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Why Gang Up on Lott When Rather and Wallace Get Off?
newsmax ^ | 12/11/2002 | Christopher Ruddy

Posted on 12/11/2002 10:09:09 PM PST by TLBSHOW

Why Gang Up on Lott When Rather and Wallace Get Off?

The liberals would love to see Trent Lott out as Majority Leader. But, I am dismayed by the number of Republicans and conservatives calling for Trent Lott’s head over his remarks about Strom Thurmond.

While not saying anything directly racist, Lott implied he agreed with Thurmond’s segregation views when Thurmond ran for President in 1948.

Lott quickly, and decently, apologized for the remark.

“. . .I'm sorry for my words,” Lott told radio host Sean Hannity Wednesday.

“They were poorly chosen and insensitive,” Lott said.

Lott then explained that he made his comments in this context:

“When I think back about Strom Thurmond over the years, what I've seen is a man that was for strong national defense and economic development and balanced budgets and opportunity, and that's the kinds of things that I really had in mind.”

I believe Lott. For several good reasons, but one important one. He would have been crazy to want to imply he supported segregation.

And another good reason is that Lott has a long, good record when it comes to race issues and fairness.

But sadly, Republicans are scrambling to attack Lott. Why?

One of things I discovered early in my career is that if a conservative wants to get really accepted by the media and get a lot of air time, he or she needs to attack a fellow conservative.

A conservative is “crowned” by the liberal establishment when he/she engages in ritual sacrifice of a fellow conservative.

This ritual act occurs when the “conservative” gets an op-ed in the New York Times or the Washington Post, and uses one of these platforms to attack a fellow conservative.

After the ritual, the conservative gets a liberal “halo” and is "cleared" for plenty of air time on CNN, ABC News, Nightline, and so on.

No, I am not participating in the sacrifice of Lott.

Lott may not be the savior of the Republican party, but he doesn’t deserve to be ruined by an ambiguous remark that some have deemed offensive. I can understand why people may be disturbed, but I also appreciate Lott’s apology and explanation. End of story.

Instead, I was wondering when the major media would get around to reporting Dan Rather’s racist remarks.

I am talking about his comments in July of 2001, while on the Imus show, when Rather slammed CBS news exec for forcing him to report on the Gary Condit story.

Rather said on air, "What happened was they [CBS management] got the willies, they got the Buckwheats. Their knees wobbled and we gave it up."

Of course, the Buckwheat term is used to describe a frightened black man. At the time of Rather’s use of the term, NewsMax noted that other public figures had gotten into hot water, even lost their jobs, for using the term.

Not limousine liberal Dan Rather.

Or what about his CBS colleague Mike Wallace. Wallace once said, with film rolling, that Blacks and Hispanics had difficulty filling our loan applications. According to Wallace, they were simply too busy “eating watermelons and tacos” to learn how to read and write.

The comments made by Rather and Wallace are far more insensitive than anything Trent Lott has said. Why have they never been held to account or asked to resign?

The liberal hypocrisy continues.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservatives; lott
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1 posted on 12/11/2002 10:09:09 PM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: TLBSHOW
Why Gang Up on Lott When Rather and Wallace Get Off?

Lott is a recognized leader of the Republican Party; a party that has been stereotyped as racist and Lott's comments only reinforce that mistaken impression and hurt the entire party.

2 posted on 12/11/2002 10:17:08 PM PST by The Obstinate Insomniac
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To: TLBSHOW
"The liberals would love to see Trent Lott out as Majority Leader"

Why? Lott is one of the best things they've going. Almost as good as Daschle. He and Daschle hatched the agreement that saved Bill Clinton from removal. Nah. I think they want a lot more than to have him step down as Majority Leader. They want him to resign from the Senate so the governor can appoint a new Senator -- a Democrat Senator. I say, no way. Hang in there. If he's forced to step down from the leadership position, then they'll howl until he's forced out of office altogether. Blank 'em if they can't take a joke.

3 posted on 12/11/2002 10:17:11 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: TLBSHOW
Thank you.
4 posted on 12/11/2002 10:17:33 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma
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To: Jim Robinson
If he's forced to step down from the leadership position, then they'll howl until he's forced out of office altogether.

If he's that weak, he'll be completely ineffective as a leader. We cannot afford that.

5 posted on 12/11/2002 10:18:25 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: TLBSHOW
>>>I believe Lott. For several good reasons, but one important one. He would have been crazy to want to imply he supported segregation.

My thoughts, exactly!

6 posted on 12/11/2002 10:18:58 PM PST by Reagan Man
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To: Reagan Man
I believe Lott. For several good reasons, but one important one. He would have been crazy to want to imply he supported segregation.

That's not beyond the realm of possibility--or probability, for that matter.

Yes, Lott can be crazy AND stupid. And he probably is.

7 posted on 12/11/2002 10:20:20 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: Poohbah
You mean if we're all that weak. The weak-kneed Republicans who are hollering for his removal will do us more harm than the Democrats. Ignore the Democrat howls. Let the Senate have their election for the position. Hopefully, someone else will win the vote.
8 posted on 12/11/2002 10:23:16 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: Jim Robinson
You mean if we're all that weak.

With 49 solid votes for a filibuster...Lott gives that filibuster a figleaf of "idealism" to avoid charges of petty partisanship.

Lott has fatally damaged himself.

He needs to do the right thing now and remove himself from consideration.

9 posted on 12/11/2002 10:26:17 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: Poohbah
I can appreciate your ability to stay in this relentless attack mode, but why not choose a target from the liberal leftwing. We are all well aware of just how much you hate Trent Lott. Except most of us don't want to seem Lincoln Chaffe pull a Jeffords and have the Senate back in the hands of the Dems.
10 posted on 12/11/2002 10:26:59 PM PST by Reagan Man
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To: Poohbah
Hey, if he doesn't want to run for the position, that's fine with me. Just don't want to force him out.
11 posted on 12/11/2002 10:27:44 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: TLBSHOW
I have reply #34 in the pool for when you post the word abortion on this thread.
12 posted on 12/11/2002 10:28:09 PM PST by hole_n_one
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To: Reagan Man
We can survive the Senate overtly in the hands of the Dems much more easily than we can survive the Vacant Lott doing whatever Hillary and Tommy order him to while pretending to be "bipartisan."
13 posted on 12/11/2002 10:28:30 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: Jim Robinson
Remember Howard Baker's trip to the White House and his chat with Nixon?

Some folks need to make a similar trip to Lott's office, and have a similar chat with him.

14 posted on 12/11/2002 10:29:30 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: Poohbah
We can survive the Senate overtly in the hands of the Dems much more easily than we can survive the Vacant Lott doing whatever Hillary and Tommy order him to while pretending to be "bipartisan."

Well Poohbah you finally went over the edge with that one. Sorry but that was too much.

15 posted on 12/11/2002 10:29:53 PM PST by Texasforever
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To: TLBSHOW
>>"Mr. Lott's remarks will be a bludgeon with which to beat the Republican Party mercilessly. Morton Kondracke made this clear on Fox News Channel. "This will be endlessly repeated and used to increase the base vote, the black vote in elections from now on," he said.<<

I couldn't agree more.
16 posted on 12/11/2002 10:31:08 PM PST by SerpentDove
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To: Texasforever
No, it's not over the edge at all.

Lott's only hope of avoiding a string of filibusters is to do whatever Tommy tells him to. Why do you think Daschle wants him to stay on?
17 posted on 12/11/2002 10:31:15 PM PST by Poohbah
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To: Poohbah
Huh? No way.
18 posted on 12/11/2002 10:31:22 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: SerpentDove
Play nice.
19 posted on 12/11/2002 10:31:54 PM PST by hole_n_one
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To: Jim Robinson
We survived Jeffords.

There is no way we'd survive two years of Trent backstabbing the GOP and having a messy resignation in the final days of Campaign 2004.
20 posted on 12/11/2002 10:32:13 PM PST by Poohbah
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