18 Dec 2002 | JF said...

I mostly agree with this Boston Herald article.

What bothers me about this whole Lott thing is that his history has been documented, yet an obscure, indirect comment at a 100-year old's birthday party might be what takes him down. It doesn't feel right to me that someone should be forced out because of something people think he meant. That's scary territory. If they had a problem with his racist history before he made this comment, fine, but for this incident to be the final staw seems suspiciously political and misguided.

18 Dec 2002 | decker said...

Just another media frenzy... the political waters had been kind of still - besides, other's have been caught saying worse yet they remain media darlings.

18 Dec 2002 | ek said...

Just out of curiosity, what others do you mean?

The funny thing here is that it's probably Lott's own fellow Republicans (particularly those on the far right) who most want him out of his leadership position. Note the incredible lack of support from the White House. Bush gave more support to the entirely inept Harvey Pitt at the SEC than he has to Lott. Actually, support is the wrong word, Bush has basically thrown the sinking Lott an anchor.

I actually hope that Lott calls the Repubs bluff and refuses to step down. It'll be interesting to see if the party has the nerve to force him out.

18 Dec 2002 | Darrel said...

Charles Barkley was on the Daily Show last night. When asked if he was insulted by Lott's remarks he replied (paraphrased):

No...they all talk like that down there. We're used to it.

I think that sums things up well. ;o)

18 Dec 2002 | Darrel said...

Damn.

Wrong thread.

18 Dec 2002 | Darrel said...

Wait. Ignore me.

18 Dec 2002 | Jacob Patton said...

As an American, I'm horrified by what Lott said and what he has said in the past. As a Missippian, I'm mortified.

I'm white, male, and I attend the University of Mississippi, "Ole Miss." I don't share Lott's sentiments towards African Americans, and I don't believe we "all talk like that" down here. Many do, though, and there is enough winking, nodding, and good-ole-boy-ism to make it revolting, but I think (and hope) those sentiments are waning.

It's terrible, what Trent Lott said, and it's awful that he is a representative for my state. As a friend noted, "Now he's beginning to wear his hood in public." Bad for him, worse for the state.

I hope he stays in the Senate, though. I would love to have the pleasure of voting him out of office!

18 Dec 2002 | Cade Roux said...

Trent accidentally lets his true colors show. Trent Lott, master Senate games player, meets George Bush, master opportunist. George will stab him in the back and let him hang out to dry. Notice how no other Republican wants to try to help him out. Notice how no one trusts the Republicans to watch our backs either next election. Watch only the most extreme Republicans get elected next time, making our life even worse. Please give us back a conservative GOP without the current religious bias, racist bias, and scandal-blindness.

18 Dec 2002 | indi said...

What's really pathetic is that right after the incident Tom Daschel basically said he's known Trent for a long time and didn't think he meant anything by it, no big deal. Gore said all he needs to do is apologize. Well, as soon as the media started playing it up the Dems saw an unexpected opportunity to create an issue.

There have been many very racist things done and said by Dems with little or no repercussions (Byrd, Wallace, Al Gore's Dad, etc.). But in the end it doesn't really matter who on either side said what. I think the man is a racist and has been hiding it all these years. It's time for him to step down from the Senate leadership position. The fact that he won't recognize this will only do harm to his party and the country. And even if he's not really a rascist, he is bending over backwards to appease his accusers. Now he's suddenly for affirmative action (he's even *gasp* had blacks on his staff since the mid seventies). Now he'll have to support any bill that comes up before the senate that might make him look even remotely racist if he blocked it. He'd probably even come out in favor of reparations.

Bottom line: Trent out, but Dems, please stop taking advantage of black folk in this country and treating them in such a condescending, self serving manner.

18 Dec 2002 | JF said...

Perfectly put, indi. Great post.

18 Dec 2002 | ek said...

What you guys seem to be missing is that the most vociferous calls for Trent to step down aren't coming from the Dems, but from the Republicans. It was conservative columnists like Bill Kristol who elevated this to the level it's currently at.

And who are the politicos now calling for Lott to resign his post as majority leader -- Republican senators like Don Nickles and Lincoln Chafee. The dems have largely stayed out of this so I don't know why you're suddenly mad at them. You can get some more background here.

Don't believe the counter-spin being put out by the Republicans. If Lott steps down it won't be because the Dems.

18 Dec 2002 | decker said...

Oh, I was talking about Hillary Clinton,Jesse Jackson,Al Sharpton, Martin Luther, Richard Nixon and their anti-semitic remarks. No place for it here though, bad call on my part.

I don't think Lott should step down, I think the Republicans should boot him out of the leadership role. I don't think words like this necessarily define a man, I am not the purest at heart by any means, but I would help anyone out if they needed it. Then again, I don't hold public office and no one tape records what I say, so I guess he should have known better.

Anyways, a lot of people blame Lott for losing the Republican majority way back when during the Contract with America days - so I am sure there are others who think they could do a better job.

19 Dec 2002 | p8 said...

Just a small comment on the other quote:

"Frank Zappas reply to Tipper Gores claim that rock lyrics incited deviant behavior: I wrote a song about dental floss but did anyones teeth get cleaner?"

You should definitely go see "Bowling for Columbine" if you haven't already. If you can blame Marilyn Manson for the massacre (while no one else who listens to him has killed anyone), you might as well blame bowling (the murderers were reported to have been bowling prior to the massacre).

Bush: " Why don't you get a real job!"
Michael Moore: " Like what? Aks my dad for a baseball team or an oil company?"

19 Dec 2002 | satan said...

Ah yes, Michael Moore...
"Even worse, African Americans, whose right to vote was the most egregiously violated (and who usually are the first to stand and fight injustice), seem to have given up. Betrayed, forgotten and taken for granted by the Democrats, black voters saw no reason to revolt in 2000-and little reason to show up in 2002. They got the message loud and clear: "This is White America-we call the shots, we run this place, so shut the f*** up and stay home. The polls have closed for you."

"Of course, those in charge are thrilled that 61% of the country has given up. That's right where they want us-out of the way! And it is for that reason alone why we must not now throw in the towel. If we sink into a collective state of despair, disgust and disinterest, we are truly doomed. Bush & Company (and this includes the Democrats) are all-too-happy to be left alone to run amok in the candy store. And, in the end, here is what we'll be left with: billions of impoverished people around the world hoping for a chance to kill you and me someday!"

Michael Moore, doomsday prophet, videographer, lard ass.

Do yourself a favor P8 - read the Enquirer, it will spook you just the same.

19 Dec 2002 | Darrel said...

"Now he's beginning to wear his hood in public." Bad for him, worse for the state."

Maybe that should be his punishment. He can stay, but he has to wear his hood all the time.

Too bad Zappa's dead. He'd make a great senator.

I wouldn't call Moore a doomsday prophet. He just points out things that, for whatever reason, people like Satan get upset about.

19 Dec 2002 | satan said...

The only thing that upsets me, is that people take his rants seriously. No different than the "Rush is Right" crowd. It's all scare tactics - which in the end, make him money. I enjoy listening to what he has to say and his movies, but I don't enjoy some half-informed Green party wanna-bes running around like the sky is falling. When a sentence beigins with "Mike Moore said...", fuck em.

hail satan!

19 Dec 2002 | Don Schenck said...

Lott, Zappa, Moore.

I'm supposed to take these three dolts seriously? I'd rather discuss Tootie Roll Pops (r) with my three-year old nephew than listen to the "oh, I see I have an audience" rants of these three losers.

19 Dec 2002 | your host said...

Don Schenck ladies and gentlemen...

19 Dec 2002 | Bob O said...

"Bottom line: Trent out, but Dems, please stop taking advantage of black folk in this country and treating them in such a condescending, self serving manner."

Look at the New York Times today. Dubya has Powell and brother Jeb bashing Lott now. This is a simple case of the GOP taking advantage of Lott's missteps to clean house and get a better mouthpiece in the Senate.

The genius of the GOP is their ability to make some people think it's the Democrats doing this. C'mon, Republicans have been talking like Lott for years, and even if they don't say it publicly, their policies have been racist and classist all along.

Read the Bob Herbert column in the Times today. The GOP Senator from Montana has said worse than Lott, but noone's screaming for him to go.

19 Dec 2002 | indi said...

Bob O - What, you didn't hear Clinton's pronouncements yesterday? Apparently the entire south hasn't progressed since the 40's.

19 Dec 2002 | satan said...

What does Bill Clinton know? 130 years under Democratic rule ended in Georgia this past election. We are last in education - dead last, slipping from the highly prized 49th spot. It had nothing to do with the stupid state flag.

20 Dec 2002 | p8 said...

"Lott, Zappa, Moore. I'm supposed to take these three dolts seriously?"

Come on Don, you can say what you want about Lott and Moore but you can't deny Zappa is a genius?

20 Dec 2002 | bec said...

Zappa was great. Moore can be full of himself, and construct his philosopical and political viewpoint through his chosen medium, but he can be funny (his interview with the Newlywed Game host). Lott is an ass, who should have done the right thing a week ago instead of dragging it out, but at least it provided blog fodder for a time.

23 Dec 2002 | matt said...

anyone read the time magazine timeline on trent lott and the republican party?

wonderful moments like ronald reagan campaigning the south with the codewords "state's rights" or Gorge W. having a stopover at "keep the races separate" Bob Jones University. so, yeah, they could care less about lott's remarks... it was just a good moment to get him out.

26 Dec 2002 | Don Schenck said...

Frank Zappa was a genius? COME ON! What? ... because he could put together WEIRD stuff and give his children goofy names.

What is it that in popular culture, someone some where calls some artist "a genius", and suddenly everyone agrees. It's the same crowd that says Bob Dylan can sing (he can't! Listen some time).

You want a musical genius? The person that talked Celine Dion into taking a year off -- now THERE is a musical GENIUS!