Today, Democratic Senator and former presidential candidate Christopher Dodd officially announced his endorsement of fellow Senator and Presidential hopeful, Barak Obama. Interestingly, this is the same Senator Dodd who once sang the praises of another collegue in the senate who is a former Grand Dragon in the Klu Klux Klan, voted against the nomination of Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court and voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
In 2004, Dodd spoke in honor of Senator Robert Byrds 17,000th vote stating:
Now while I realize that this is hardly a big deal for most of you on the left, I do find it amusing that someone who recently sang the praises of a Klansman would endorse a black man for president.
I also wanted to bring to your remembrance how the PC police (i.e. Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson and the National NAACP) once again gave a liberal a pass on “racially insensitive” comments. Just once I would like to see them hold their fellow liberals to the same standards.
BTW. I esspecially like the photos of each of them in their native garb.
Additionally, there have been no other indications that Dodd has an ongoing affinity for hood-wearing, cross-burning hillbillies.
As his voting scores attest, Senator Byrd may be an out of step populist compared to the rest of his party, which is slowly dragging itself into the reality of the 21st Century. And no one can “whitewash” his record with the Klan which may be more extensive than Byrd publicly admits to.
That said, Byrd does have the distinction of being the “Dean” of the U.S. Senate, having been elected to more terms (8 full six year terms) and casting more votes (over 17,000) than any other member in history. He has publicly apologized for his association with the Klan (no matter how pro-forma it may appear) and, according to the NAACP staff on the Hill, has been a good partner. The same cannot be said of Trent Lott. As for Thurmond, well, may be rest in peace.
You wonder why some Democrats get a pass while Republicans, by and large, do not? Its because Republicans are consistently voting against the identified and substantive interests of the poor and political minorities. In spite of the rich GOP history as the party founded to end slavery, the modern version is simply a shadow of its former self. Today’s Republican Party in no way aspires to the same grand vision if its founders, yet the Democratic Party – while certainly not transformative in its leadership and vision in its recent history – is at least engaging in some transactional policy making that “Keeps Hope Alive” for many Americans.
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Did I say that I was surprised by the endorsement? I believe that my specific words were, “Now while I realize that this is hardly a big deal for most of you on the left, I do find it amusing that someone who recently sang the praises of a Klansman would endorse a black man for president.”
I was simply amused by the irony.
But as for Republicans, “…consistently voting against the identified and substantive interests of the poor and political minorities.” Let’s take a closer look at this. Shall we?
Republicans support the partial privatization of Social Security, which will take the money once was unlikely to ever be seen again, and place it into lock box, so that they can pass that money on to their children. For many, this will constitute most of the wealth that they will have to pass on to future generations. Additionally, because this money will be invested it will earn far greater return what they are paying into the current failing system. (See Social Insecurity- A Bad Investment For Black America) Democrats are in favor of continuing to rob blacks of this opportunity to pass on this hard earned wealth to their children.
Republicans agree with 72% of black parents in their support of school choice. But it is Democrats who have bought off by teachers unions who continue to force our children to stay in failing public schools (not that all public schools are failing mind you).
Republicans support the end of a practice that has killed twice as many African Americans as AIDS, Violent Crime, Accidents, Cancer and Heart Disease combined- Abortion (See Abortion = Modern Day Genocide!). But thanks to Democrats, Planned Parenthood have accomplished what the Klu Klux Klan could have only dreamed of… GOVERNMENT FUNDED GENOCIDE!
In the end, it is Democrats who for the last 50 years have ruled over the communities with the worst schools, highest crime rates, highest unemployment and poorest quality of life. And many of these communities happen to be largely black.