Lott's sin is giving Dems ammo--so he must go

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 12/15/02 | Mark Steyn

[Tall_Texan]

PJ2:

Claude Pepper was never a Senator. Jesse Helms is retiring, just as Thurmond. That leaves Byrd and Hollings on your list.

And since they are both Democrats, they can spout all the racist venom they want and the media won't say a peep about it.

You have to understand the media's template. Democrats are never racists, even when they are. Republicans are always racist, even when they're not. Once you have this down, much of Washington politics will become clearer to you.

[Tall_Texan]

Are you kidding Lott is going to single handed well along with the help of FReepers turn the racist card around and end this as an issue and in so doing will win the blacks to the party that voted for civil rights with truth. With the help of all FReepers of which there are black ones and white ones will tell the racist democrats that we know their lie and their game and its over.

1) The day Trent Lott plays out a successful, brilliant political strategy of that magnitude is the day Wake Forest wins the Sears Trophy for the National Championship.

2) What hallucinogens are you on?

[Nephi]

You sound like the type of person a boss could kick the crap out of, and you would still suck up and beg. You must be a real candy butt.

I'm sorry, I couldn't understand what you were saying...perhaps, Lett's butt cheeks were muffling your words.

[jwalsh07]

You have to understand the media's template. Democrats are never racists, even when they are. Republicans are always racist, even when they're not. Once you have this down, much of Washington politics will become clearer to you.

That's because republicans are gutless. Like now.

[Texasforever]

...perhaps, Lett's butt cheeks were muffling your words.

Or it could be where your head is. Why don't you try to act like a human being.

[Nephi]

Mind your own business cowgirl.

[Texasforever]

Mind your own business cowgirl.

I am minding my own business, I am outing a bunch of racists.

[lainde]

I agree Nick...He's bluffing with the blackmail strategy. Besides politicians are obsessed with their "legacy". If he left the senate, his legacy is in the toilet.

[Texasforever]

Cowards succumb to petty bitterness

Given who you shill for that is ironic.

[Kevin Curry]

The denizens of DU aren't spending a tenth of the energy on the Lott fiasco that FReepers are. I am beginning to think there is less to this than most Freepers (and conservatives) apparently believe there is.

[Political Junkie Too]

Claude Pepper was never a Senator.

Yes, he was.

-PJ

[Tall_Texan]

Okay, I stand corrected. He was a U.S. Senator from 1936-1951. But I wasn't born until 1957 so the only thing I recall of Claude Pepper were his years in the U.S. House.

Now, getting back to your original point, what interest would the GOP have in bringing up Pepper's term in the Senate if he had not been a member for over 50 years?

If he was a segregationist then, is it in any way relevant to what he is today (which is maggot food - he's been dead since 1989)? Surely there's a more comtemporary example you could find.

[Political Junkie Too]

I was thinking of Senators who were as old as Thurmond and still in the Senate. Pepper was what came to mind.

My point wasn't about Pepper, it was about tainting the memories of all elderly Senators of that era. Lott was trying to be kind to an old man. What will happen at the Senate tribute to Robert Byrd when he retires? How does one show tribute to Byrd without getting tangled in the racial overtones?

Will the way that Lott was treated change the way that future testimonials and tributes for retiring Southern Senators happen? Or will Democrats just get a pass?

-PJ

[MeekOneGOP]

I loved what they said on FoxNews this morning about this skit......

"A man who was planning to run for President would never do this, but a man with no job would".

Amazing insight. Carnac would be proud of that newscaster !

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Great men. So we agree Lott should stay and stand tall and help end the race issue that rats love to make of the republicans. The race and racist words from democrats means nothing

I'm sorry, but the race was already played and it worked here.

Not only did Lott say something which many people, including Republicans, find insensitive, but to the casual observer the comment looks like he has failed to throw off his own segregationalist past.

This issue has moved from the Sunday News shows to the Late Night Talk Show monologues, a clear sign he has been tarred in the public mind. It's time for him to be a man, step down as majority leader, and serve out his term as a committee chair.

[aristeides]

Actually, Pepper was in the Senate for a while. After he lost his Senate seat (if memory serves, George Smathers beat him in a primary around 1950,) he became a member of the House, and served there for a long time.

[Huck]

for Trent Lott to give them an excuse to dump it on the GOP doorstep is all the reason Republicans needed to be done with him once and for all.

The conservative movement needs to disavow the neoconfederate ideologues who currently squat within its ranks--lewrockwell.com comes to mind. The neo-confeds, as well as the extreme libertarians, are completely at home with the vision of Jeff Davis. It isn't JUST Trent Lott.

[SBprone]

"The attempts by Bush and Rove to remove Lott is the single dumbest political act I have ever seen."

I would agree if I thought Bush was really gunning for Lott. Why are you so convinced that he is? So far I haven't seen any indication of this other that some unsourced comment on Drudge's headline page.

Have I missed something, or do you have inside info, or is this an educated guess?

[knighthawk]

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