Chris Mathews Show; Republicans truly not racist

12/14/02 | self

[chiller]

guests: Clarence Page, Peggy Noonan, David Bloom (NBC)

(no transcript but;)The concensus among Peggy, Clarence, Mathews was that Republicans were shamed by Lott's insensitivity. I didn't catch much from Bloom-- Mr. Inter-Continental, the TV face known for speaking a few lines of French.

Contrary to the so-called 'stain', this group was impressed that the criticism largely came from within, signaling a change in the party.

Also noting Bush's sincere anger, noting how the jovial birthday scene laughed at all the 'good ol' boy jokes', but went stone cold silent at Lott's racial undertones.

".really a new face on the party..." That face left a good impression. Only Noonan could be classified as truly conservative. She's tired of apologizing for one of 'ours' that still doesn't get it. Chris thinks Lott's only got a few weeks left.

Also, noting Bush 41's chairmanship of civil rights organization while at Yale, and W's sincere Christian beliefs incompatible with racism.

[chiller]

The show airs Sunday in most markets...check it for yourself for exact thoughts.

I feel slightly less worried about the image Lott painted us with. And we can legitimately claim we police our own idiots.

[over3Owithabrain]

Yes, and to think some here are mad at the conservative response towards Lott. As if distancing themselves from him is hurting us. In fact, the most positive story to come out of this Lott mess is the collective outrage of the right, from W to the grassroots. Thanks to Senator Leghorn, the country sees that the GOP does not cotton to fools and worse. Throwing him out of leadership would do one better. But yet some short-sighted fools would want all our political capital wasted on this maroon.

[VOA]

Also, noting Bush 41's chairmanship of civil rights organization while at Yale,
and W's sincere Christian beliefs incompatible with racism.

For anyone wondering...here is at least one passage that Dubya would probably be
thinking about in this regard:

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither
male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Of course, the Christian era has witnessed too many failures in attempting
to live up to this ideal.

I've never understood how so many folks could have been slave-holders and attending
their Christian churches.

You'd think they'd have read the first couple of chapters of The Bible and
realized some pretty nasty things can happen to slave-holders...
(just my stray-voltage, non-theologian thought for the day...)

[hinckley buzzard]

First the Washington Post has a respectful article, now Clarence Page? Real Conservatives don't tolerate racial sh*t, and the world is beginning to get it.

Note to Lott-bots: Reread the section about how the jovial atmosphere at the birthday party turned to stony silence at Lotts' fond, approving reference to 1948.

I guess those race-baiters worked at the speed of light to influence on-site observers so rapidly.

[Chi-townChief]

This story is starting to wear out and will soon fade BUT ... Lott needs to get through the next two years w/o making an ass out of himself again which, for him, may prove very difficult.

[Excuse_Me]

There is a poll here that will allow you to express your opinion on whether Lott should go for what he said, or for other reasons, or whether he should stay. It's a Jackson TV station.

[Doc Savage]

Matthews is a blithering idiot. He asks run-on questions that literally go on for three minutes. By the time he shuts up you can't even remember what the original point was supposed to be! He's a bleeding heart Liberal who kissed Clinton's ass, and sucks up to Hitlery. Never watch MSNBC anymore. Pathetic programming.

[Atomic Vomit]

democrats truly racist though:

Mr. Atomic Vomit

[okie01]

"Lott needs to get through the next two years w/o making an ass out of himself again which, for him, may prove very difficult."

We both know he isn't capable of negotiating another two years without a breathtaking asininity or two.

In retrospect, this affair may have done us a favor -- making Lott's replacement an imperative.

What say we organize the new Senate with Lott as Majority Leader, allowing him to save his "honor". And a few months later, let him decide to "step down" and "resign" from the Senate, say, sometime in June? He needs to "spend more time with family", "make some real money", "do what he's always wanted to do" (e.g., become Chancellor of Ol' Miss).

The Dem governor of Mississippi gets to appoint a replacement, true. But the Senate's rules of organization would be unchanged, as the GOP would still have a working majority by virtue of precedence (if, in a 50:50 Senate, there is no agreement on the rules or organization, the rules revert to those in force immediately prior).

But, in addition, the governor is required, by law, to conduct a special election to fill the vacancy at the next general election. Which, in Mississippi's case, is November, 2003 (the state is on an odd-year cycle).

Under these circumstances, I would suppose that the GOP candidate would have a good chance of winning -- since Lott would not be seen as having been "forced out" as a "racist", but having resigned on his own timetable.

The upside is that, in any event, the GOP retains control of the Senate...and somebody besides Trent Lott is Majority Leader.

[OldFriend]

Noonan began as a democrat. Has lots of democrat friends. Consults for the West Wing, and likes to be in good standing with her democrat lady friends.

[Sabertooth]

and to think some here are mad at the conservative response towards Lott. As if distancing themselves from him is hurting us. In fact, the most positive story to come out of this Lott mess is the collective outrage of the right, from W to the grassroots.

Yeah, we're playing right into the hands of the Dems, ya know?

[marron]

I read Lott's interview in the NY Times today, and he did a considerably better job of articulating his beliefs than he has done up til now. It would be impossible to have grown up in the South, and to have lived the demise of segregation, without some very passionate feelings on the matter, but all I had seen from him were apologetic non-apologies that expressed nothing about what he believed.

He acquitted himself pretty well in the interview printed today.

Remarks about the "new face" of the party annoy me, Republicans have always supported color-blind citizenship. They did it all during the bad old days of Jim Crow, when to be a Republican in the South was to be a lonely man, and they continue to do so, in the face of accusations of racism for not following whatever is the current formula for dividing up the spoils along racial lines.

Republicans also tend to support the notion of "states rights", a notion that sadly becamed intertwined with Jim Crow in the hands of Southern Democrats during the bad old days. The damage that segregationists did to the 9th and 10th ammendments can not be exaggerated. Because they based their assaults on civil rights on the notion of "states rights", they have made it difficult to defend.

But Repubs continue to defend color blind citizenship, and states rights, and continue to be pilloried as racists while black citizens flock to the party of their oppressors in a weird kind of Stockholm Syndrome. There is no "new face", and Republicans have nothing to apologize for where racism is concerned. We faithfully opposed institutional racism of the right wing variety, when it was very lonely to do so, and of the left wing variety which continues to be a lonely vocation.

[VOA]

...the bad old days of Jim Crow, when to be a Republican in the South was to be a lonely man

I can't remember the source, but supposedly General Longstreet was disliked
in the South for having not helped to build up the mythic figure of General Lee.

But Longstreet was hated for becoming a Republican.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

If you have a hard time understanding how Christian's could be slave holders you must have a real hard time figuring out how the Spanish Inquisition took place.

[Wait4Truth]

Peggy doesn't write for "The West Wing" anymore. They fired all their conservative writers last year. Maybe that's why their ratings have dropped. The liberal line is the only one given. I am proud to say that I have never once watched the show.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

To suggest Trent Lott step down from his leadership role is one thing...to suggest that he step down from the Senate is foolish in my opinion. As he said, he isn't going to step down for being something he is not. If he steps down from the leadership position, he can explain it by saying that the controversy has taken away from his ability to be an effective leader.

[marron]

I've never understood how so many folks could have been slave-holders and attending their Christian churches.

I have often said that the greatest evils are committed by otherwise good people.

The evil people we all know, and can defend ourselves against. But when good people go off the track, there is no one left then to hit the brakes.

It is important to recognize that the pharisees were deeply and devoutly religious, and yet failed to recognize the Christ in their midst. It is important to recognize that Germans were in many ways the best people in Europe, and yet succombed to the fantasies of a madman. It is important to recognize that southerners were by and large Christian, and brave, and dignified, and yet were blind to this evil in their midst.

If you miss this, you miss one of the greatest lessons of history, which is precisely that good people are capable of great wrong, if they let themselves be stampeded by the majority.

But this is how it works. All of us are creatures of our time. Some of us manage to see truths before others do, and some of us never do, and it is left to our grandchildren to undo our mistakes.

Fortunately, God is a forgiving God, and people and nations can be redeemed.

[VOA]

It is important to recognize that Germans were in many ways the best people in Europe,
and yet succombed to the fantasies of a madman.

I remember hearing "B-1" Bob Dornan say that when he was a child in
parochial school, one of the nuns assigned them the topic of explaining how
the Germans fell for that trap.

I'm afraid that this is precisely the sort of education that kids don't get in public schools...

[okie01]

"To suggest Trent Lott step down from his leadership role is one thing...to suggest that he step down from the Senate is foolish in my opinion."

I'm operating on the assumption that, if Lott were prevailed upon to step down from the leadership position, he would resign from the Senate. Members of his staff have purportedly been suggesting this.

Personally, I see no need for Lott to leave the Senate. But I would prefer him to be on the sidelines, leading the cheers, than quarterbacking the team.

[okie01]

"All of us are creatures of our time. Some of us manage to see truths before others do, and some of us never do, and it is left to our grandchildren to undo our mistakes."

There is great wisdom in your post.

It is the story of mankind.