[mhking]

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[Republican_Strategist]

Selective Moral Outrage: Looking beyond Trent Lott’s gaffe.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2002, Bill Clinton traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas to honor the life of the late Arkansas senator, J. William Fulbright by dedicating a seven-foot-tall bronze statue of the man.

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "The $100,000 sculpture is the final [expenditure] of an $850,000 fundraising campaign for a project to honor Fulbright. The $750,000 fountain was dedicated October 24, 1998."

Among other things, Clinton said, "If [Fulbright] were here today, I'm sure he would caution us not to be too utopian in our expectations, but rather utopian in our values and vision."

And back on May 5, 1993, in what the Washington Post characterized as a "... moving 88th birthday ceremony for former senator William Fulbright, President Clinton last night bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on the man he described as a visionary humanitarian, a steadfast supporter of the values of education, and 'my mentor.'" Clinton added, "It doesn't take long to live a life. He made the best of his, and helped us to have a better chance to make the best of ours.…The American political system produced this remarkable man, and my state did, and I'm real proud of it."

Of course, the man Clinton was praising, who he called his "mentor," who supposedly embraced utopian values and made the world a better place for everyone, was also a rabid segregationist.

In 1956, Fulbright was one of 19 senators who issued a statement entitled the "Southern Manifesto." This document condemned the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Its signers stated, among other things, that "We commend the motives of those States which have declared the intention to resist forced integration by any lawful means." They stated further, "We pledge ourselves to use all lawful means to bring about reversal of this decision which is contrary to the Constitution and to prevent the use of force in its implementation."

Of course, in 1957, the first serious challenge to Brown occurred in Fulbright's backyard. Fulbright's Democrat colleague, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus (another early Clinton backer) ordered the National Guard to surround Central High School in Little Rock to prevent nine black students from attending the school. President Dwight Eisenhower dispatched the 101st Airborne Division to protect these teenagers and enforce the Supreme Court's decision.

Fulbright later voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He voted against the 1965 Voting Rights Act. And he did so because he believed in separating the races — in schools and other public places. He was a segregationist, heart and soul.

Now, given the turmoil surrounding Trent Lott's foolish statement last week about Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential campaign, you'd think there would have been at least some outcry when Bill Clinton lionized Fulbright a mere six weeks ago, or when he awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993. But there was nothing in the Washington Post admonishing Clinton, which today published a scathing editorial against Lott. There was no criticism in the New York Times, which today is running a vicious column by Paul Krugman implying that Lott is an overt racist.

And while I'm on the subject, I don't remember some of the conservatives now voicing outrage at Lott holding Clinton to the same standard either in 1993 or October of this year.

But I'm not making excuses for Trent Lott. He should have apologized for his insensitive comments, and he did. Nor am I making excuses for Strom Thurmond's past. I'm questioning the hypocrisy of selective moral outrage by the Left.

[trek]

There is no rule that says that the President of the Senate has to be a sitting senator. If the Republicans were smart they would dump Lott and give the job to Alan Keyes. Now THAT would make for interesting politics.

[patriciaruth]

Agree that Trent Lott in his Southern hospitality mode of exaggerated praise at a hundred year old birthday party said some thoughtless things falsely implying support for segregation when he probably had national defense in mind.

But as long as we're into bashing people for thoughtless remarks, let's go for some humdingers.

Can anyone remember Jesse Jackson saying "hymietown" or Hillary Clinton saying "Jew b*****d" or Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante (D-CA) saying "n****r labor organization?"

And none of them said it at a hundred year old birthday party.

[sneakers]

"As we continue to inform and relay the true nature of the conservatism, his words will be used as ammunition against us for as long as he's present. We have to remove that round from the chamber."

Exactly.

I did not hear Lott's speech. But it sounds like he probably did not mean he was proud to support Thurmonds's campaign concerning segregation. He would be stupid to do so. However, having said that, he should have chosen his words more carefully and, for the sake of his party and conservatism, should resign. The author is correct, we need to diffuse this now. The only way he can make it right is to resign. Harsh, but I see no other option. As a politician, he should know to pick his words more carefully.

[steveegg]

Bingo. They realize that the governor of Mississippi is a DemonRAT who will appoint a RAT to the seat.

[trebb]

Don't know about y'all, but I'm already tired of this non-story. If the Republicans hold strong for a while and the Dems keep trying to "make this dog hunt", I can't see any outcome but the Dems losing more credibility with this childish ploy. Since no one will come out and accuse Lott of being a racist/segregationist, there is no rational reason to keep beating on this drum and the average American knows this.

[IronJack]

Frankly, I think the segregationist aspect of these comments are a gross extrapolation to begin with, and I'm no friend of Trent Lott anyway. But I think Rev. Peterson has it right: this is Democratic argle-bargle designed to bring down some Republican -- ANY Republican -- since they can't touch the president.

The GOP caucus in the Senate had the chance to find a new Majority Leader right after the election. Instead, they re-seated Lott. Now, if they fire him, the Democrats win; even if Lott leaves, the stain of "racism" will linger. If he stands and fights, the charge will surface again and again, despite the blatant hypocrisy of the Left and THEIR racist "champions."

The problem here is that Lott never should have been re-elected Senate Majority Leader.

[shuckmaster]

Click Here!

[panther33]

I'm tired of this crap about Lott. Too many people are twisting his words around and making him out to be a racist white boy.

Bullsh-t. Everybody knows what he was referring to with Thurmond's 1948 campaign, and it wasn't segregation. While I realize that he has to at least soothe some people, if I were him I wouldn't have even apologized for my remarks. I would have explained them instead. If that isn't good enough, then I wouldn't want your vote anyway.

Lott should remain Senate Majority Leader!

[gatorbait]

I think Lott will, right after Congress is in session again,decide to quietly resign the leadership.I think to do it NOW ,whilst the Commies , um,, er Democrats and their lapdogs demand it , would be counterproductive. Do I think Trent Lott screwed up? Yes. Do I think he has said enough about? Yes. Am I tickled McConell is now suggesting amendments to a censure call? You betcha.. I think that this tempest is about to VERY harshly rebound on the pot stirrers. What say you all?