Christopher Dodd’s Trent Lott Moment

by John Hawkins | April 6, 2004 10:48 pm

As I’m sure you remember, Trent Lott was publicly excoriated[1] — and rightfully so — for praising Senator Strom Thurmond in a way that seemed to endorse the racist views he had held earlier in his life.

But now, Senator Christopher Dodd has done almost exactly the same thing, except Robert Byrd, instead of Thurmond, was the target of his compliments. Here’s Dodd’s quote[2]…

“It has often been said that the man and the moment come together. I do not think it is an exaggeration at all to say to my friend from West Virginia that he would have been a great Senator at any moment. Some were right for the time . ROBERT C. BYRD , in my view, would have been right at any time . He would have been right at the founding of this country. He would have been in the leadership crafting this Constitution. He would have been right during the great conflict of civil war in this Nation. He would have been right at the great moments of international threat we faced in the 20th century. I cannot think of a single moment in this Nation’s 220-plus year history where he would not have been a valuable asset to this country. Certainly today that is not any less true.”

That’s high praise indeed! Especially this part…

“I cannot think of a single moment in this Nation’s 220-plus year history where he would not have been a valuable asset to this country.”

Oooooh, ooooh, I can think of a moment! How about the moment Byrd wrote this[3] back in 1946…

“I am a former kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan in Raleigh County and the adjoining counties of the state …. The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia …. It is necessary that the order be promoted immediately and in every state of the Union. Will you please inform me as to the possibilities of rebuilding the Klan in the Realm of W. Va …. I hope that you will find it convenient to answer my letter in regards to future possibilities”

…Or better yet, how about the moment Byrd wrote this[3] back in 1944…

“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.”

Someone should run those quotes by Senator Dodd and see if he’d like to revise his comments…

Endnotes:
  1. excoriated: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/archives/week_2002_12_08.PHP#000455
  2. Dodd’s quote: http://tvh.rjwest.com/archives/004288.html
  3. this: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/quotes/leftwingracists.php

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