and availability of medical care. Hastert, Frist and Bush are an effective, systematic and effective troika each of whom have the deft touch necessary to move conservative policy into legislation and ultimately law. This issue was a Godsend.