The American Spectator

Reader Mail

The Gentleman From Oklahoma

12.20.02 @ 12:01AM

NICKLES IS A-OK
Re: John Corry Lott Without the Frenzy and Mary Murray's "Replacements" letter in Reader Mail's Hearing and Listening:

As an Oklahoman and a conservative Republican, I'm baffled by Mary Murray's slap at our senior Senator, Don Nickles, and John Corry's claim that he displays "naked ambition." While it's true that Oklahoma is not as electorally important as Texas or Tennessee -- only 7 electoral votes, which haven't gone to a Democrat since 1964 -- I don't see the connection between presidential electoral calculation and who should lead our party in the Senate. Conviction, character, backbone, and political skill are what is needed.

It's true that Nickles didn't have a long and distinguished pre-Senate career, but that's because he was elected at age 31 in 1980, defeating better-financed candidates in the primary through a strong conservative Christian grass-roots network. Before the Senate he served briefly in the State Senate and ran his family's business. During his 22 years in the Senate, he has consistently worked for the implementation of the conservative agenda. He is not a publicity seeker. He is not afraid to be on the losing end of an 80-20 vote if it's a matter of conscience.

I see nothing ambitious in Don Nickles' call for reconsidering who should be Majority Leader. He's been around the Senate long enough to know that the "Club" won't reward his "treason." His move was a risky one that could even cost him his new role as Budget Committee chairman. Lott's allies (including his toesucking political consultant) will dig up anything they can to trash him for his bravery. Having watched his career for over two decades, I believe Don Nickles spoke as he did because he felt it needed to be done. Forty-nine senators might have been ready to dump Lott, but until someone spoke out, nothing was going to happen. His courage marks him as someone who could be a great Majority Leader, but it's more likely that he merely opened the door for someone else, someone who will cautiously straddle the fence over the next three weeks.

As for Mr. Lott, it's bad enough to have a backbench Republican Senator (Mr. McCain) who got caught, and who is willing to trash the Constitution in order to redeem himself in the eyes of the Left. We don't need a Majority Leader who will use his considerable power for the same selfish ends.
-- Michael Bates
Tulsa, OK

INDIVIDUAL BLESSINGS
Re: Mark Goldblatt's A Wake Up Call:

Sir, that was an excellent article on the futility of Republicans trying to woo black voters. I'd love to interview you my radio program here in Jackson, Mississippi. I am Republican who happens to be black. I have refused to participate in minority outreach for just the same reasons you outlined in your article. If the people don't agree with our party philosophy then we don't need them. If you are available please be in touch. If not, may God continue bless you real good!
-- Kim Wade
News talk 1180 am and 103.9 fm.

CHEERS AND JEERS
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Mean and Ignoble:

R. Emmett Tyrrell calls the Trent Lott affair a "media feeding frenzy" but it's really more accurate to call them a nasty swarm of buzzards or vultures picking a dead carcass clean. No more, no less. When the bones are devoid of meat, the swarm picks up and moves on towards its next victim, and then descends unmercilessly again. The buzzards and their vulture friends pat themselves on the back at cocktail parties and in their news columns for being morally superior to the victim, and for that keen ability to not only pompously call another a "racist", but to know that the accused has been a racist all his life. It's contemptible and deeply disgusting, but that's what passes for a free press these days (excepting a few contributors). That's why this week the buzzards need the reward of Enemy of the Week.
-- John Patterson
Ridgewood, NJ

I remember being disoriented in 1984 after Geraldine Ferraro was nominated and something that seems to have been the opposite side of the media frenzy (described by R. Emmett Tyrrell) was operating. Despite substantial questions concerning her husband's alleged unsavory business connections, the mainstream media appeared to conclude that it would be unseemly to ask the questions, pronouncing an embargo that was honored during the rest of the campaign -- the embargo was effective from her press conference in which she released personal tax returns but not those of her husband's business's. (When a reporter pointed to the lack of full disclosure, another quieted him, saying she had done enough.) Never since have believed naively that the real facts are relevant in politics -- if anyone disagrees ask the Clintons.
-- J. R. Wheatley

As I have contemplated Trent Lott's now-famous nostalgic remarks about the glories of the old segregated South, my thoughts have turned to a number of questions. Question number one is, how could one of our best-known politicians, veteran of decades of negotiating political minefields, say something in public which is so incredibly stupid and so potentially damaging to his career?

Then I remembered something. I thought I had read somewhere that Lott was a cheerleader at Ole Miss. If so, this would explain everything.

I did a little research and it's true, Lott was a cheerleader when he was an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi. The CNN All Politics website adds helpfully that Lott was a "male cheerleader." That's good to know. With all the other accusations about Lott's past, at least we know he wasn't engaged in cross-dressing while he was leading cheers for the fightin' Rebels.

Cheerleading, as we know, is above all a mindless activity. Good cheerleading requires the ability to turn off totally one's inhibitions and capacity for deep thought and submerge yourself completely in the moment. People who pride themselves on keeping their analytical faculties operating at all times don't make good cheerleaders. So here was Lott at the banquet for Strom Thurmond, enthusiastically stepping back into his cheerleader mode and, like a good cheerleader, turning off his brain and his inhibitions. The rest is history.

In all seriousness, Lott has got to go as majority leader, now more than ever. But then I was all for replacing him as Senate Republican leader years ago.
-- John Combellick
Oshkosh, WI

Letter to the Editor

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