Forgiving a Lott (truth is that he was cast overboard by certain Republicans )

washingtondispatch ^ | 12/24/2002 | Matt Towery

[TLBSHOW]

Forgiving a Lott

Fortunately in this holiday season, the spirit of Christmas can help serve as an antidote to the squalor and bitterness surrounding the recent ousting of Republican Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott as Senate majority leader.

By now, most know that Lott more than once praised the 1948 segregationist presidential candidacy of Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C. And most agree that Lott's comments were inappropriate and rendered him unlikely to remain effective in his leadership role. In fact, some GOP senators, such as the ambitious Don Nickles of Oklahoma, felt that Lott's misguided words justified an immediate vote for new Republican leadership in the Senate.

Perhaps Nickles, who styles himself a Christian, should pause during his political chess game long enough to consider the comments of Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. Lewis -- by any definition a hard-core, left-wing Democrat -- is also the only bona fide hero of the 1960s civil rights movement now serving in Congress.

Lewis first criticized Lott for his statements, but soon forgave him and suggested that others do the same. Was Lewis trying to weaken the GOP by keeping Lott in position as a compromised party leader? I don't think so. While Lewis often takes positions that are tough for the mainstream to swallow, he nevertheless speaks from a heart sincere in its sentiments.

And that's where the spirit of Christmas should enter the stage. Like many who are of the Christian faith, Lewis recognizes that his religious beliefs are grounded in the simple but everlasting concept that Christ died so that those who believe in him and his teachings might receive forgiveness and redemption for their wrongdoings. This is particularly instructive when we consider that many who claim a like allegiance to Christianity often focus too much on the failures and shortcomings of others.

But there are exceptions, even in politics. When Bill Clinton lied to his family and his nation, many chose to forgive him. In fact, on the day the House of Representatives voted to impeach Clinton, many Democratic members of Congress gathered at the White House to demonstrate their support for the embattled president.

Some conservatives point out that the media and much of the public seem to have more tolerance for the misdeeds and verbal gaffes of Democrats than those of Republicans. Case in point: Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who remains a powerful lawmaker long after the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, in which he behaved mysteriously after his car plunged into water and drowned his female companion. Or Florida Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who in 1988, as a federal judge, was convicted of perjury and conspiracy to accept a bribe and removed from the bench. Yet former Republican Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia had to step down as House speaker simply because he allegedly used taxpayer money to fund a partisan college course he taught.

In the case of Lott, the truth is that he was cast overboard by certain Republicans who wanted him gone from the majority leader's post. Yes, some were motivated by the defensible desire to move the party toward more progressive racial and social postures, but some simply wanted to advance their own careers.

All that aside, the rest of us should focus on the simple sentiments of John Lewis that Lott should be forgiven and the matter put behind us. How telling that it takes a man who faced the bricks and blood of the civil rights movement to remind the rest of us that forgiveness is divine.

The Trent Lott ordeal is over. The new majority leader, Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee, offers the fresh face and articulate views that many feel the Republican Party needs. As for the holiday season, in which so many celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, may all of us -- Christians and everybody else -- have the courage to recognize our own and other's failings, and truly to move on.

[Crossbow Eel]

Sticks and stones bla, bla bla !

Lott was tossed because he caved too much to the dems - Period !

He caved on Clinton, equal committee membership, etc..

The so called remark about ol Strom was only the match that lit the TNT but "he was the TNT" so he blew himself up !

[SoCar]

Well then we should have cast him aside when he did those things, not after he made some silly remarks praising a 100 year old man. What we did was to give credence to the rase baiters.

[stylin19a]

et former Republican Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia had to step down as House speaker simply because he allegedly used taxpayer money to fund a partisan college course he taught.
This is not the reason Newt resigned.

[NetValue]

IMHO Lott's error was that he let Dashele get away with rhetorical murder and never spoke up like a leader to counter him or the Demorats.....that's not "leadership"....so the power-brokers just let Lott self-destruct.

[GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY]

Trent Lott became a joke, a laughing stock, and a disgrace to the GOP once he started backpeddling on BET about supporting the MLK Holiday and stated that he was "for affirmative action." He continued to show the lack of foritude and inner strength that the Party of Lincoln expects from their leaders.

We expect our leaders to be clear on principle and to not become squishy and wishy-washy to pander to certain special interests. We expect our leaders not to cave in when the going gets rough, but to entrench themselves and fight. And we expect our leaders to take personal responsibilities for their own actions, and not to blame others.

The DIMs don't expect the same level of moral fortitude from their leaders. Look at some of the people they have leading their party: Bill "Lewinsky" Clinton, Hillary "Whitewater" Clinton, Alcee "Impeached" Hastings, Teddy "Chappaquidick" Kennedy, Robert "KKK" Byrd, Patricia Murray. The list goes on and on. If any of these DIMs were Republicans, they would have been tossed aside a long time ago (eg Nixon vs. Clinton, Byrd v. Lott for SML, etc.).

[Jhoffa_]

Lott was tossed because he caved too much to the dems - Period !

That's not the way it's playing out in the press, is it?

[grania]

Well then we should have cast him aside when he did those things, not after he made some silly remarks praising a 100 year old man. What we did was to give credence to the race baiters.

I agree with you and dislike the dishonesty of the whole thing. The defense of Senator Lott in this instance should have been swift and unwavering. If some in the Republican Party were unhappy with his leadership, they should have been honest about that, and challenged him for the real reasons of their discontent.

[Kakaze]

It's not playing in the press that Lott caved too much......but to be honest I'm glad he's gone ! The sad fact is that it wont change much .

If the repubs had finally got some "stones" and booted Lott for being a wimp and a rino at best......some respect might have came back. Instead we look stupid once again for not supporting and getting the message out.

Lott was tossed aside for the wrong reasons...and nothing will change until repubs stand up and back their beliefs.

I fear though it will be more of the same .........just hoping that we can be P.C. enough...a sad tribute to Lincoln.

[cynicom]

Lott was tossed cause George wanted him gone and the opportunity presented itself. Sad when the office of the presidency can pick the leader of another branch of government.

The Lott fiasco is far from over. There will be a price to pay and Bush will have to pay it.

[Jhoffa_]

Instead we look stupid once again for not supporting and getting the message out.

Yep..

They don't call it the stupid party for nothing. We earned that moniker.

[TLBSHOW]

2] His stupid, thoughtless comments at the b-day party.

1] The thin support he always had among conservatives --- Thin support he richly deserved.

2. President Bush is saluting the intellectual sibling of the Symbionese Liberation Army, killer of housewives and police. He is saluting the founder of United Slaves, who were such lunatics that they shot Panthers for not being sufficiently insane -- all with the FBI as their covert ally. It's as if David Duke invented a holiday called "Anglica," and the president of the United States issued a presidential proclamation honoring the synthetic holiday.

1. But the Christian leaders at the forefront of the abolitionist and civil rights movements have been washed down the memory hole.

ann coulter

[11th Earl of Mar]

Lewis first criticized Lott for his statements, but soon forgave him and suggested that others do the same. Was Lewis trying to weaken the GOP by keeping Lott in position as a compromised party leader? I don't think so

And your point is that we can we can say same the same about James Carville, Paul Begala and Lanny Davis?

I don't think so.

[11th Earl of Mar]

The thin support he always had among conservatives --- Thin support he richly deserved.

Our support for him was thin, because his support for us was thin. If he wasn't such a comprimiser, we would still be in office with full GOP support.

[TLBSHOW]

No he wouldn't since this was a Karl Rove move to back stab Lott to put in his buddy Frist. Seems the conservative Christians are being flushed by this WH.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Seems the conservative Christians are being flushed by this WH.

No. Butis you remember, Lott sold us down the river too many times in his spineless comprimises with the Democrats. His most recent blunder was his agreement with Dashle to refrain from taking control of the Senate if Talent won his election.

Conservatives saw this and thought "There he goes again...getting rolled by the Dems."

[11th Earl of Mar]

Butis = But if...

[ijcr]

Rigged by Republican Leadership
Justice Department obstructed inquiry

---

By MARVIN LEE

---

Speaking out after the failed impeachment of President Clinton, Republican counsel David Schippers says that the House Impeachment managers were betrayed by the Republican leadership in the Senate. In an interview with Human Events, he said:

SCHIPPERS: I think the most important factor that the public should know that they don't know is that, before we ever appeared on the floor of the United States Senate, the House impeachment managers and I were told that there was no way we could win.


QUESTION: Who told you that?


SCHIPPERS: Six Republican senators. Members of the leadership.


QUESTION: Members of the Republican leadership came over to you?


SCHIPPERS: No, we were over there. We were discussing the kind of method by which we would try the case, and we, the managers and myself, were told, "Look we're just trying to keep you from embarrassing yourselves." I mean, this is after a vote of the House of Representatives impeaching the President.


In that same meeting one of the senators -- and because I do not know which one it was, I will not name any of the senators -- turned to Henry Hyde and he said, "Henry, I don't care. No way are you going to get 67 votes." This was before anything had occurred on the floor of the Senate.
And Henry Hyde said, "Well, you know Senator, we have other materials over there in that room that were furnished by Mr. Starr and I think that some of them may have to do with assaults or things like that.

And the senator said, "Henry" -- this is a direct quote -- "I don't care if you have proof that he raped a woman, stood up and shot her dead, you're still not going to get 67 votes."


At that point I raised my hand and I said, "Senator, are you telling me I just watched a hundred senators raise their right hand to God and swear to do equal and impartial justice and that they will ignore that oath too?" And the senator said, "You're darn right they are."


From that moment on I knew that we were in a rigged ball game. In Chicago we'd refer to it as a First Ward election.
David Schippers further complained about an obstruction of the impeachment effort by the Justice Department itself:


SCHIPPERS: The FBI at every stage of the investigation -- at every stage of oversight, impeachment, or anything else -- gave us nothing but 100% full cooperation from the bureau. The problems always came between the bureau and us because interposed between us was the Justice Department, and they were not about to give up anything that might embarrass the President or the Administration.


QUESTION: Your feeling is they were covering up for the President?

SCHIPPERS: I feel they were covering up for the President.

Justice for the managers and the victims.

Rep. Bob Barr (Ga.)

Rep. Ed Bryant (Tenn)

Rep. Steve Buyer (Ind.)

Rep. Charles T. Canady (Fla.)

Rep. Chris Cannon (Utah)

Rep. Steve Chabot (Ohio)

Rep. Lindsey Graham (S.C.)

Rep. George W. Gekas (Pa.)

Rep. Asa Hutchinson (Ark.)

Rep. Henry Hyde (Ill.)

Rep. Bill McCollum (Fla.)

Rep. James Rogan (Calif.)

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner(Wis.)

David Schippers

Juanita Broderick

Paula Jones

Elizabeth Ward Grayson

Jennifer Flowers

Transfer of chinese missile technology

[thoughtomator]

There's no doubt in my mind about it. This was payback for selling us out during impeachment. To not even let the evidence be heard is unconscionable, and now he's paid the price. Let that be a lesson to the next faux conservative who thinks that pandering to the peanut gallery is an option on crucial issues.