President Joe Biden called out Republicans in Congress as “the party of chaos and division” and said they are “worse” than Strom Thurmond, a former South Carolina senator who ran for president as a segregationist in 1948.
“I’ve been a senator since ‘72. I’ve served with real racists. I’ve served with Strom Thurmond. I’ve served with all these guys that have set terrible records on race. But guess what? These guys are worse. These guys do not believe in basic democratic principles,” Biden said at a fundraiser in San Francisco on Wednesday, according to the pool traveling with him. “Time and again Republicans show they are the party of chaos and division.”
Biden’s comments come as Republicans in Congress are holding still a foreign aid package that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. The $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, which was passed by the Senate last week, still faces a showdown in the House as House Speaker Mike Johnson has told his House Republican Conference members that he is not rushing to respond to the bill.
It would be nice if we had more to celebrate than what amounts to sick burns.
Does it help or hurt that Biden also gave a eulogy at Strom Thurmmond’s funeral?
That article makes me like Biden even more. There’s something to be said for someone who can respect all people and maintain his value set over his entire life.
Biden also disclosed his preference for persons over principles. Not that Biden has no principles. But he is loath to let his principles get in the way of personal connections. No amount of historical baggage was going to keep him from forming a bond with a colleague — and in Biden’s telling, Thurmond repaid that bond by standing with Biden through an episode of political peril.
Also on display in the pulpit of First Baptist Church that day was Biden’s view of politics as a two-way street, a marketplace of needs and favors in which participants can all benefit from the free exchange of chits. Except on Election Day, Biden is a “win-win” kind of guy. The “Northeast liberal” fully understood that his eulogy was a Thurmond power play from beyond the grave; the old coot turned to Biden for a fresh coat of paint on the historical record. But Biden benefited, too, from his prominent appearance as a national healer.
Uhhh, no. Segregationists don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt whatsoever. You can’t be a good person and simultaneously fight against people’s basic human rights. Those are two completely contradictory points.
Fuck Strom and fuck Biden.
Strom Thurmond changed his mind about race relations over time. Do you think that would’ve happened if Biden threw up his hands and said “fuck this guy”? He relentlessly went back to Thurmond with unconditional positive regard and advocated for a better world, and that’s how you make a difference, not your black or white dismissive bullshit. What even is your goal if not trying to change minds and build more equitable institutions?
Well I’m glad he changed his mind as soon as he had no power to do anything about it. Meanwhile he spent 24 hours fillibustering in favor of segregation. So yeah: fuck that guy and Biden for acting like he’s done any good. Harmful actions remain even if you change your mind.
My goal is to listen to people and allow them basic human rights. Especially when I have the political power to grant it like Strom once did. It’s not hard at all believe it or not.
Dude, I’m not defending Strom Thurmond in any way. I’m defending Biden treating him with respect. If you had political power, you’d realize building relationships is one of the primary mechanisms through which you get what you believe in accomplished. I bet you dismiss Lyndon Johnson out of hand the same way you do Joe Biden. Smh
You’re damn right Lyndon Johnson can fuck himself. In fact Johnson can fuck himself even harder than Biden by most accounts. Vietnam was an absolute disaster for everyone involved, and that dumb shit is one of the primary reasons the US got involved and massacred a ton of innocent people.
And I don’t care who you’re defending or not. No part of what I believe in involves segregation/constant war crimes whatsoever. And there should be no respect given to anyone espousing or condoning such beliefs. They lost any ounce of respect they might gain as soon as they started their racist dehumanizing bullshit. The world was a better place after Strom died. The world was a better place after Johnson died.
Edit: Not a defense of today’s Republicans, comparative damnation just as Biden did.
Worse than that piece of shit?
- Kept himself awake to subject the Senate to over 24 continuous hours, of non-stop verbal diarrhea. Just to delay (Delay! Not stop) the inevitable passage of the Civil Rights Act. Still the record holder for filibuster
- A ardent segregationist, and a big proponent of the ‘states rights’ argument for permitting segregation.
- At age 22 gets the family’s house servant pregnant - she turns 16 before giving birth to his child. Strom never acknowledged Essie as his own child, but paid for her education and ‘checked in’ periodically.
Oh btw, he was a Senator representing South Carolina from 1954… through until 2003, before dying shortly after resigning.
This sounds just like today’s Republicans. The difference is that current reps don’t have the spine to filibuster for a day, even if it was an option. When currently, I wouldn’t say many are segregationists per se, instead they are just trying to eliminate different demographics all together, and are taking away rights. Lastly, lots of pedophiles in their ranks.
Obviously this turd was no saint, but I don’t think the line between him and today’s fascists is very big.
I went to DC as part of a school trip in 2000 or so. My AP political science teacher was the son of a prominent Chicago politician. So we got some special tours. I remember shooting a couple baskets on the Supreme Court Justices’ private basketball court. And I remember wondering how often any of those old fucks shot hoops in there.
We also got a tour of the senate where we were able to wander around freely on the senate floor. It was pretty damn cool. Strom Thurmond’s seat was in the front, and I stole his pencil. It was a regular #2 pencil, but it said united states senate on it instead of a brand. And it was full of chew marks.
I mean he’s said Strom wasn’t as bad as everyone thought
Yes.
For those that don’t recognize the scene: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-can-excuse-racism-but-i-draw-the-line-at-animal-cruelty
This is the best summary I could come up with:
These guys do not believe in basic democratic principles,” Biden said at a fundraiser in San Francisco on Wednesday, according to the pool traveling with him.
The least popular President to seek re-election is now so desperate and so underwater in the polls he’s playing the race card from the bottom of the deck.”
Biden has faced criticism in the past for his comments about some senators who supported segregation.
He spoke at a tribute for Thurmond’s 90th birthday in 1993 where he praised him by comparing the former South Carolina senator to Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
But the existential threat to humanity is climate,” Biden told those gathered at the fundraiser.
CNN previously reported the president has personally directed his senior campaign aides in recent days to focus more aggressively on Trump’s inflammatory comments.
The original article contains 458 words, the summary contains 133 words. Saved 71%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
As a Democrat since the 60’s (assuming he had opinions before being in office), wouldn’t he have been one of those segregationists? When exactly did the racists all flip over to the Republican party?
Civil Rights Act era. The republicans decided to campaign on racism, called it the southern strategy.
Biden, who was incredibly new in the world of politics in the late 1960’s, worked with under a Republican before being asked by the Republican party to run for them. He turned them down citing Nixon’s views on race and his southern strategy, as Nixon was the person who had Republican party support.
And I should know a thing or two about former segregationist senators, being one myself
That’s it, keep overusing the term and inflating the meaning, maybe call him a fascist too. Keep slandering people not pure enough. Let the hate flow through you.
So people who supported segregation aren’t segregationists?
supported, past tense. the man has changed and grown.
former segregationist senators
Can you explain, please?
Biden was against busing for school desegregation.
Without that and with the existing racist housing policies, it would have effectively prevented school desegregation.
Strum Thurmmond gave the longest fillibuster, and it was against civil rights.
Biden and Strum were friends, to the point Biden even gave a eulogy at his funeral.
You know that saying about how when you see four guys sitting at a table and one’s wearing a nazi uniform?
Biden was super chummy with those old racists, so for him it was more like he was the only one out of uniform. Seriously, don’t you remember the last primary? He kept talking about how they’re all his friends and get along so well.
He just didn’t know they didn’t give a fuck about him after Obama. They only liked him because sometimes he pulled a Manchin.
I cant imagine being judged for somethi g i did 50 years ago, as the basis for the person I am today.
I really am not a fan of Biden, but come on, bringing up shit that happened half a century ago is really manipulative. It’s as if you’re saying that your actions as a 30 year old are representative of the person you are at 85, which simply isn’t true.
He gave the eulogy in 2003.
So 20 years ago.
What did he say in the eulogy that you didn’t like?
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4678933/user-clip-biden-eulogy-strom-thurmond
It’s the act not the words.
Don’t give eulogies for white supremacists, they do not deserve respect.
He had a platform here to speak about racism and people growing and changing positively over time, why would he not speak to this? Have you even listened to it, or are you just riffing off vague conceptualizations?
Strom Thurmond’s views definitely softened over time, and I have no doubt people like Joe Biden contributed to that. What are you doing to change hearts and minds?
>It’s as if you’re saying that your actions as a 30 year old are representative of the person you are at 85, which simply isn’t true.
i’m all about second chances, but maybe we play it safe about letting racists have power
i’m all about second chances, but maybe we play it safe about letting racists have power
We don’t have a choice about that; every viable candidate is a racist.
Racism is not an immutable concept. People are not either “racists” or “not racists”. Racism is a behaviour that people engage in.
Calling people ‘a racist’ implies that that’s all they’ve ever been and that’s all they’ll ever be. It leaves no room for improvement. Don’t call people ‘a racist’, call their behaviour racist.
People can grow and change. I’ve met a good handful of people who were raised in households that engender conservatism, racism and sexism who have been able to deprogram that bullshit and become well-rounded human beings who care about social justice. When they were young, you’d have incorrectly called them ‘a racist’ and may have driven them further down the conservative rabbit hole.
The way we speak to and about one another needs to get better. We need to identify that people are flexible and have capacity for change if we ever want to see that change. People cannot be bullied away from these positions, they need to be guided.
Well, the eulogy was 2003…
And the 2020 primary he wouldn’t shut up about how great friends he is with Republican senators.
It only changed when they gave him the cold shoulder.
I mean, really, do you think Thurmond was better?
As bad as shit is now, it was much worse for minorities back in the 50s/60s. And while Biden didn’t get to the Senate till the 70s, he made quick friends with the older Republicans that had been in power then.
You can’t play the “people change” card decades before they changed.
I am friends with a bunch of people that I don’t share views with. I have some friends that support trump, does that suddenly mean I support trump? Absolutely no, it doesn’t. I’m just saying, his actions now are what we should judge him on.
As for becoming friends with people in congress, that’s called politics dude. You become friends with the people around you to further your own career. That goes for any career… Am I talking to teenagers here? Sheesh.
In this analogy you’d be friends with trump tho…
Like, do you have any idea what know kind of person Thurmmond was?
What do you know about what Joe Biden actually thought about Strom Thurmond?
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4678933/user-clip-biden-eulogy-strom-thurmond
Nobody is friends with Trump, I’m pretty sure even his own kids pretend to tolerate him.
I mean, really, do you think Thurmond was better?
Better than people who are racist and fascist traitors? Yes, obviously.
Your question is like asking if negative eleventy-billion is a bigger number than negative infinity.
Jesus…
People are really out there running around America thinking Strum Thurmond wouldn’t have overthrown the government if he thought he had half a chance?
You wouldn’t be interested in buy a bridge in Brooklyn would you?
can you get that footage of him bragging about delaware being a slave state?
Biden denounced busing and actively worked against it because it’s “bad for the communities”
Busing as in migrant busing? That’s not segregation in the common meaning.
Race-integration busing. i.e allowing black kids to go to white neighborhood schools.
Oh I’ve never heard of that, will look it up when I’m back home
Oh I’ve never heard of that
Let me guess: you went to school in a conservative area?
No, I’m just not from the city. My county’s voted Democrat in every election since 2000.
With his confusing rhetoric about the border and now that… Is his PR team that desperate to get red votes? He himself don’t usually makes statements like that.
What the fuck are you talking about?
See other comments about the latter. He compares racists he worked with (from the times conservatives adore) to the current gen that doesn’t sound really impressive. The first one is that he promised to limit the stream of immigrants but now it’s unkown how much and on what principles: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-weighs-invoking-executive-authority-stage-border-crackdown-212f/
Biden is saying the Russian backed traitor Republicans in Congress are worse than racists.
He’s yet to say about an obvious russian trace and only soundboarded it via ex-congressman to test the reaction: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pelosi-stark-warning-putin-war-answer/story?id=82850267 Like politicians always do when they have time to prepare.
If you’d like to continue this argument, I’d ask you to address my first comment in a tree.
Have you tried writing coherently?
Point my mistakes out for me to learn. English is not my first language as you can see.
It’s really hard to believe that this is a statement they wanted to put out there.
- Reminds people that he’s really old and has been in government longer than most people have been alive.
- Reminds people he was friends with those real racists.
- Reminds people of his long history and own troubling past with racist politics.
- Compares modern Republicans unfavorably to old racists, but not in that they’re more racist, but that they don’t believe in democracy. Maybe, if forced, people could come to the same conclusion about which of those things is worse, but it’s just not a great look to compare racism as being the not-as-bad thing.
This has to be one of those statements that strikes these egotistical old men and makes them think “I’m brilliant, no need to second guess, just say it” while their aide just looks on horrified.
- A proven track record with the experience needed to lead us on.
- Are you friends with all of your coworkers?
- Reminds people that he is willing to change, adapt, accept new ideas, and acknowledges past ignorance.
- A racist democracy can be corrected so long as we work together. Meanwhile nothing can be done within a state established by those who do not believe in democracy (fascists).
Biden’s a geriatric relic who doesn’t have the good sense to step aside and let the younger vanguard lead the way but fucking anyone can spin what he’s said after the fact in whatever way they want. Doesn’t mean that spin isn’t a wild reach, just like yours.
You’ve completely missed the point. This isn’t a situation where a negative claim is made by an opponent and then you get a chance to respond. The problem is that Joe Biden’s negatives are being injected into people’s minds, not by his enemies, but by Biden himself. You won’t have an opportunity to spin it, and any benefits from calling the Republicans anti-democratic chaos agents is muddied by simultaneously raising the salience of things they should prefer to be forgotten.
And spin can try to blunt damage, but it never completely neutralizes it. You want to be doing damage control as rarely as possible, because every time you’re doing it you’ve lost something.
This kid is 13 years old and wants to criticize Biden no matter what he says. And… He’s the youth vote which Biden really doesn’t have to worry about much. 1 they don’t vote and 2 the ones that do vote Dem.
You people really just don’t get how bad this sort of engagement is for promoting Democratic causes do you? I guarantee you, the people actually working to get Biden elected do not approach politics like this.
Do you not understand that your reading of the message isn’t entirely correct or what a majority of people will think?
Neither is any damaging statement. Trump says dumb shit all the time that his sycophants just ignore, that doesn’t mean you want to be doing damage control for the gettable voters who you’re turning off by reminding them of your weaknesses.
Do you not understand that some voters do hear “I was in the Senate in 1972” and think “man, you’re old”? Or that some people might be uncomfortable about a statement that says “the hardcore racists weren’t as bad as anti-democratic chaos agents”? Or would rather forget that Biden supported some racist stuff in the past? People have lost family members to the crime bill and his anti-bussing stance was the most effective attack on him during the primary. These aren’t made up issues and this Democratic instinct to say “actually there are no negatives, and if something made you feel less good about Biden you’re wrong” isn’t an effective way to influence politics. Spin isn’t a cure-all remedy and carries meaningful risk of sounding insincere or out of touch.
Yep. You definitely think you’re brilliant and don’t need to second guess this
