Blurted Out Conviction of the Week: Trent Lott (Legs Folks)

Slate ^ | Friday, December 6, 2002, at 1:54 PM PT | Timothy Noah

[BillCompton]

chatterbox
Blurted Out Conviction of the Week: Trent Lott
What's a little segregationism among friends?
By Timothy Noah
Posted Friday, December 6, 2002, at 1:54 PM PT

"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 of followed our lead we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either."

—Trent Lott at Strom Thurmond's 100^th birthday party, as reported Dec. 6 in ABC News' political Weblog, The Note. To watch a video of the festivities, click here.

"I want to tell you, ladies and gentleman, that there's not enough troops in the army to force the southern people to break down segregation and admit the Nigra race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches."

 —Strom Thurmond, then-governor of  South Carolina, in a speech from his 1948 "Dixiecrat" presidential campaign. To hear an audio clip, click here.
Article URL: http://slate.msn.com/?id=2075151

[Clara Lou]

I saw the thing on C-Span and there was more to it.
That's interesting. When I saw it on C-span, Lott moved on to another thought.

[norton]

I agree that 'we could have done better' but I also remember the campaign and am still amazed at the success of democrat myth making over FDR/JFK and even Carter.
That had more to do with elections than goldwater's position on civil rights in 64 because most democrats do not, to this day, recognize that the act was passed because of republican votes.
The myths are more significant to the average voter than are the facts - they still have Kennedy as a great man of peace and give him credit for civil rights events that (a) either Johnson or Nixon affected and/or (b) Kennedy never addrressed.

[for-q-clinton]

I'm kind of hoping there IS more to it. This is a great opportunity to drop Lott as the leader of the Senate.

But then you know the saying..."be careful what you ask for--you just might get it"

So I guess the appropriate question is...if lott resigns his leadership position...who should replace him?

[AJFavish]

I didn't like Lott for derailing the full prosecution of Bill Clinton in the Sentate, as documented in David Schippers' book. At the following URL you can e-mail the national Republican leadership to make your opinion known about how much longer Sen. Lott should be Majority Leader, let alone a Senator: http://www.rnc.org/contact/contact.htm.

I sent a message stating the following:

I am a Republican. Either Sen. Lott is a racist or he is too stupid to be Republican Senate Majority Leader or a Senator. Get him out of here now.

[PJ-Comix]

You are right. It's worth losing a Senate seat to get rid of Trent Lott. He is a fool of the highest order, and we dont need him on our side.

He shouldn't resign his senate seat but he should definitely resign as Majority Leader. Don Nickles of Oklahoma would make a much SUPERIOR Majority Leader.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Politics isn't softball-- you make mistakes and you suffer for them.

It's not for retards. Lott is either retarded or a fan of segregation. I don't prefer either quality in a Senate GOP leader.

This hasn't become a big deal because the press are lazy. That's all. They could turn Lott into Gary Condit in a second if they had the energy to. Just because they don't it doesn't mean we shouldn't take care of the matter.


We can do so much better than him. Santorum for Majority Leader!

[GraniteStateConservative]

That's a non-sequitor. What difference does it make what lynchings Byrd was involved in? We are talking about Trent Lott, not Byrd. Byrd should go, too. Lott should go. We can do better than Lott. We have a dozen good senators.

Santorum or Gregg would make great Majority Leaders, for example.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He said something retarded and he represents my party. That has nothing to do with being PC.

[cynicom]

Granite

I voted for Santorum last time around. I hate to admit that I also voted for Specter, the reason being his opponent was even farther to the left. Oh well, batting 500 at least.

[doug from upland]

This is really stupid from Lott, and we didn't need this controversy. It is not, however, the reason which causes me to want him gone from politics however. The stunt for which he should be gone is not having Clinton's victims testify before the United States Senate and on national TV. Testimony from a crying rape victim would have changed the heart of America.

[Protagoras]

That was meant for ole Bill McKinley, whom I suspect is a socialist in drag.

Translation, anyone who doesn't toe the Republican line is a socialist. Attack the messenger, if you can't refute the message. That's an old liberal trick, so I suspect you are one.

[tom paine 2]

John Kennedy once remarked when aked about increasing welfare payments. " no more Hershey bars for the Hottentots"

[cynicom]

Tom....

Now Tom, dont get all het up. You apparently have never read any of my posts here on FR. Just yesterday, I was zapped time after time for being anti-Bush. Must be doing something right, making enemies on both sides. Often we shoot the messenger, however you are also assuming something that is incorrect. Assumption leads one astray many times.

[M. Thatcher]

I guarantee this...will cost Lott the leadership.

I wish.

You clearly know nothing about elected Republicans.

[Protagoras]

Must be doing something right, making enemies on both sides.

I wasn't aware that we were enemies.

Often we shoot the messenger, however you are also assuming something that is incorrect.

I assumed nothing. I commented on the practice of attacking the person instead of the point he was making. Shooting the messenger is a sign of weakness in one's arguments. I haven't gone astray a bit, I referred to you as a liberal to demonstrate a point, not because I think you are one. I'm sorry you missed that not so subtle point.

[cynicom]

Tom....

"That's an old liberal trick, so I suspect you are one. 72 posted on 12/09/2002 7:42 AM PST by ThomasJefferson

Now Tom, do you really think that is subtle. Looked kind of direct and to the point to me. Course I am quite often wrong.

[Plutarch]

When Strom Thurmond ran for president we voted for him.

Well, they should have voted for Dewey. But at least they didn't vote for the Democrat Truman!

[Plutarch]

Got no play over the weekend and will probably be forgotten. Where's the liberal press when you need them???

They are not going to cause the ouster of Trent Lott, who has served the Left's cause so well. Nor would we do anything to cause the ouster of Nancy Pelosi!

[Protagoras]

Now Tom, do you really think that is subtle. Looked kind of direct and to the point to me. Course I am quite often wrong.

That is why I said this in my earlier post;
" I'm sorry you missed that not so subtle point".