Blogcritics Comments on Racist Republican wins in Tennessee

Comment by PoliticsIsChocolate

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 18:09:22 EDT

I AM happy to report that the Tennessee State Republican Party has stricken Hart from running under their endorsement. He is free to run as an Independent again, as he did for some time before he decided to hijack the Republican party last election. He has stated that he will bring suit against the party with his white supremacist attorney but there is no law which can force the State of Tennessee or any party in it to endorse him.

Comment by PoliticsIsChocolate

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 18:02:06 EDT

I know it seems strange to hear how many votes Hart received in 2004 but this begs an explaination. As someone who resides in the district Hart ran and is running in, allow me to say that, to those of us who live here this is an extremely sober and vexing issue. You hear many voices about this 'side show' but not many from this area. We've lived under the fear of knowing it was possible to wake up to find Hart representing our district. The truth is that John Tanner has been our representative for 18 years now and most people say, "He got voted in and we haven't seen or heard from him SINCE." The people of this district are restless for change yet Tanner has been almost unopposed for all this time. When Hart showed up on the ballot and was 'found out' late in the ballgame, responsible people sought to make folks aware of his leanings. MANY who were told of his beliefs were greatly relieved, saying, "I would've voted for ANYONE running against John Tanner! So, I'm glad to know the truth about this Hart guy." In my estimation, and in the estimation of most of the populace of this district, most of the primary votes that he received were because not many knew of the situation or of the last minute write-in who was on the ballot. They were just ready for a change and glad to see a name on the Republican ticket. The district is largely VERY rural and many of us don't even get cable for tv or computer and just don't have all that much information at their disposal. I've talked to many since who say that they were HORRIFIED to find that they voted for such a man and that they certainly would never have voted for him had they known his politics. These same people have some strong feelings about the Republican Party's need to be sure that those who run on their ticket (as this is seen as being endorsed by the party) are filtered more carefully so that voters can better trust that a candidate who is allowed on the Republican ticket more closely represents the values of the Republican voters of this district. The party has heard the complaints of MANY, MANY voters from District 8! AND District 8 feels deeply that Hart should've continued to run as an Independent (as he had for some time) instead of trying to hijack the party in order to gain a broader platform for sounding his ideas. Most here feel somewhat wounded that there are those who do not even live among us yet who wish to give Hart a voice as a Republican candidate or as a candidate at all. The majority I hear talking about this issue are feeling pained that a candidate who does not even live in our district is seeming to encourage Hart's chances of again hijacking his way off the Independent ballot and onto the Republican ballot and flying into the faces of the voters in this area again. Those who live here feel infintely more serious about Hart's 'perpetration' than any of those who are not from here could ever know.

Comment by John Louis

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:15:39 EST

Talking about racist politicians, the lower court White judges are probably the worst. They are more of a bigot than any other government employees. There are judges in suburban and rural areas that treat minorities like crap. Especially, judges in Lebanon.

Comment by Evilwhiteguy

Mon, 9 Aug 2004 03:00:38 EDT

To quote a current, prominent Democrat senator (I belive Tip O'Neil called Senator Byrd "Sheets" as a nickname) "There are white n-----. I've seen a lot of white n----- in my time." Not to mention the fact that he was a former Kleagle in the KKK. Racists aren't attached to one party. Remember the southern Democrats who splintered from the party and formed the Dixiecrats? If it wasn't for Republicans, much of the Civil Rights legislation wouldn't have been passed. In the 26 major civil rights votes after 1933, a majority of Democrats opposed civil rights legislation in over 80 percent of the votes. By contrast, the Republican majority favored civil rights in over 96 percent of the votes. [See http://www.congresslink.org/civil/essay.html and http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1982/3/82.03.04.x.html.] And it is despicable that this guy got as far as he did. But he will no doubt get trounced in the general by the Democrat, as he should. And as for "I though 'Racist Republican' was a little redundant" and MD saying "You rock Red", well, at least you've gone on record with that sad position. And Saxton is right on the money. I doubt that Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice (who have been called "House N-----" by Ted Rall and Harry Belafonte, both Democrats by the way) would appreciate being called racists.

Comment by mike hollihan

Mon, 9 Aug 2004 02:02:21 EDT

LOL, Shark. Yeah, I know. But she impugned the honor of Tennessee and you know how we unreconstructed Neo-Confederates can be about honor. ;-)

Comment by RJ

Mon, 9 Aug 2004 01:15:13 EDT

Lol...

Comment by Shark

Mon, 9 Aug 2004 01:10:07 EDT

Mike writes: "...You have yet to address my points, but keep repeating and throwing irrelevant side-charges and unassociated allegations." Um, and you were expecting...?

Comment by RJ

Mon, 9 Aug 2004 01:00:19 EDT

"Fred Reed is part of the neo-Confederate/'scientist racist' clique that composes much of the staff of the Washington Times and UPI." You can't be serious. You must be delirious. But what else can one expect. From the "kill whitey" sect.

Comment by Mac Diva

Sun, 8 Aug 2004 17:54:25 EDT

Like that ole boll weevil, eh? Fred Reed is part of the neo-Confederate/'scientist racist' clique that composes much of the staff of the Washington Times and UPI. Anyone who knows who Fred Reed is also knows what he is. For people not familiar with Reed and racism, this is as good a place as any to start. Removing someone from one's blogroll is easy. One just goes into the list, and deletes the link. Conservatives on my blogroll who had Reed on theirs have done just that. People who have Fred Reed on their blogrolls want him there.

Comment by mike hollihan

Sun, 8 Aug 2004 11:32:39 EDT

None of which has anything to do with James Hart's presence on the Republican ballot in the 8th D. in TN. Unless you can demonstrate more than "well, he's like that" and "well, they're like that" so, it must be that they're altogether here. Fred Reed is not "featured" on my blog. He is a member of the Axis of Weevil, as am I. I have no control over the membership. Nor, in fact, do I even know who this guy is. I have not looked at every blog. But in the world of MD, such a tenuous, vaporous co-existence is "proof." Doesn't that matter than she has no idea of who I really am or what my life has been like, though. One name on a list of hundreds is "proof." I hesitated posting anything on this thread, but I wanted to correct the smear you were posting. You are one of those folks who doesn't understand the difference between challenging and tiresome. Nor, I fear, can you grasp that difference. You have yet to address my points, but keep repeating and throwing irrelevant side-charges and unassociated allegations. It takes two to make an argument. It takes two reasonable people to make an honest debate. You have shown you are not reasonable. I take my leave of you now.

Comment by Mac Diva

Sun, 8 Aug 2004 02:07:17 EDT

Facts abound in what I've said: *There is a successful neo-Confederate movement that has considerable support in some Southern states, including Georgia and Tennessee. *It fields candidates for local, state and federal offices. (Its most prominent spokesman, Trent Lott, encountered some difficulties for being too explicit about where he was coming from in 2002-03.) Hart is the kind of candidate it fields or supports. *This is part of the Southern Strategy described by political scientists and other knowledgeable observers for the last 25-30 years. The objective of the Southern Strategy is to attract white voters to the Republican Party by appealing to their racism. The books cited after this entry are excellent introductions to scholarship about the racism based Southern Strategy. I don't want to give the impression that only old-fashioned racists support people like Hart. 'Scientific racists' such as Fred Reed, who is featured on Mike Hollihan's blogroll, also spread racist propaganda and support racist politicians. Since the two racist movements have the same goals, they often merge together. M.H., I think you'd better let it go. It looks like another Diva TKO.

Comment by mike hollihan

Sun, 8 Aug 2004 00:36:27 EDT

Mac Diva loves to sling a lot of different stuff, figuring folks can't possibly keep up, allowing her to claim victory through "unanswered" charges. Feh. I am only concerned with your co-optation and misportrayal of James Hart. To characterise his gaining the nomination in the 8th D. as a "success" is to willfully misunderstand the situation. Hart didn't have to earn a single vote; he was assured a win. The other unopposed or unbeatable candidates in the other Congressional races (there were six) earned between 24,000 and 34,000 votes. Hart got 7800 and there is strong evidence (based on conversations with voters by various parties) that a large majority of those votes were simply rote lever pulling for the Republican against the Democratc. The rest of MD's reply is just blather meant to baffle and confuse. Hart simply filed an application that went unexamined (as I learned on the local radio today) and unanswered until it was too late. He did not "succeed," the Tennessee Republican party failed. They failed to do the basic work of having candidates in all races. "Always defend your flank" is a fundamental tactic, which the Republicans didn't do. Had they done that, Hart would be the same non-issue he's always been. They paid the price for their failure. The rest of MD's comments are just a lot of hand-waving and shouting. Bring facts to the table, please, not a lot of half-conceived prejudices and randomly gathered labels. By the way, all the politicians who snubbed the Iraqi delegation in Memphis this week -- every single one -- was an African-American Democrat. Clearly, then, by your logic, the Democratic party is the party of racist profilers. Deal with it.

Comment by RJ

Sat, 7 Aug 2004 22:53:23 EDT

"One of the most common and most well-circulated lies in the blogosphere is 'there are no racists.'" Cite someone, ANYONE, who says this.

Comment by HW Saxton Jr.

Sat, 7 Aug 2004 20:50:50 EDT

RE:"Racist Republicans" So, all of the African-American Republicans are to be considered Racist??? And the Asian and latino Contingent as well? Or does this only apply to the Melanin challenged??? I'm not being a provocateur here but,it is such a broad statement that it really does leave itself open to question.

Comment by Mac Diva

Sat, 7 Aug 2004 19:15:48 EDT

You rock, Red! Tennessee is one of the states with an very active neo-Confederate movement. There are probably more members of groups such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the League of the South there than there are Rotarians. Hart's success is, again, not an aberration. It is evidence of the success of the neo-Confederate movement and the deepseatedness of racism in American society. Unlike in Georgia, the neo-Confederates haven't decided a governor's race there yet, but such a result is probably possible. I look forward to reading Mike Hollihan's denial that racism is the reason for David Duke's political success. (I like to be amused.)

Comment by RedTard

Sat, 7 Aug 2004 16:36:41 EDT

Interesting story. I though 'Racist Republican' was a little redundant though.

Comment by mike hollihan

Sat, 7 Aug 2004 15:28:05 EDT

Why am I not surprised Mac Diva jumped on this? Sigh.... I live in this part of Tennessee; Memphis to be precise. Hart is a long time crank and opportunist. He did this back in 2000, but didn't get much media attention. It's only the hyper-polarised and vitriolic political arena that gave this story legs. Dems are using everything they can find. Tennessee ballot access laws only require twenty-five signatures. The Republican party in Tennessee regularly "abandons" races where a candidate in those races isn't expected to win. It's a foolish thing to do, and Hart has taken advantage of this in the past. It has also cost the Republicans (possibly the Shelby County mayor's office and definitely knocking off the Democratic Speaker of the State House!), but they never seem to learn. The Eighth Congressional District seat is held by Democrat John Tanner, who is considered unbeatable. So, the 'Pubs moved their resources elsewhere. Hart moved in. This is a story of political incompetence, by the Tennessee Republican Party. Hart is no more a Republican than Lyndon LaRouche is a Democrat. Read my blog for more details.