The American Spectator : Barack Bilbo

Text Size

Barack Bilbo

By Jeffrey Lord on 6.28.12 @ 6:09AM

Race is the base, the rich are the hitch: Obama and the Party of the Klan go Latino.

(Page 2 of 4)

Theodore Bilbo was a progressive Democrat, a lawyer and educator. He served successively as a state senator, lieutenant governor, governor (twice) and finally United States Senator from Mississippi (1935-1947). Like Barack Obama’s belief in the use of taxpayer money to prime the economy, Bilbo as governor won his nickname of “Bilbo the Builder” for what was in effect a state “stimulus” program. Tax dollars were poured into a state highway program, a lime crushing plant, a tuberculosis hospital, an “Old Soldiers” home and more.

As a U.S. senator Bilbo was not only an enthusiastic supporter of FDR’s New Deal. Like Obama, Bilbo was a master at playing the class warfare game, wasting no time in making himself the scourge of the wealthy. Where Obama whips up a frenzy today opposing “tax cuts for the rich” and “millionaires and billionaires” who aren’t paying their “fair share,” Bilbo would take to the Senate floor to rail against “poor-folks haters” “rich enemies of our public schools” “unemployment makers” and “private bankers ‘who ought to come out in the open and let folks see what they’re doing.”

But there was a catch to all of Bilbo’s spending and class warfare politics. Not coincidentally, it was exactly the same catch evident with Barack Obama and his modern-day allies in the media and politics. Class warfare alone wasn’t going to get Bilbo elected. Combined with the race card, however, Bilbo was unbeatable. Without identity politics and the seething resentments they cultivate, neither man would have had a political career of any success.

Challenging an incumbent governor in 1927, Bilbo scorched his opponent for calling out the National Guard to prevent a lynching. Why? Because in his quest for white votes Bilbo proclaimed no black person was worthy of being protected by the (all white) National Guard. The voters of Mississippi agreed — and Bilbo was once again back in the governor’s mansion.

A proud member of the Ku Klux Klan (like fellow progressive Democrat Senator Hugo Black from Alabama — whom FDR appointed to the Supreme Court), Bilbo was a master at polishing the messages of class warfare and race into a seamless sparkling jewel of rhetoric and policy that made the two indistinguishable one from another. Remembering always that race is the base, the rich are the hitch.

Why bother with retrieving the long-gone ghost of Bilbo the Builder, who died in 1947?

Because while Bilbo was symbolic of the approach, he was far from alone in using it. The Left’s tried-and-true political formula of identity politics has been captured repeatedly on video, not to mention in print. It is alive and well in the Obama administration, where the message of class warfare and racial politics is being used as a hammer not only by the administration but, as mentioned, by its media and political allies as well.

Make no mistake, all of this furor over immigration is, in the hands of the Left, 100% all about race. So too is the response from Attorney General Eric Holder’s supporters to his imminent contempt citation all about race.

Take a look at these two videos. One is from the other week — in 2012. One is from 49 years ago, in 1963.

First is this one, which shows President Obama in the White House Rose Garden announcing he is issuing an executive order that allows millions of illegal immigrants — read: Hispanics — to remain in this country regardless of their illegal status.

The second? This is a clip of a more modern Theodore Bilbo (and one for whom video is available). That would be Alabama Governor George Wallace, a Democrat, giving his inaugural address on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in which, just as President Obama was doing in the Rose Garden, Wallace makes a defiant stand in favor of racial politics. After running a winning campaign for governor built around a Bilbo-style appeal to the little guy, pledges to spend money on building schools — and making sure, in Wallace’s own words, that he was never “out-segged” — meaning losing because he wasn’t sufficiently appealing to the white segregationist vote.

In other words, the first clip with Obama is all about a smooth racial pitch to Latinos.

The second, from Wallace, a bit more unsophisticated if still exactly on target, is all about a racial pitch to whites.

You might call the first video the Party of the Klan goes Latino. Which is to say there is zero difference in the Left when it comes to the politics of race. As a matter of fact, to illustrate the point more vividly, here are some of Theodore Bilbo’s progressive peers making their racial statement in the Washington, DC of 1928. And here are progressive Latinos in Arizona reacting to Governor Jan Brewer’s signing of the immigration bill that was the subject of this week’s Supreme Court ruling. Like those white progressive Klan members in 1928, these progressive Latinos were making their statement on race.

Not to be left out, of course, is Al Sharpton.

Page: < 12 3 4 >

About the Author

Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (49) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Von Mises Jr| 6.28.12 @ 7:15AM

From an economic perspective, Von Mises discusses the same social phenomenon as Tocqueville describes regarding the end of serfdom due to the Industrial Revolution starting about 1750. The newly created Bourgeoisie wealth based on merit was targeted by the Ancien Regime to be destroyed based on a desire to re-establish the caste system.
In "The Origins of Totalitarianism," Hannah Arendt traces racism back to the defeat of the Prussian Army by Napoleon about fifty years later. It was a by-product of the Imperialism that swept Europe manifesting itself in Napoleon's aggression, colonization of Africa and the eventual rise of Hitler.
The class warfare of the Ancien Regime and their intellectuals (Enlightenment Philosophers) resulted in civil war and revolutions in France. The racial warfare of Hitler manifested itself in two World Wars of aggression and the ethnic cleansing of 6 million Jews and 8 million Catholics.
But both strategies are the same in that they divide and destroy nations. So our Dear leader takes no chances. He implements the tactic of class warfare as did Robespierre while at the same time stokes the racial tension of Hitler.
Four more years and he could win the "Exacta."
Someone should explain to Dear Leader that neither situation worked out well for Max or the Nazis.

Mimi | 6.28.12 @ 8:17AM

Bravo...I always learn something from your posts
Von Mises Jr.
The biggest , most important answer to the problem of RACE -BAITING...was Martin luther King....."JUDGE MEN BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN"
It now is the most worrisome to examine the Dear Leader's character faults. We have so many black leaders who would be great Presidents, look around. This is " NO racist country! The LIBS know it too! ....(2008)!
I have posted my view , many times that is dying on the vine, and maybe dead, and real people living in the REAL world see it every day.

Von Mises Jr| 6.28.12 @ 8:33AM

Hi Mimi. Good to hear from you.
The one thing Obamanomics provided for me is time to read. The best thing we can do is continue to educate ourselves until Dear leader is gone and jobs return.
I have read some thirty books or so by Sowell, Walter E. Williams and Justice Thomas' book "My Grandfather's Son." All great men.
I had the thrill to meet Col/Congressman West in DC during the ObamaCare Supreme Court arguments. If he were only our President, the nation would be honorable and thriving.

MLK must be spinning in his grave. Obama and Holder have heaped disgrace on his great work. G0d rest his soul and hopefully his message will be revived.

Brooksifier | 6.28.12 @ 1:20PM

"This is NO racist country!"

Correct, but what I'm worried about is foreign policy (which includes Mexico), and how the Rove-Cheney administration botched it.

Domestic politics are bead and circuses.

Brooksifier | 6.28.12 @ 1:22PM

that is,
BREAD and circuses- beads are for Indians.. er I mean Native Americans.
Whew, you've got to be so careful...

Joellen| 6.28.12 @ 2:17PM

"This is NO racist country"! Well, actually, yes it is; but it is not who the lib/progressive/commies claim it is. It's the Sharptons, Jacksons, Obamas, Holders, Clintons, Pelosi's, (all Democrats in general); CNN's, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, anything NY (Times, Yorker, etc.); ACLU; Unions and every commie/progressive group I've accidently omitted.

Mimi | 6.28.12 @ 6:35PM

Joellen..Right on...Why? keeps 'um in POWER !
They sure do stir the RACIST pot!

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 9:14AM

What amazes me is now many people continue buying into Obama's crap. The best explanation I can come up with is, as long as he promises free lunches, they'll rationalize this bastard or any other bastard the Left puts up.

This many people can't really understand the implications of socialism or fascism, so it has to be the entitlement bandwagon. They never get past the promises and the MSM does its best to cover up the underlying politics. Bless their little hearts...

Fast and Curious| 6.28.12 @ 10:48AM

Obamacare passes, Roberts turned. Time to get on Mitt's website and make this a record campaign donation day.

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 12:12PM

As Chris Wallace said, the court gave Obama a legal victory but it also gave Romney a political issue. I agree. This will activate the base as no other issue could. Money will pour into Romney's campaign. $300k already this morning.

As I think about this, I wonder if Roberts put the country first, held his nose and crossed over. This could help Romney in November as much as Oprah helped Obama in '08.

Drunken Sailor| 6.28.12 @ 12:59PM

That thought crossed my mind too. Not it has also been labeled a tax. Obama can't spin the It's not a tax jargon anymore

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 3:06PM

Obama backed way off claiming it was a tax. Roberts did that on his own and it's blatantly wrong. It could be Roberts took one for the team, as Obama's people were all geared up to use a court defeat to raise lots of money. They can't do that now, but Romney can. What frightens me also is Congressional Republicans. They are generally hopeless. Maybe the thought of pitchforks will help them understand the situation.

Drunken Sailor| 6.28.12 @ 3:36PM

Maybe, But remember Obama pledged not to raise taxes one single dime on the middle class. Call this montrosity a tax, just did that. Let's see the last president that I can recall that claimed now new taxes, and then raised them was George H. Bush. How did his re-election turn out?

DRed| 6.28.12 @ 1:44PM

Where'd you get the idea that the holocaust resulted in the ethnic cleansing of 8 million Catholics?

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 8:36AM

Bilbo?

I was thinking - Hitler.

Everything This One does? That One did.

He divides us like Hitler divided his people. The Aryans vs. the Jews, the Gypsies, and whomever else he could use to Shore Up his Base.

Mein Kamf. - Dreams from my Father. The Audacity of Hope.

The Brown Shirts - ACORN and The Public and Private Unions Unions.

The Big Queer Ernst Rolf, who was in charge of The Brown Shirts. - That other Big Queer Richard Trumpka.

Kristallnacht. - Occupy.

Rudolph Hess - David Axlerod.

Joseph Goerbels - Jay Carney.

Joseph Mengele - Kathleen Sebilious.

The Jews - The 1%. Corporations. Big Business owners. Small Business owners. Bankers. Hedge Fund Managers. Anyone who gets up in the morning, goes to work, puts in all of the effort, makes a Success of himself, and can provide his Family with Nice Things, that he has EARNED.

The Whites are the Jews.

And, of course, the Jews are the Jews.

SIEG HEIL!

Now, go take a Shower.

Louis Jenkins| 6.28.12 @ 9:00AM

Yes, the whites are the jews, and we're quietly marching towards our appointment with the showers. Amazing how an entire generation did this without raising a finger. Rousted out of their residence, herded into cattlecars, and out, and last divided up, stripped naked, and walked to the showers. Maybe those jews were still in "shock" in that this really "can't be happening to me."

Well, guess what American middle class? It's happening to you. Slowly, but assuredly, like a giant python, Obama has placed his coils around our necks, and ever so gently is squeezing. Soon, very soon, we will be unable to get out of his deadly grip.

Even if you die, it is better to fight back with what you have, even your bare hands.

Anthony| 6.28.12 @ 9:24AM

Hmmm, And here I thought Bilbo's ring had been destroyed. How did the evil Obozo manage to grab it and return back to Modour?
Perhaps one of the Orks that post here will tell us.
The battle of good vs. evil continues.

C. Vernon Crisler | 6.28.12 @ 10:18AM

Some housekeeping: It's Mordor (developed out of the word murder). And it's Orcs, not Orks.

Anthony| 6.28.12 @ 11:49AM

Thanks C. It came off the top of my head, I should have checked first. But the battle of good vs. evil has just ratcheted up, regardless how one spells it.

Occam's Tool| 6.28.12 @ 10:33AM

Incidentally, both Bilbo and Obama hated Jews, and both Bilbo and Obama were Dems, so no doubt both Bilbo and Obama got Jewsish votes (not many Jews in Mississippi, but still).

Wow.

RCV| 6.28.12 @ 11:05AM

Occam, the charge that Obama "hates Jews" is pure bulls**t and you know it. Most Jewish voters, being intelligent as they are, recognize that, and I know you do as well, despite your love of hyperbole.

Jack London| 6.28.12 @ 11:23AM

It's not worth replying to Occam when he posts crazy stuff - shame as he is capable of following a rational discussion, unlike most of the wingnuts here, some of whom are openly racist.

Fast and Curious| 6.28.12 @ 11:42AM

Ok, how about Farrakan, Sharpton, Rev. Jeramiah, and Obama's other buddies??? Have they ever uttered a bad word about the Jews? (hymie town)

Would our president sit down with these folks and argue, or would he agree (behind closed doors)?

We can all have our own opinion of that. I know I have mine.

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 4:32PM

Actually, if you don't mind dealing with FACTS.

The Jews are deserting him, like the Plague.

But, you already knew that, didn't you, Ccksckr?

RCV| 6.28.12 @ 6:00PM

We shall see how the Jewish vote breaks down in November, TLP.

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 7:38PM

You're so Fcking stupid.

READ THE PAPERS.

RCV| 6.29.12 @ 10:54AM

I don't read "Stormfront" TLP.

Jack London| 6.28.12 @ 11:16AM

Jeffrey - seriously you need treatment. I think there are early signs of dementia here.

And maybe the Obamacare ruling today will tip you over the edge.

RCV| 6.28.12 @ 11:52AM

Maybe it will allow him to get the help he clearly needs. There is no one on TAS's writing staff who posts sillier, more sophomoric rantings. It's truly hard to believe this guy has a position in any administration.

DRed| 6.28.12 @ 1:33PM

Jeff is good at what he does. I have my doubts as to how much he believes what he writes, but that's another issue. Most of the readers here seem to believe his nonsense. Read the comments to any of his articles.

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 3:09PM

Most of the viewers of CNN and MSNBC believe their nonsense. So what?

DRed| 6.28.12 @ 5:08PM

CNN has viewers?

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 5:45PM

Good point.

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 4:38PM

Wow.

Three of the four Stupidest Commentors on the site, right in a row.

All of Barry's Lemmings, one after another.

Dumb.

Dumber.

And Shithead.

What an Honour.

RCV| 6.28.12 @ 6:02PM

Coming from you, your comments are an honor.

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 7:39PM

I'm sure it is.

You deserve it.

What a mook.

Tom Kyba| 6.28.12 @ 12:28PM

RCV and JACKLONDON(love that pretentious name), do you little mosquitos actually think people here are cowed as you fondle yourselves to ecstasy? Tiny little boys like you who prop themselves up by treating anyone else's rant as mental illness is so old it's like dust in the wind. No one is impressed, no one is thinking hmm...maybe that guy has a point. You never have a point. There are herds of cattle all over the world mindlessly chewing their cud, who are forming more intelligent thoughts than you kids. Since you are undoubtedly liberals judging by your juvenile put-downs, you can have your administration of race and class baiting stooges. The fact that you hate Republicans says nothing. The fact that you, by inference, defend the most crooked administration in western political history says everything. At the end of the day, of every day, you have to lie to yourself repeatedly to maintain your fantasy lives. The rest of us do not. Good luck with the lobotomies.

Fast and Curious| 6.28.12 @ 1:56PM

Well said Tom. I like the cattle analogy.

Who Knows?| 6.28.12 @ 12:44PM

We all know a fool when we see one, but never when we are one.

Another truism with which to filter WHATEVER you read, and especially the latest news of what humans chose to do.

In 1964, as a well-brainwashed liberal---a fool---I chose to see and hear George Wallace when he campaigned for president at the U of Oregon. Why, I was an ADULT—all of 21!

Much to my surprise, he sounded very good to me. But of course, he didn’t get into “segregation” or racial topics. Lots of rugged individualism, small government red meat talk impressed me.

But, what about the SCOTUS affirming Obamacare?

That is FABULOUS, my friends!

They demolished the “mandate” idea, and the use of the Commerce Clause, AND what was their reason that Obamacare is constitutional?

Because Congress can TAX you!

If ever there was a political Pyrrhic, this is it.

I think Roberts may have been seen the “big Picture”.

Obama and company are NAILED as TAX and SPENDERS!

Who Knows?| 6.28.12 @ 2:00PM

My bad.

They didn’t demolish the mandate, but justified it on the basis that it is a TAX.

I still think this is great news.

The coming election needs most vitally clarity in the minds of all voters. By affirming Obamacare on the basis that Congress can tax YOU, and that’s the reason the mandate is legal---well, as this decision permeates into the consciousness of voters, with the mandate already much hated, and with adding MORE taxes also in great disfavor, after Romney and other Republicans hammer home these facts, independent voters aka fence sitters should be shocked out of their ignorance.

Obama wants YOU, sucker!

Welcome more abhorrence of all things to do with Obama.

Gary B| 6.28.12 @ 3:13PM

There very well may have been a method to Robert's madness. If he hates Obama, he couldn't have hurt him more that this. Obama's people are dancing in the streets. Romney's people are reaching for their wallets. The biggest threat to American isn't Obamacare; it's an Obama second term.

TLP| 6.28.12 @ 4:43PM

Think about your first line, the next time you're looking in the Mirror.

Yes, Congress can Tax you,

But this Legislation originated in the SENATE, through the Reconcilliation Process.

And the Constitution clearly states that "All Taxation must originate in The House".

So, we shall see.

Who Knows?| 6.28.12 @ 7:27PM

You too.

You are beyond beyond insane.

RCV| 6.28.12 @ 8:27PM

I guess the Attorneys General of the states challenging the act, and the nine members of the Supreme Court, were all too stupid to notice what that perceptive legal analyst TLP has noticed.

Arctotarveler | 6.28.12 @ 10:09PM

Covert Crimes Against The People Let's Bring This Rodeo Circus Back to Texas http://educationbalancedhealth.....ngeis.html

Michael| 6.29.12 @ 6:54PM

RDed: Hitler hated Catholics right after Jews, he and the Nazis killed about 3 million of them. Mr. Lord: Governor Wallace will not like Bilbo. He was not a Klan member, in fact he was opposed by the Klan when he first ran for governor. Second, he changed he views on race and was the only major segregationist to do so.

RCV| 6.30.12 @ 12:27PM

And after Wallace lost the first time, he vowed he would never be out-segregationisted again. He then became a virulent race-batter and won the next time.

Beppo| 7.1.12 @ 1:13PM

It seems to have escaped Mr Lord's notice that most of the folks who would have voted for Bilbo are now parked in the GOP. Quite honestly this kind race based rhetoric just provides leftwing commentators with more material to sustain their arguments that racism is widespread in the Republican party. After reading this any reasonable person would be inclined to agree with them.

The American Spectator