Moment of Truth-National Review Asks for Added Clarification of Lott's Remarks to Thurmond

National Review Magazine ^ | Dec. 9, 2002 | David Frum

[ewing]

I cannot help thinking that this story is not over

-That Republicans will hear Sen. Lott's words quoted at them again and again in the coming months.

I for one do not believe Trent Lott is a racist or segregationist.

My guess is a speechwriter gave him note cards with a few jokes, and when Lott finished reading them, he launched himself into what he probably intended to be nothing more than a big squirt of greasy flattery.

But that's not what came out of Lott's mouth.

[EternalHope]

Maybe the silver lining in this will the end of Trent Lott's mis-rule in the Senate.

(We can always hope.)

[Poohbah]

"Lott has decided to step down as Majority Leader and I have no comment on his dumb-ass remark."

From your lips to God's ear...

[ewing]

Yep, the big mistake is going to parties and thinking that the liberal reporters are your good friends.. Conservatives can be sociable, but we always have to remember who we are talking to!

[Poohbah]

Who is the bigger dunderhead, the dunderhead or the one who chooses to follow the dunderhead?

[Congressman Billybob]

The vote for Majority Leader has ALREADY BEEN CONDUCTED. Usually these are done in January in both the House and Senate, when the new Congress officially begins. This time, Lott engineered a vote during the lame duck session just comepleted, which guaranteed that he will remain Majority Leader, come January.

He may not be real good at watching out for Republican interests, but he's Johnny on the spot in watching out for Number One.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest column on UPI, "Enrons Are Everywhere" (It is also posted on FR.)

Click for latest book, "to Restore Trust in America"

[GraniteStateConservative]

We should hold ourselves to higher standards than the party of Blow Job Clintoon.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Lott's either a retard or a segregationist. We don't need either of the two qualities in a Majority Leader.

[borkrules]

This may be the straw that breaks Lott's hold on the Majority Leader position. It's a slender reed, to be sure, and Novak's comments on Russert's show Sunday AM are right on: this is small beer.

But look, there's a history here. Lott has been perceived as ineffective and inarticulate for years now. No spine when it counts, and stupid tactical decisions to be obstructionist when it didn't count. Gawd, let's not get started on impeachment.

I'll back Lott (I'm sure he's thrilled to hear that!) if he decides to stay and fight, if on no other principle than "don't throw allies under the bus for small sins". Far too often, the GOP is unwilling to sac up and tell the left to shove it when they go on the warpath over some remark or another. Let's not make Lott the next sacrificial lamb to the PC Left.

At the same time, maybe someone should quietly suggest to him in the cloak room that his day has passed and it's time for fresh ideas in the Leader's office.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The caucus can probably hold a re-vote. The more likely scenario is that Rove beats Lott with a baseball bat until he decides it's in the best interest of the GOP for him to resign his leadership post. We won on 11/5 in spite of Lott not because of him.

[Mo1]

Who says we as a party are following him ..

The Senate might be .. buy who ever said they were the brightest of the bunch

My guess is the only reason that they keep Lott as the Majority Leader is because they are afraid the Dems will beat them over the head with it .. which the will do

And the only way Lott can gracefully bail out is if he resigns .. and as a party we can't aford that

So if we are stuck with Lott .. OK .. I can deal with it .. but those to be should make it a point to keep him away from the cameras as much as possible .. or have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG talk with Lott

[hchutch]

Dead on target.

About a month ago, I posted an article discussing the rise of a new faction of the GOP, the "South Park Republicans" - people who generally vote conservative, but who do NOT toe the conservative line 100%:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/789569/posts

The original article was posted here on that thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/789569/posts?page=157#157

This will not just hurt Republicans among blacks and other minority groups - it also hurts them among this category of Republicans. Allow me to quote a paragraph from the article:

"In fact, the party is evolving rapidly. The newest and youngest members do not look, act, or think like the old guard. Generation X grew up with computers and cable TV. They entered the workforce at the same time as the Internet and embrace technology. They access the information and entertainment they want when they want it. They are individualists, with little patience for censorship or prejudice. Generation Y grew up even later, after political correctness had already firmly taken root. They now rebel against the very institutions, such as racial quotas, that were put in place by the progressives who fought the conservatism of the '60s."

And near the end:
"The South Park Republicans represent a large and growing caucus, espousing many of the party's core ideals, though rejecting the intolerance and censorship of certain religious elements."

Trent Lott was stupid, and it's NOT going to look good. He needs to step down from his position, and retire in 2006.

[hchutch]

Still, this was absolutely stupid.

Image matters. And Trent Lott did the political equivalent of handing our opposition a loaded .45 with a clip of ammo, and he just invited them to empty it into the GOP's foot.

The party and the conservative movement cannot afford fools, and should not suffer them.

[Catspaw]

No, Lott's big mistake was making these comments in front of CSpan's TV cameras. It's his mistake and his responsibility. He's the one who made the remarks. The liberal media didn't put those words into his mouth, they didn't misquote him--in fact, they didn't have to do anything. Lott's the one who opened his mouth and stupidity flowed from out of it, all broadcast live for all to see on a nationwide broadcast, and the broadcast was repeated by CSpan. If he wanted to express these sentiments to Thurmond privately, he most certainly could have. He chose not to.

Of course, I know there are a few that defend Lott, but Lott's remarks are indefensible.

[BillCompton]

No, Lott's big mistake was making these comments in front of CSpan's TV cameras. It's his mistake and his responsibility. He's the one who made the remarks. The liberal media didn't put those words into his mouth, they didn't misquote him--in fact, they didn't have to do anything. Lott's the one who opened his mouth and stupidity flowed from out of it, all broadcast live for all to see on a nationwide broadcast, and the broadcast was repeated by CSpan. If he wanted to express these sentiments to Thurmond privately, he most certainly could have. He chose not to.

Of course, I know there are a few that defend Lott, but Lott's remarks are indefensible.

Man, you got it just right. Good post!

[sinkspur]

I'll bet you a quarter this turns into a hurricane that sweeps Lott out of the Leader's seat.

I'll bet you a C Note that it doesn't.

I'm just not getting all the hysteria over this statement, which Lott has now clarified.

The fact that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are the ONLY two people (along with David Frum, who was fired from the White House for leaking) talking about this ought to tell you something.

[cloud8]

Lott's either a retard or a segregationist. We don't need either of the two qualities in a Majority Leader.

Really. I watched that CSpan broadcast. Bob Dole got up and gave a stand up routine that had me in stitches. Then it was Lott's turn and he bombed. Strom's principles in supporting States' Rights and his (and Goldwater's) principles in voting against the Civil Rights Act was something we debated ad nauseam in high school 35 years ago. But in this day and age for Lott to say that he's proud Mississippi voted for Strom in '48 made me cringe. Methinks he will have hell to pay.

[HaveGunWillTravel]

Wasn't Thurmond a dixiecrat (southern democrat) back in '48? So let me get this straight, Jessie is upset that Lott is proud that his state voted for a democrat back in '48? Does this mean that Jessie is willing to admit that the Republican party is the party for civil rights and the democrats are the party of Byrd and the Ku Klux Klan? Or does it just mean that Jessie is mad? The funny thing is that if you're going to get mad at Lott for supporting segregation in '48, you have to get mad that he supported a democrat in '48.

[SupplySider]

Klu Klux Klan Grand Dragon -- Senator Byrd of West Virginia -- does not deserve some time in the spotlight for his "racist" past? Seems to be a double standard here.

Let's not forget Jessie "Hymietown" Jackson. I suppose he feels free to criticize as anti-semitism is actually in these days.

[BillCompton]

I'll bet you a C Note that it doesn't.

I bet a quarter and you raise me $99.75? Well you must be right if you have that much confidence.

which Lott has now clarified.

Well, his clarification wasn't anything other than to say it wasn't a big deal. There was no clarity to it. That's why the article by David Frum that you posted under here is calling for Lott to clarify his statement. I honestly don't know what he meant by what he said and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Huck]

I agree with you. This is bad.