Perhaps. But from an objective standpoint he hardly ranks as one of the greatest Senators of all time, if one measures that in terms of influence over legislation, or philosophical influence.
]]>]]>Patterson is a black Democrat from Richland County. Thurmond ran for president in 1948 as a segregationist, and the U.S. Senate counted him as one of its most conservative Republicans.
Why would Patterson agree to eulogize the man?
I will say, to be fair, that Byrd has been a far greater force legislatively, and in terms of his influence over the years on the rules and procedures of the Senate than Thurmond ever was.
]]>“I believe in spiritual and political redemption. I don’t think anyone can excuse some of hi…]]>
The Greenville News and the State newspapers have numerous personal recollections from local people (proving that all politics is local), but I also see the venom (if that’s the word) that’s been spilled elsewhere.
It reminds me a lot of a longtime politico from my neck of the woods, Congressman Jack Brooks, D-Beaumont, who served a really looong time in the house. He wasn’t the highest rated congressman around, but he “brought home the bacon,” as you say. And so he kept getting elected until they redrew his district to include a conservative part of Harris County.
My favorite image of Brooks is him on the panel during Iran-Contra, stogie in hand (IIRC) telling Ollie North, “You say you cain’t remembuh, but you can remembuh whachu wanna remembuh.” Being a fellow southerner, I’m sure you’ll appreciate the phonetic spelling.