President George W. Bush talks with House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott while watching election returns in the White House residence Tuesday night, Nov. 5, 2002. White House photo by Eric Draper.
Posted on 01/02/2003 6:12:39 AM PST by sheltonmac
Most Americans seem to believe that Trent Lott deserved to suffer for his "insensitive" comments at Strom Thurmond's birthday celebration. Now that Lott has been forced to step down as Senate Majority Leader, neo-conservative Republicans are the ones cheering the loudest.
"We've wanted him gone for a long time," some have said. "We needed to get rid of him and move on with our agenda." The trouble is, no one in the party seems to know exactly what that agenda is.
Of course, that hasn't stopped neo-cons before. Pragmatism has always trumped principle, and as long as the polls reflect public approval for their actions, they really don't care about anything else. They must increase their majority in 2004 at any cost, and to do that they must first shake their xenophobic image.
As everyone knows, the GOP has long been branded as the party of racists. Such labels have been successfully utilized by the liberal left for years, and Republicans have tried everything to keep those labels from sticking. The end result is that in order to present the voting public with a kinder, gentler GOP, Republicans typically begin adopting Democratic positions.
It's the same three-step process every time: 1) liberals make the accusation of racism against a Republican, 2) the Republican denies the charge and 3) the Republican agrees to sign on to the liberal agenda, hoping that in doing so he might prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is not a racist. The entire fiasco surrounding Trent Lott is only the latest example of this kind of Republican cowardice.
Lott's comments sparked all the predictable reactions from all the usual suspects. Men like Al Sharpton and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume —both veteran champions of racial divisiveness —wasted no time in attacking the senator.
Sharpton, who had remained strangely silent in 2001 when Senate Democrat Robert Byrd let fly with his "white niggers" remark, said, "[Lott] should step aside. No one is saying that if the people of Mississippi want to elect him to the Senate that they don't have the right to do that. But to be the head of the party in the Senate, given the sensitivity of that position for the interest of the country and the party, Mr. Lott should step aside."
Mfume's response was a bit more harsh. He called Lott's little speech "hateful bigotry that has no place in the halls of the Congress," and dismissed Lott's subsequent apology as "too little, too late."
Reacting to the verbal barrage from the left, the neo-cons scattered. No one even bothered to mention the possibility that Lott was simply acknowledging the distinguished political career of his 100-year-old colleague. Nobody proposed that when the senator from Mississippi implied that we would be better off had Strom Thurmond been elected president in 1948, he was referring to some of the more noble causes Thurmond stood for, like states' rights and a less-intrusive federal government.
No, the neo-cons were so desperate to prove that they could be just as racially sensitive as their slightly more liberal counterparts that Lott's political fate had already been sealed. He was the perfect fall guy, and his sacrifice was worth it if it meant keeping the GOP in power.
Republicans, listen up. Whether you agree that Trent Lott should have resigned as Majority Leader or not, his ousting is yet another sign that you just don't get it. No matter what you say or do, you will always be viewed by the left as a bunch of bigots and racists. Bending to political peer pressure doesn't help —in fact, it makes you look weak. The sooner you learn that, the sooner we can begin repairing the damage your party has done to the conservative cause.
But it's probably too late. The mob has spoken, and Trent Lott has been forced out of his leadership role. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah summed up what Republicans expect of Bill Frist, Lott's successor: "I think Bill has a kind of a more moderate record and a more moderate approach toward things, and I think that it's going to be very difficult to criticize him."
In other words, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." And that, my friends, has become the battle cry of the neo-conservatives in the GOP, Party of Cowards.
Statement by the President
"I respect the very difficult decision Trent made on behalf of the American people.
As Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, Trent Lott improved education for the American people; he led the way in securing tax relief; he strengthened our national security; and he stood for a bold and effective foreign policy.
Add to that Queasy's refusal to disavow that very racist ad the NAACP did w/ James Byrd's daughter and the video of a truck with a chain behind it....
Lord, please grant me an opportunity to tell Queasy face to face that he has no right to say word 1 about racism and to
'Pod
Like hell they wouldn't have. Lott said the country might have avoided some "problems" had Strom been elected in 1948. Since the Dixiecrats existed almost solely to perpetuate segregation, it is a very reasonable jump to believe that Trent was praising that institution. Only Trent knows if he is a racist or is just an idiot, but neither is a suitable trait for a majority leader.
This story is done and gone, but you seem compelled to keep it alive. However, the more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets, so pull out your spatula if you want to pry this one off the asphalt.
You mean the GOP hasn't been branded by the left as a party of racists? Are you sure you live in the U.S.?
My sentiments exactly! Lott got exactly what he deserved -- his statement was bad enough but the apologies were dumb! He had to go or his comments would have been the Senate agenda by the RATS. Anyone that cannot see that doesn't understand the politics that is going on in D.C. The RATs had an agenda that Lott gave them and they were not letting go helped along with the liberal national media.
Sometimes you have to cut your losses -- this was one of those times! Lott had to go.
P.S. I am a Senator Nickles' supporter and am proud of my Senator for standing up for what was right!
President George W. Bush talks with House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott while watching election returns in the White House residence Tuesday night, Nov. 5, 2002. White House photo by Eric Draper.
Personal attacks are forbidden plus being rude and obnoxious.
TLBSHOW is the most obnoxious poster on the forum, IMO, with his nonstop spamming of inane statements regarding Lott, and deserves an occasional kick in the pants for trying to put words in my mouth.
Your point is simplistic. The GOP is a conglomeration of many individuals -- it's not an individual thing to be describe in a single notion.
The GOP happens to be the party that most freedom lovers in this country support and vote for. It is the party, where our power base resides. It is the party through which freedom will evolve.
The more people who believe in freedom, the more rightward the GOP politicians will move. I'm am tired of hearing all the whinning and misplaced blame that eminates from so-called conservatives. The real problem is that we just don't have enough freedom-minded people. Over time that will change.
Hold the GOP politicians feet to the fire -- yes. Trash the entire party -- NO!!
You owe TLB an apology, are you man enough to do it????
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