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Wants chance to redeem himself, Lott says on BET
By Jerry Mitchell
jmitchell@clarionledger.com
U.S. Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi asked for forgiveness again Monday night, saying he's changed and now supports such civil rights issues as affirmative action.
"As majority leader, I can move an agenda that would hopefully be helpful to African Americans and minorities of all kinds and all Americans," Lott said in an interview with Ed Gordon on the African-American-oriented cable channel BET.
Lott is speaking out to blunt criticism and stop the push by some to oust him as Senate majority leader. The move came after Lott remarked earlier this month that if Sen. Strom Thurmond, a one-time segregationist candidate, had become president in 1948, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years."
On Monday, Lott denounced that remark as "insensitive" and promised to make amends for his past wrongs. "I'm looking for this not only to be a chance for redemption but to actually do something about it," he said.
He acknowledged he wrongly voted against the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, said he supports affirmative action "across the board," and praised the removal of the Confederate battle flag at Ole Miss.
He also talked of the sins of Mississippi's past, saying "there has been immoral leadership in my part of the country for a long time."
Leslie McLemore, professor of political science at Jackson State University, gave Lott a "C" or "C- minus" for his effort.
"If he had shown more emotion and demonstrated to the public how he felt in his heart, he would have connected much better," he said.
Jackson businessman Walter Scott, a longtime friend of Lott's who headed Blacks for Reagan/ Bush, said he would give Lott "an 'A' for him to show up and be grilled, and grilled the way he was, because he didn't have to do it."
Scott said Lott deserves a high grade for his explanation of his remarks.
"I think he showed a lot of compassion," Scott said. "I think he also showed a lot of emotion in his tone, a lot of humbleness in his tone. This has taken a very deep toll on him. He is not a racist."
Jim Herring, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, also gave Lott high marks for his sincerity in asking for forgiveness.
"In Mississippi, we're taught when somebody asks for forgiveness and apologizes, the burden shifts to us and we must grant that forgiveness," he said. "I think the vast majority of Mississippians will continue to support Sen. Lott and want him to remain as majority leader of the U.S."
To lose Lott "would be a great tragedy for Mississippi, the poorest state in union."
Doug Brinkley, director of the Eisenhower Center and professor of history at the University of New Orleans, called Lott's appearance "a great act of contrition, but it's short by a couple of years."
He said Lott might have been better off not appearing on BET.
"It was sort of a shameless performance of groveling for power," he said. "He seemed to be willing to say anything to ingratiate himself to black America."
Brinkley ? who suggested in a Time article this week that Mississippi may have progressed beyond Lott ? said the senator needs to "have the grace to step aside. The apologies need to stop. They're starting to make people nauseous."
In his remarks, Lott may have caused more problems than he solved, Brinkley said.
For instance, Lott praised the removal of the Confederate battle flag at Ole Miss. As recently as 2000, Lott supported Harrison County supervisors who voted to keep the Confederate battle flag in a Gulf Coast monument.
"I'm assuming (Tuesday) Lott is going to issue a statement saying the Confederate flag should come down there," he said.
Scott said Lott's past opposition to the King holiday "doesn't make him a racist. Just because he voted against affirmative action doesn't make him a racist. I don't like quotas myself."
Lott's remarks weren't meant to hurt anyone, he said, adding that if the Democrats were so concerned that Lott's remarks hinted at racism, they should have roundly criticized Sen. Byrd for using the "N" word on the Senate floor.
Lott should be allowed to continue as majority leader for the next two years, Scott said. "If he feels like he's not able to carry out his role and responsibility as majority leader and as a senator from Mississippi, Sen. Lott will step down himself."
This guy just continues to put his foot in his mouth. Why did he even get on this show? Ed Gordon ate him up and dumped him out. He looks pretty ridiculous now.
They are going to air that broadcast from now till eternity.
By Jerry Mitchell
jmitchell@clarionledger.com
U.S. Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi asked for forgiveness again Monday night, saying he's changed and now supports such civil rights issues as affirmative action.
"As majority leader, I can move an agenda that would hopefully be helpful to African Americans and minorities of all kinds and all Americans," Lott said in an interview with Ed Gordon on the African-American-oriented cable channel BET.
Lott is speaking out to blunt criticism and stop the push by some to oust him as Senate majority leader. The move came after Lott remarked earlier this month that if Sen. Strom Thurmond, a one-time segregationist candidate, had become president in 1948, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years."
On Monday, Lott denounced that remark as "insensitive" and promised to make amends for his past wrongs. "I'm looking for this not only to be a chance for redemption but to actually do something about it," he said.
He acknowledged he wrongly voted against the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, said he supports affirmative action "across the board," and praised the removal of the Confederate battle flag at Ole Miss.
He also talked of the sins of Mississippi's past, saying "there has been immoral leadership in my part of the country for a long time."
Leslie McLemore, professor of political science at Jackson State University, gave Lott a "C" or "C- minus" for his effort.
"If he had shown more emotion and demonstrated to the public how he felt in his heart, he would have connected much better," he said.
Jackson businessman Walter Scott, a longtime friend of Lott's who headed Blacks for Reagan/ Bush, said he would give Lott "an 'A' for him to show up and be grilled, and grilled the way he was, because he didn't have to do it."
Scott said Lott deserves a high grade for his explanation of his remarks.
"I think he showed a lot of compassion," Scott said. "I think he also showed a lot of emotion in his tone, a lot of humbleness in his tone. This has taken a very deep toll on him. He is not a racist."
Jim Herring, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, also gave Lott high marks for his sincerity in asking for forgiveness.
"In Mississippi, we're taught when somebody asks for forgiveness and apologizes, the burden shifts to us and we must grant that forgiveness," he said. "I think the vast majority of Mississippians will continue to support Sen. Lott and want him to remain as majority leader of the U.S."
To lose Lott "would be a great tragedy for Mississippi, the poorest state in union."
Doug Brinkley, director of the Eisenhower Center and professor of history at the University of New Orleans, called Lott's appearance "a great act of contrition, but it's short by a couple of years."
He said Lott might have been better off not appearing on BET.
"It was sort of a shameless performance of groveling for power," he said. "He seemed to be willing to say anything to ingratiate himself to black America."
Brinkley ? who suggested in a Time article this week that Mississippi may have progressed beyond Lott ? said the senator needs to "have the grace to step aside. The apologies need to stop. They're starting to make people nauseous."
In his remarks, Lott may have caused more problems than he solved, Brinkley said.
For instance, Lott praised the removal of the Confederate battle flag at Ole Miss. As recently as 2000, Lott supported Harrison County supervisors who voted to keep the Confederate battle flag in a Gulf Coast monument.
"I'm assuming (Tuesday) Lott is going to issue a statement saying the Confederate flag should come down there," he said.
Scott said Lott's past opposition to the King holiday "doesn't make him a racist. Just because he voted against affirmative action doesn't make him a racist. I don't like quotas myself."
Lott's remarks weren't meant to hurt anyone, he said, adding that if the Democrats were so concerned that Lott's remarks hinted at racism, they should have roundly criticized Sen. Byrd for using the "N" word on the Senate floor.
Lott should be allowed to continue as majority leader for the next two years, Scott said. "If he feels like he's not able to carry out his role and responsibility as majority leader and as a senator from Mississippi, Sen. Lott will step down himself."
This guy just continues to put his foot in his mouth. Why did he even get on this show? Ed Gordon ate him up and dumped him out. He looks pretty ridiculous now.
They are going to air that broadcast from now till eternity.