2003 Column Archives
Bush & Lott
By John Sammon
Jan 1, 2003, 16:11

Trent, Trent, Trent! Tsk tsk!

I’m ashamed of you.

Trent Lott, majority leader in the Republican Party, made a lame joke, got in trouble, and then tried to grovel and crawl his way out of it------to no avail.

He lost his job anyway.

The flap came about when Lott said at Senator Strom Thurmand’s 100^th birthday, that if Thurmand had been elected president in 1948, “problems” would have been avoided. It seemed to imply that Lott was endorsing segregation.

Lott should be censored for making a bad joke and then acting like a coward afterward, but not for promoting racism. However, the whole disgusting, trivial incident begs the question. How liable should elected representatives be for comments they didn’t make, implied comments, where others read between the lines and put words in your mouth for you?

It would be one thing if Lott had said; “I wish to congratulate Strom on his 100^th birthday, by saying that I endorse segregation.”

This was a birthday party. Lott was generously trying to make the old man (Thurmand) feel good. Thurmand has served his country and state for decades, whether you like his politics or not. People had been making joking remarks at the informal gathering before Lott made his comments. What was he supposed to say?

“I’d like to congratulate Strom Thurmand on his 100^th birthday. Happy birthday Strom, you no-good old racist sonofabitch.”

Lott tried to save his skin after his innocent gaffe by admitting he was a reformed sinner (racist), who still needed political correction. His job was toast by then, but he could of at least gone out courageously by telling foaming-at-the-mouth liberals he meant no malice, and if they didn’t like it, they could shove it up their you-know-whats’.

Instead, he groveled. Disgusting.

Trent, is your franking privilege at the Senate Post Office, and your taxpayer-funded limousine service really worth this?

George Bush, his former pal, showed his true colors by describing Lott’s comments as “offensive.” Then, when Lott quit begging and finally threw in the towel as Senate leader, praised his action as being, “for the good of the American people.”

George was thinking of his political future and legacy, not the American people.

George could have had guts. He could of stuck by his friend regardless of losing a few voters, and said Lott is simply a decent man who put his foot in his mouth, and let’s have some generosity instead of being spiteful, vengeful, a-conspiracy-in-every-closet bunch of yellow bastards.

Did he do that? No! How opportunistic. How cynical. George, you’re a political chameleon who can change colors to suit any crisis. But don’t worry, Democrats won’t vote for you for reelection no matter what you do, compassionate conservative or not.

You can bank that if a black liberal senator had praised a demagogue like Al Sharpton, said he should have been president, nobody would say peep.