Reid/Lott Double Standard?

Mr. Lott said in his apology, "My comments were not an endorsement of his positions of over 50 years ago, but of the man and his life." That makes perfect sense- I think it is disingenuous to claim that by Lott's compliment he was really saying that he wished a segregationist candidate had been elected. Most people pay insincere compliments to others on a regular basis, trying to find something nice to say about a person (or what they are wearing). If he would have made those comments while standing in the Senate or on a political platform, I could understand folks interpreting his comments as being supportive of a segregationist, but not at a personal and private event like a birthday party. Maybe we should start putting bugs in politicians bathrooms so we can hear what they sing in the shower- we could probably find ammunition to force all of them to resign eventually. But I thought that if someone apologizes, that's makes it all ok, right? I mean, how many times did Bill Clinton apologize, and his supporters got mad at the tenacious Republicans who were hot on his tail, and said 'Leave the guy alone- he apologized'.

Trent Lott has no record of voting against civil rights legislation or making racist comments, but Byrd- an ex-Klansman, and a Kleagle no less, who fillibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act and opposed the nominations of Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas to the bench, who writes letters years after he left the KKK containing thoughts such as "The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia" and vowed never to fight "with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."- when he chooses to purposefully use a racial epithet as an 'illustration', he gets a pass. Saints preserve us.

Like I said- I don't think what Lott or Reid said were meant in the way in which they are being interpreted, but if we are going to fire people from public office for mis-speaking or paying a compliment to the 'wrong' person, then be consistent and fire them all.

The OP is also about the double standard that exists when it comes to politicians chomping down on shoe leather in public. I've said that I don't think Reid's comments were racist, but unless you have the ability to see into the thoughts and intents of Lott's heart, you don't know that he was talking about Thurmond's policies of 50 years past, or just paying a somewhat gushing compliment to a 100 year old man at a party (where I'm sure everyone was fairly loosened up). But let's just say that he was speaking in support of Thurmond as a segregationist. Has Lott attempted to pass any segregationist policies? Has he opposed the nomination of black candidates to the bench? Does he have the long history of racist comments that Senator Byrd has? Then why hold Lott's feet to the fire and not Byrd's? Because Byrd is senile? Is that why is he using Congress as a glorified nursing home?

BTW, I'm a Libertarian, not a Republican, and I think the GOP is WRONG in how they are handling this. I think the castigation of Reid is just as ridiculous as the fuss made over Lott. People are going to make stupid, ill-considered comments- our VP is a master of this ability. But decisions about someone's entire career should not be made over ONE comment- they should be tied to that person's pattern of behavior and their voting record, and the venue should also be taken into consideration, as this is as much a part of the context as everything else.