What's This About a Southern Strategy?

Here's an amusing story worth mentioning (in light of my post last month on Paul Krugman's thoughts on the GOP and racism). This is Trent Lott's final week in office and his colleagues were saluting him today on the floor of the Senate. Perhaps by acknowledging his accomplishments, you ask? No, it doesn't seem he ever had any, because all they're doing is defending his 2002 statement about Strom Thurmond's presidential run.

Thurmond, as you may recall, ran for President in 1948 on the Dixiecrat third party ticket in opposition to the Democrats' growing support for civil rights. In one campaign speech that year, he said-

"I wanna tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that there's not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the nigger race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches."

He went on to carry four states and receive 39 electoral votes. One of the states he won was Mississippi, home of Mr. Trent Lott. At the 100th birthday of Thurmond in 2002, Sen. Lott (who, in his congressional career, had voted against renewal of the Voting Rights Act, voted against the continuation of the Civil Rights Act, and opposed the Martin Luther King Holiday) volunteered this compliment-

"I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had of followed our lead we wouldn't of had all these problems over all these years, either."

Gosh, I can't imagine why anyone would be offended at the Senate Majority Leader for that.

Defending the honor of Sen. Lott today were Senators Specter (R-PA), Hatch (R-UT), and Smith (R-OR) in particular (the latter was less defensive five years ago). Said Specter, "What Senator Lott said was in no means out of line". None of these men-- of course-- mentioned or acknowledged what the remarks were.

Have fun lobbying these jackals next year, Trent. May you continue to make u$ all proud.