Harry Reid and the Standard of Doubleness
Harry Reid referred to President Obama's light-skinned blackness and his lack of a "Negro" accent. Trent Lott, on the other hand, said nice things about a 100-year-old Strom Thurmond at his final birthday party without mentioning race at all.
"I Don't Know How In The World I Could Condone, Support Or Understand His Statements."
"'As closely as I've worked with him, I don't know how in the world I could condone, support or understand his statements,' said Reid, the Senate Democratic whip. 'I think what he said is not good for America; it's repugnant what he said.' 'If Republicans think it's best for Democrats to keep him there, maybe they'll get rid of him,' Reid said." (Tony Batt and Jane Ann Morriso, "Ensign Continues To Back Lott As Majority Leader," Las Vegas Review-Journal, 12/17/02)
Reid: Lott Had "No Alternative" But To Resign. "Sen. Harry Reid said Republican Senate leader Trent Lott's decision to relinquish his post Friday came as no surprise. 'He had no alternative,' the Nevada Democrat and Senate minority leader said. 'Senator Lott dug himself a hole and he didn't dig it all in one setting. He dug it over the years. And he couldn't figure out a way to get out of it.'" ("Nevada Lawmakers Not Surprised By Lott Resignation," The Associated Press, 12/20/02)
Congressional Black Caucus Called For Formal Censure On Lott. "In the days since, Democrats have heaped criticism on Lott. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Senate Democrats were considering whether to call for a formal censure vote of the GOP leader, a suggestion first made Thursday by the Congressional Black Caucus and renewed after Lott spoke." (David Espo, "Lott Apologizes Again, Denounces Racism," The Associated Press, 12/13/02)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): Lott Should Not Be Renominated. "'My first hope is that he is not renominated,' Mr. Schumer said in an interview. 'The remarks that Senator Lott made come from the same type of insensitivity that we found in Judge Pickering and led us to the conclusion that he didn't merit promotion to a higher court. If anything, the reaction to Lott's comments reinforce that view.' If Judge Pickering is renominated, Mr. Schumer said, a rich Senate floor debate on race will be inevitable." (Neil A. Lewis, "Divisive Words: Judicial Appointments," The New York Times, 12/18/02)
Then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE): "You Cannot Be Insensitive To Race Issues From Positions Of Leadership." Biden: "Well, I--I think the Republicans have to come to the milk and decide what they want to do. Look, one thing we should have all learned by now, you cannot be insensitive to race issues from positions of leadership. And unfortunately for Trent, his comments are not measured just in the context of the incident where he made them but in the context of his whole record. ... They've got to define for themselves what kind of face they want to put on their party. And my guess is out of their self-interest, they may very well decide that--that Trent has to go." (CBS' "Face The Nation," 12/15/02)
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) On Lott: We Need Healers, Not Dividers. "'We need political leaders who are healers, not dividers,' Durbin said. 'I hope that Senator Lott's apology will translate into action and that he will advance policies that bring us together as a nation rather than pull us apart.'" (Dori Meinert, "Fitzgerald, Simon Support Lott In Racial Controversy," Copley News Services, 12/13/02)
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) Called On Lott To Resign. "Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, urged Mr. Lott to resign as party leader because the remark would 'place a cloud over his leadership.'" (Stephen Dinan, "GOP Defends Lott's Intent," The Washington Times, 12/12/02)
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA): If A Democrat Leader Made Racial Comments, They Would Not Be Allowed To Keep Their Position. "'I can tell you, if a Democratic leader said such a thing, they would not be allowed to keep their position,' Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, said of Mr. Lott in 2002." (Joseph Curl, "Democrats Close Ranks Around Reid," The Washington Times, 1/11/10)... See More
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR): Lott Is Out Of Touch With The Senate. "'The sentiments expressed by Senator Lott's words last week have no place in today's America,' Sen. Blanche Lincoln, a Democrat, said in a statement. 'If he truly believes a Strom Thurmond presidency would have been good for the country, then he is out of touch with the U.S. Senate and certainly with a great majority of Americans. Senator Lott owes the nation a thorough explanation of his words recorded in 1980 and again last week. Racism and bigotry once divided America and we cannot tolerate words that might send us back there.'" (Paul Barton, "Lott's Remarks Draw Arkansas Reproach," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/12/02)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA): His Apology Doesn't Take Away The Sting Of His Remarks. Boxer: "His apology does not take away the sting of his divisive words, nor the pain inflicted on millions of African Americans under segregation." (Edward Epstein, "Bush Calls Lott's Remark 'Wrong'," San Francisco Chronicle, 12/13/02)
posted by Elder Samuel Bennett | 4:12 PM
8 Comments:
Here's a gem for you, from the Huffington Post:
"While there is no question that Senator Reid did not select the best word choice in this instance, these comments should not distract America from its continued focus on securing healthcare or creating jobs for its people."
--Al Sharpton.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/09/harry-reid-negro-comment-_n_417406.html
Always protect your own.
Sad, huh. Some days I wish I wasn't a white male. Then I could say whatever-the-hell I wanted.
What's more shameful than the Democrats' blatant and shameless hypocrisy? The GOP's craven cowardice in 2002.
did trent lott ever clarify what he meant by "all these problems" when he suggested that they would have been solved by now if strom thurmond had been elected president under the segregationist platform? it leaves a big ugly margin for the implications of racism.
on the other hand, i know better than anyone what it means to wish you'd something differently, better. so do i think trent lott is racist? not necessarily. i do think what he said was, perhaps unwittingly, inherently racist.
what sen. reid was referring to when referencing the president's light complexion and absence of an accent was his electability. and he was right! he was comparing obama to hilary clinton. he accurately assessed that an educated, fair-skinned black man was a better candidate than an educated white woman.
will they vote for this person? it's a valid question. it's a necessary question! surely, you appreciate that.
faux p.c. vernacular makes me cringe almost as much as sen. reid's comment. what everyone is up in arms about with sen. reid is that he used the word "negro." (me too, frankly) but are we going to change the name of the united negro college fund? probably we should abolish it altogether now, because we're totally equal. we don't have to consider whether the country is ready for a black president. we don't have to ask realistic questions about electability, because we're all colorblind.
i'm much more comfortable with pop culture than politics, so i quote seinfeld. "i don't think we're supposed to be talking about this."
did trent lott ever clarify what he meant by "all these problems" when he suggested that they would have been solved by now if strom thurmond had been elected president under the segregationist platform?
Why should he have to? He was blowing smoke up an old man's ass at his 100th birthday party. The fact that people like you are examining his comments like it was Supreme Court opinion is exactly why you should be held in utter contempt by anyone with a brain and a soul. You want to turn every personal event into a political contest. The only answer such queries deserve involves a four-letter word followed by "off."
no really, i'm asking. i don't know. what i enjoy so much about mr. cornell is that he comes with information, and i'm curious what "these problems" are.
why should trent lott define what he meant? because, that's, um... politics, the exchange of ideas, the merging of multiple opinions, ideally to make governing decisions that suit a diverse whole.
something i appreciate about our stallion is that he receives different viewpoints, even spirited disagreement, with fairness and open-mindedness, and responds with facts and personal conviction, not this contempt you're so comfortable with.
i'm shocked to encounter such transparent bully tactics. to look with scorn and derision on those who ask questions of their leaders is frightening. blind faith belongs in the dark ages.
revolutions are fought for the freedom of persons to speak their minds. people died for my right to ask. what can i say? i'm patriotic.
No, worthy, you're being the bully, and you're being treated as all bullies should be treated.
You're trying to cast what was meant to be a fluffy, meaningless pat on the back to an old man at his birthday party into a serious policy position. You're turning the personal into the political, and what makes your POV stink all the more is your cowardly attempt to cloak it in patriotism.
"Why should he have to? He was blowing smoke up an old man's ass at his 100th birthday party..."
Umm-- my problem with THIS idea, tho.. is that if Lott was just gonna blow smoke up Thurmond's ass, why didn't he say something to the effect of 'The country IS a better place, thanks to Thurmond' -- instead of suggesting the country WOULD BE a better place, if we'd done "certain things" Thurmond's way.
That's not just some meaningless, generalized platitude, it's a fairly specific reference to an agenda of Thurmond's that failed & one that Lott still supports.
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