Continuing a pattern of dubious defenses, MSNBC's Carlson declared: "I've never seen any evidence that Trent Lott is a racist"
On the November 15 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson claimed he had "never seen any evidence that [Sen.] Trent Lott [R-MS] is a racist" and did not mention Lott's history of public statements and actions that have been attacked as racially insensitive and, in several cases, as indicating support for racist entities. Carlson also opined that if one were to consider Lott a "racist," "you could say the same about every man over 60 ... south of the Mason-Dixon Line." Carlson's comments came during a discussion with radio talk-show host Michael Graham about Lott's recent election as Senate minority whip in the 110th Congress.
Carlson's defense of Lott recalls his dubious defenses of others, examples of which Media Matters for America has also noted:
- On the November 14 edition of Tucker, Carlson appeared to defend drunken driving, despite claiming otherwise, by downplaying President Bush's 1976 drunken-driving arrest. Carlson asserted: "[H]is blood alcohol level -- I'm not defending drunk driving, of course -- but, you know, it's not like he was wasted. He -- he wasn't at all. It was like three beers or something."
- On the October 23 edition of Tucker, Carlson repeatedly attempted to justify the Pentagon's decision, in Carlson's words, to "lie" to the family of former pro football player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman about how Tillman died. Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, but the Defense Department strongly suggested that Tillman had been killed by enemy fire, stating only that he died in combat "when his patrol vehicle came under attack." Carlson said that he "understand[s]" "the lie," because "[t]elling the truth actually is difficult. Look, let me speak on behalf of anyone who has ever told a lie. Telling the truth is really hard."
- On the September 18 edition of Tucker, Carlson appeared to defend Sen. George F. Allen (R-VA) over the "macaca" flap by attacking S.R. Sidarth, a volunteer with the campaign of Sen.-elect James Webb (D-VA), as a "whiny little kid." On August 11, Allen was caught on tape addressing Sidarth as "Macaca" and saying to him: "Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia." Macaca is a genus of monkey and is also reportedly a slur used in Europe and North Africa against people of African descent. Sidarth is of Indian descent, but he was reportedly born and raised in Virginia.
- On the September 1 edition of Tucker, Carlson defended Sen. Conrad Burns's (R-MT) statement that terrorists are a "faceless enemy" who "drive taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night," claiming that "there's probably some truth in" Burns's remarks. Carlson asserted Burns was talking about "cab drivers who are sympathetic to terror," "terrorists," and "not ... all taxi drivers." Carlson added: "I think it's funny. He didn't offend me."
From the November 15 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:
CARLSON: Well, wait, wait, wait. But back to what you said. Trent Lott -- I mean, I've never seen any evidence that Trent Lott is a racist. And what has Trent Lott done --
GRAHAM: Oh, absolutely. I mean, first of all -- wait, wait, wait.
Trent Lott ran and worked on campaigns in the 1960s for openly avowed racists. Not a surprise in America in the 1960s, particularly.
CARLSON: In when? In when?
GRAHAM: In the 1960s. Now, I agree with you. But this is what Trent Lott never did.
CARLSON: Forty-two years ago. OK.
GRAHAM: He never said, "I was wrong." He never said, "You know what? The attitudes I grew up with were the wrong attitudes," which is why he had no defense when he said of [late Sen.] Strom Thurmond [SC] that America would have been better off if this unreconstructed segregationist had been president.
CARLSON: Jeez, I don't know. I mean, you could say the same about every man over 60 in -- you know, south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
all lott did was try to make an old man feel good at his going away party and the dems had to jump on it and turn it into a political football. they LOVE playing the "GOTCHA!!!!, youre a racist!" game but when people on their side say things like biden said about going into a 7-11 and not seeing indian people. hypocrisy!
ps - bush will still get another pro-life judge in, despite schumer's threats. he'll just pick one who doesnt have a history, like myers.
I will give you that Lott may not be a racist, in turn that you agree that you are a racist? Your insensitive statements have made me feel that you are. Will you confirm?
i didnt say anything racist actually, im more of an elitist. i dont like trash of any color. they dont know how to drive, they buy too much booze and they litter.
Of the white racist type, like Lott
has no idea that he or she is a racist. Thinking--what an awesome concept!
all elitist are jerks, besides I thought cons didn't like elitists.
Someone must think you are, since your posts in the other Trent Lott thread have been deleted.
>>"they dont know how to drive, they buy too much booze and they litter."<<
Enough about Republicans already.
You like to make excuses for these guys. That's apparent. Tucker is playing dumb. Everyone (who is a thinker on some level) knows what Lott meant...why he said it...and who he was appealing to. I suppose it boils down to who you consider your allies.
He seems to be completely divorced from reality. Why let facts get in the way of a witty bon mot!
How many Indians got dragged out of the 7-11 and lynched? Your comparing racism the South to a dumb quip is the best evidence yet of your cluelessness.
Lott said this country wouldnt have had all these problems if the Segragationist Dixicrat Strom had won the presidency. Outright racism only your own ideological blindness can allow you to deny it.
As an African American, Lott's comments WERE racist. If Thurmmond had been elected I shudder to think were I would be. Thurmmond wanted all races to be separate execpt for, the woman he got pregnant and the child she had but he did not want to acknowledge until he was DEAD. I'll give Lott a little room for not seeing how his response would be received but I will not give him any room for not issuing an apology until the heat became to much. This is not a democratic issue, it's 2006 and SOMETHING has to change. Lott should have asked, as we all should, how would I feel if they we talking about me?
Don't forget that it was the republicans who forced him out of his leadership position, not the democrats. Ah, you love to trot out revisionist history don't you? Aside from that, his comments were just poorly thought out for certain. Do I think Lott is a racist? Probably not anymore, but he probably still has some of that good old boy blood rolling around in his veins no doubt. Sure he could have changed his mind over the years, but I'm sure he still harbors a lot of those racists sentiments.
ALWAYS a racist.
Does that mean that no one has revelations, world view changes? .. Does that mean the phrase "to grow as a person" means nothing really?
Quit with the partisan B.S. , absolutes never are.. That said, if Mr. Lott has had a change of heart, he should have redressed his earlier actions publicly.
That Lott was being nice to was an unrepentant hate monger who spent his career standing in the way of progess towards racial equality.
>>"all lott did was try to make an old man feel good"<<
A black-face mammie minstrel show would've made 'em feel real good, too, if only those darn Democrats wouldn't have turned it into "a political football".
"I mean, you could say the same about every man over 60 in -- you know, south of the Mason-Dixon Line."
The first time I ever used the N-word (after hearing it my friends say it) my dad whipped my butt. This was ~1975 in Oklahoma. Tucker can take his excuses for racism down South and see how well things turn out for him.
My dad was raised in West Virginia, went to war at 15 (lied about his age, and, since he was LARGE, no further questions asked. Didn't use the word, even though there was a small Negro population in the nearest town; when we heard the word at school (from a "teacher" complaining about some new students) and asked what it meant (it wasn't in the small dictionary we had), he told us that it was a "swear word", that we didn't use it, and that we should stay away from people who did.
Don't know how he got so smart, when his 13 brothers and sisters stayed in the hills, and used that word until they died.
My mother and father came North when Black Lung (silicosis) drove him out of the mines, and that stricture stood me and my siblings in good stead in our new, more urban, surroundings. Anyway, there is one set of exceptions to the "over 60" rule.
I've never seen any evidence that Tucker Carlson is a journalist.
My father would also have been an exception to Tucker's incredibly ignorant generalization of older Southern men. Tucker proves, yet again, that he is an idiot. In case any doubt remained.
As for whether Lott is actually a racist, or just kisses racist ass to keep his office, why does it matter? Would it somehow make him less morally offensive to be a lying, pandering non-racist than an honest racist?
I've always thought that apologizing for Southern politicians who pander to racists by saying "they don't really mean it" actually made them seem like worse human beings.
You're an IDIOT, Carlson.
cannot possibly be this stupid. He has to know what he is saying is garbage. The man has no business being on television.
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
Hello all,
Here's some eye opening background information behind many recent watershed events (Macaca, Foley, Ted Haggart, David Kuo, the US election, Hurricane Katrina, etc., etc.) that will prove very enlightening on many levels. Many of the events and situations of recent years were not mere coincidences and I have meticulously produced stunning and comprehensive proof of this, and much else. Resist the urge to dismiss the things I discuss before you review the evidence; be patient and strive to understand what I am presenting. Ask yourself; how many unlikely coincidences are necessary before you recognize a pattern in the noise? Remember, "scoffing in the face of profundity causes blindness..."
I want you all to pay very close attention to the fact that my birthday was August 11th, the day of Mr. Allen's "Macaca" gaffe. His defeat during month 11, along with many of his ilk, was an apt belated birthday present for me. Also notice that my last name is Page, matching the so-called "page" scandal associated with Mr. Foley. Furthermore, I have been writing and exposing religious deception and hypocrisy and Ted Haggart's downfall and David Kuo's book, along with a string of other events, served to prove my earlier assertions in stunning fashion. Inspect my photo in my Free Ebook... to see the hat I'm wearing and you'll better appreciate the full scope and import of these recent events. It is from the Troopers (11) Drum and Bugle Corp. of Casper Wyoming, who marched during the Bush-Cheney 2001 inauguration parade. Pay special attention to how the number 11 marks key events during the Bush-Cheney administration. For example, notice that Dick Cheney's hunting accident occurred on February 11th, which was the 6-month mark between August 11, 2005 and 2006 and he is from Casper, Wyoming. Likewise, notice that Hurricane Katrina was named storm number 11, came ashore on August 29, and 2+9=11. This is merely the tip of the iceberg, so be prepared to be shocked and amazed.
Read More... Here is Wisdom !!
Peace...