The Trashing Of Trent Lott Is A Free Political Commercial

The Free Republic: Lott ^ | December 16, 2002 | aas

[an amused spectator]

When Trent Lott stuck his foot in his mouth at a birthday party for retiring Senator Strom Thurmond, the nation's mainstream press erupted in rage.

Dozens of newspaper and magazine articles and hours of television time have already been devoted to this non-story. The angst over Trent Lott's racist soul is palpable. "Dixiecrat" is becoming a household word.

Strangely, similar outbursts by prominent Democrats over the years have been for the most part ignored by the national media "information gatekeepers", and even the the sordid record of the Democrats during the battle over the Civil Rights Act of 1964¹ has been glossed over quite nicely by the liberal media.

Companies and people pay millions of dollars a year to advertise their products in print and television media. They do this for a reason: consumers remember when they see a product advertised.

We are going to remember that Trent Lott "said something bad" for long years after Senator Thurmond is dead and buried and I'm sure hundreds of thousands of other average Americans will too.

We on Free Republic remember that the Democrat Party is the party of Jim Crow who only moved their plantations from the South to the big cities, but I'm sure that just a handful of other average Americans are truly aware of the sordid race dealings of the Democrat plantation overseers. Why the disparity in coverage? Both American political parties have their share of skeletons from the race wars of the late 20th century. Many of the Democrat missteps on the racial front are even more sensational than the Lott tribute to Strom Thurmond.

Strangely, the former member of the Klan whose filibuster wrapped up the resistance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 still sits in the Senate, and continues to spew racial epithets to this day. These facts don't rate a sentence on page 34 of The New York Times

I regretfully conclude that the reason most Americans are hearing about the "racial sins" of Trent Lott is because they are being used as a free political commercial by the Left, to advertise their views about this country and their political enemies under the guise of "breaking news".

As such, we should now examine all mainstream newscasts or news stories with this question in mind:

Is this story that I'm viewing merely a free political ad for the American Left?

This tempest in a teapot about Trent Lott is, and it is a multi-million dollar gift from the left-wing media that will keep on giving to the Left.

   ¹At 9:51 on the morning of June 10, 1964, Senator Robert C. Byrd completed an address that he had begun fourteen hours and thirteen minutes earlier. The subject was the pending Civil Rights Act of 1964, a measure that occupied the Senate for fifty-seven working days, including six Saturdays. (June 10, 1964 - Civil Rights Filibuster Ended)

[dirtboy]

This issue was blown up by none other than President Bush. It was not until he went out of his way to rebuke Lott that the story took on the energy it now has.

Great point. Thanks.

[an amused spectator]

There you go, shooting from the lip again. You've already proven that you don't have much in the way of reading skills, so your attempt at "deliberately vague" don't wash with me.

From reading your comments on this thread, I conclude that Katie Couric and her chums are so far into your head on this issue that they own you. Lott's comment was stupid, but it wasn't racist. Conservatives like you are salivating for Dan "Pavlov" Rather's tinkling little bell.

Have a nice day in your little world, dirtboy. :-)

[Kangaroo Court]

And they won't do it without Lott either. If there was ever a time for the Republicans to stand up the time is now. While the left shouts, the right whimpers. Just like some on FR, they won't see the big picture but are interested only in the small picture, and the temporary gain they hope to achieve.

[an amused spectator]

It was not until he went out of his way to rebuke Lott that the story took on the energy it now has.

Right. And Pepsi sales didn't really take off till they hired Britney Spears, either.

[Sabertooth]

And they won't do it without Lott either. If there was ever a time for the Republicans to stand up the time is now. While the left shouts, the right whimpers. Just like some on FR, they won't see the big picture but are interested only in the small picture, and the temporary gain they hope to achieve.

The picture is bigger than you realize.

This is a case of Trent Lott providing Clintonistas politics of personal destruction with a can't-miss target. The long term gain will be ours, as we clean our own house.

Look where Clintonism has gotten the Democrats in the past eight years: from the Presidency and control of both chambers of the Legislative Branch to 0 fer 3.

BTW, we won't be without Lott:

Lott, for his part, distanced himself from the threat—even as aides still were making it on his behalf.
“My term runs through 2006,” he told NEWSWEEK. “I intend to serve it, whatever happens.”
MSNBC LINK
FR LINK

[dirtboy]

From reading your comments on this thread, I conclude that Katie Couric and her chums are so far into your head on this issue that they own you.

I haven't even seen Perkie Katie on TV for as long as I remember. I don't read much in the way of newspapers any more, except for the football scores on Monday (I stand corrected - I did find a use for Section A of the Inquirer today - I took the entire paper to the Men's room to read the Sports and was glad I had it when I discovered the custodian had been tardy in refilling the TP).

And as to your theory that it is liberals that got my attention that this was a serious matter - well, it actually was President Bush, when I heard his comments on the news on the radio on the way home. Care to call him a liberal, under the sway of perkie Katie? Care to slur Thomas Sowell the same way? Dozens of other conservative columnists? Yeah, you nailed us. We secretly gather every morning before work to watch the Today Show and lap up Perkie Katie's nonsense. /sarcasm

As for your statement to me, it was vague, and implied racism with a possible reading of it. As mine was to you. But you can jump all over me for it, but deny you were vague. That speaks for itself, as does your inane attempts to smear those who disagree with you as being under the thrall of liberals.

[dirtboy]

Lott, for his part, distanced himself from the threat—even as aides still were making it on his behalf. “My term runs through 2006,” he told NEWSWEEK. “I intend to serve it, whatever happens.”

I personally think such claims were a bunch of B.S. dreamed up by Lott supporters to try and quell the movement to boot him out as MJ. It backfired.

[RichInOC]

...and Trent Lott was just dumb enough to set himself up as the star of that commercial. Sucks for him.

(P.S.: As much as I enjoy the mental image of Katie Couric dancing around barechested, I wouldn't let her do my political thinking for me. I can't even remember the last time I watched "Today".)

[Common Tator]

This tempest in a teapot about Trent Lott is, and it is a multi-million dollar gift from the left-wing media that will keep on giving to the Left.

The only problem with this is that Bush and Rove are both pushing the Media and the Republican Senators to take Lott out. They are doing it behind the scenes. But they are indeed doing it.

Bush and Rove intend to make the Republican party the permanent majority party. They apparently don't think they can do that by taking public opinion to the right. They look like they are going to take the Republican party left. We now have seen the Kennedy education bill, CFR, and soon to be free prescription drugs for elders. President Bush on the RNC.Com site is pushing health care for the poor.

This is a very good opportunity to move the Republican party left. With Jesse Helms, Strom Thurman and Phil Graham gone, Bush and Rove see Lott's screw up as a way to get rid of another conservative leader and replace him with a moderate. Bill Frist is the moderate choice. Frist is well to the left of Lott. Remember we now have Libby Dole, McCainiac Lindsay Graham, Sununu in place of Smith, and a more liberal replacement for Phil Graham. We have a Talent instead of an Ashcroft and we now have a Coleman. In my own state of Ohio Senators Voinovich and Dewine are a lot closer in beliefs to 1970 Democrats than 1970 Republicans. The Republican party will be a lot more liberal in January as it was more liberal after 2000. Lott does not fit in with the plans for an increased role for government intervention in education, health, and social engineering. He will have to go. With McConnell and Nickles feuding, it should be a cake walk for Frist.

It is a brilliant strategy. Keep the loyalty of the right while picking up support of the left. I think that both Rove and Bush think they can move the Republican party so it takes its half of the political spectrum from the middle. That would leave two splinter groups on the left and right neither of which could win or even defeat a candidate of the center or center left.

The only fly in the ointment is if Lott decides to throw some crap in the game by resigning or becoming a Democrat. Lott has told Bush he would resign his senate seat if removed. He has also said he will serve out his term and not resign his senate seat. The Senate democrats including Daschle have been very nice to Trent. It has been my experience in both politics and poker to never believe what other players say during a game. They tend to fib, bluff, and false promise a Lott. I don't think Bush and Rove understand that yet.

It is particularly difficult for those of us who believe in the right of the conservative cause to stomach. But it has been the case since 1932. Both parties are moving to the left and perhaps there will be a new center some what to the left of what was the center in the last century.

America has embraced the social policies of FDR and LBJ. They are now the third rail of politics.

I think Bush and Rove think is time to move Republicans another increment toward what the media calls moderation.

It should be an interesting ride. Don't forget your left turn signal.

[cksharks]

If I was Lott you would be.I would go out with a frigging bang.And let the next idiot deal with a 50-50 Senate.The absolute hatred of this man on FR because of what shippers wrote in a book is unbelievable to me.The white house wants Frist. Lott has a way better conservative record than he has.When dachel took a dump FR blamed Lott because it smelled so bad.I would like for everyone on FR to get a list of the rules of the Senate and read them.

[Revolting cat!]

Such as...

Such as things that aren't reported. Unreported things do happen in the world, don't they? Newsroom editors do decide for us what to report and what not to report, what to place on the first page, with what headline, don't they? or does everything just happen? Do I have to belabor the obvious, by bringing up some Hollywood starlet and asking just why her shopping escapade (and arrest) became the frontline news?

[Once-Ler]

And after we get rid of racist Lott...the 'rats can go after sexist and homophobic Republicans until all those Republicans that make the mistake of saying politically incorrect things are beaten over the head, not by 'rats, but by Republicans like you...and then you can have the whole party to yourself. Of course you may find it hard to enact legislation after you have purged the party of humans who make mistakes. Minority status is a small price to pay. After all, Lott's statement was just to outragous for his party to back him up and say "Ooops," or "What's the big deal."

I wonder if this story would still be in the news if Noonan and Krystal and Bush had the balls to stand up against race-baiters. They have all lost some respect from me.

Once a stratagy works it is usually tried again. When they come for the next Republican that says something borish or tells an offensive joke I'm expecting you to blindly line up to join in the chorus of "He Must Go" with your good buddies on the left. I hope Republicans learn from this stupidity but history tells me we will not. Freerepublic.com home of political correctness...BEAM ME UP!

[Sabertooth]

I don't want Frist as ML, but that's irrelevant.

Right now, Clinton's dead dog Buddy would be a more effective Repblican Senate Leader than Trent Lott, and the Man from Ole Miss has no one to blame but himself.

[dirtboy]

I wonder if this story would still be in the news if Noonan and Krystal and Bush had the balls to stand up against race-baiters.

That is immaterial. They stood up to Lott's stupidity, and his subsequent failure to disavow segregationism.

[dirtboy]

Freerepublic.com home of political correctness

It's politically correct to condemn segregrationism and Jim Crow, and to hold GOP leaders accountable for their public statements? Woof.

[John Lenin]

He'll bend over backwards to show that he's sorry and he didn't mean any harm.

But, as so many on here have claimed, we will lose the black vote. Maybe we should bend over backwards on 'some' issues that blacks want.

[John Lenin]

If we give in to Jackson and Sharpton do you think they will go easy on us next time they dig something else up on some other GOP'r ?

[an amused spectator]

(By the way, the advertising metaphor wore thin and broke many posts ago.)

Actually, the entire post was about advertising. ;-)

[Common Tator]

My term runs through 2006,” he(Lott) told NEWSWEEK. “I intend to serve it, whatever happens.”

"I intend to serve it" is not "I WILL SERVE IT."

I intend to have coffee tomorrow morning.... But if the waitress says, "Would you like Tea for a change this morning?", I just might say yes.

Didn't you ever hear,

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.