Bryan of Arguing with Signposts has thrown down the gauntlet, so to speak, over the death of Strom and his legacy. I must say that part of the reason I haven’t blogged on Strom is that, in many ways, I find him rather boring, and therefore didn’t have a whole lot to say about him. Professionally he was rather uninteresting, and personally he was something of an embarrassment (as I am both a conservative and a southerner-let’s just say that he isn’t my idea of the poster child of the Republican Party).
He will be most known for running as a segregationist against Truman, for filibustering the Civil Right Act (and having to pee in a bucket with one foot on the Senate floor), and for switching to the Republican Party (which Brett Marston would likely show as Exhibit A for his arguments regarding the Southern Strategy). He will also be known for being in the Senate a loooong time, and for being a true political animal—i.e., adapting to political reality in his state, and for bringing home the bacon. He certainly was able to maintain his popularity at home. Legislatively, there will be no legacy, as there isn’t one to leave.
Let’s put it this way: there are two significant things that Thurmond did recently: he turned 100, which is an impressive feat, but was a feat of biology, not skill; he managed to cause Trent Lott to lose his job, although in a highly indirect fashion. Neither of those things is an example of political brilliance.
I will say this, he was always good for a joke in class, usually along the lines of some reference as being the only member of the Senate to have served since the War of 1812, or somesuch.
Posted by Steven Taylor at June 28, 2024 10:13 PM | TrackBackYeah, I've been in an area of cognitive dissonance over this issue. I live in SC, so I've seen all the trappings of a funeral for a head of state. But I'm also from Texas, so I have no personal feelings for the man.
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. :-)
Posted by: bryan at June 28, 2024 10:42 PMI doubt people will do this much soul-searching when Robert Byrd dies. At least you can say about Strom that he was upfront about his racism.
Posted by: Nick at June 28, 2024 11:38 PMYou read my mind, Steven, to an extent. I also agree with you on how interesting he is. Strange to think that Thurmond was as old as George Orwell would be this year. More interesting to write about Orwell, too. . .
Posted by: Brett at June 28, 2024 11:45 PMNick, I think Strom was up front about his racism simply because the media always decided that the "story of Strom" *was* his racism, whereas the "story of Robert Byrd" is about a pork barreler who loves to wax historical in his long-winded speeches.
Posted by: Matthew at June 29, 2024 01:49 AMI do agree that Byrd gets, and will get in death, a larger pass on the racism issue.
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.
Posted by: Steven at June 29, 2024 10:22 AMStrom's legacy will be tied to that of Bill Frist as Senate Majority Leader, because if he (Strom) had not lived to be 100 Trent Lott would still hold that office. I don't have a good enough handle on the difference that would have made to speculate cogently about it, but superficially at least they look like two peas in a pod. Neither one had the cojones to push through a purely partisan bill when they held the majority, and I doubt Lott would have handled the confirmation SNAFU any better than Frist has. The outcome of the SCOTUS nominations will be the true Thurmond 'legacy'.
Posted by: Wylie at June 30, 2024 08:52 AMWhile some of you may find his career boring, the way he ran his office and how that resulted in his unprecedented political longevity, serves as a model for every Senator that holds office today.
Posted by: Dan Falcon at July 1, 2024 02:40 PMDan,
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.
Posted by: Steven at July 1, 2024 02:47 PM