Q: What are the differences between the Revs. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, National Review Contributing Editor David Frum, NRO Editor-at-Large Jonah Goldberg, Webblogger Andy Sullivan, and Weekly Standard Editor-in-Chief Bill Kristol?
A: What differences?
In case you haven't heard, Senator Trent Lott had the audacity to say that he was proud Mississippi had voted for Strom Thurmond in Ol' Strom's 1948 Dixiecrat presidential bid. The horror! Here is what the aforementioned folks had to say about it:
"Trent Lott must step down," Jackson said in a statement. "He is supposed to be Senate majority leader for all Americans, but he once again has shown he is interested only in Confederates."
"The Republican Party has said that it wants to reach out to minorities, whom have historically felt uncomfortable with being members of their party in any great numbers. Now the Republican Party has an opportunity to show they sincerely reach out, by repudiating Lott's statements and asking him to step aside as Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate."
"Lott's words suggest that one of the three most powerful and visible Republicans in the nation privately thinks that desegregation, civil rights, and equal voting rights were all a big mistake.
These would be disgraceful thoughts to think, if Lott thought them. If Lott thought them, any Republican who accepted his leadership would share in the disgrace. So Lott needs to make it clear that he does not in fact think them. He owes his party, his state, his country, and his conscience something more – something much more – than a curt "I am sorry if you were offended." If he can't do that, Republicans need to make it clear that Lott no longer speaks for us."
On the facts, Lott's comments were dumb. Morally, they were indefensible. Politically, they served to confirm the suspicions of millions of blacks and liberal whites about what is in the hearts of conservatives and Republicans while earning him nothing but a smile from a 100 year-old man. And, on that note, surely Lott could have said something which would have been just as flattering to Thurmond without the Republican Senate Majority Leader saying that things would have been a lot better if we never passed anti-lynching laws.
(Never mind that Congress has no authority to pass anti-lynching laws. Read the truth about Senator Thurmond's record on lynching.)
TRENT LOTT MUST GO: After his disgusting remarks at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party, it seems to me that the Republican Party has a simple choice. Either they get rid of Lott as majority leader; or they should come out formally as a party that regrets desegregation and civil rights for African-Americans.
William Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, said "Oh, God," when he learned of Lott's comments. "It's ludicrous. He should remember it's the party of Lincoln," referring to Lott's role as Republican leader of the Senate, which the GOP will control when the new Congress convenes next month.
Mr. Kristol has taken the words from my mouth.
December 10, 2002
