A massive controversy has arisen over the initial refusal of Donald Trump to repudiate the support of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke of Louisiana, who ran for Governor 25 years ago, and later for the US Senate as a Republican, losing both times, and being denounced by President George H. W. Bush and other reputable Republican leaders in the 1990s.
Those defending Trump’s hesitation are now comparing the despicable hate monger David Duke, who is not only a racist but also an anti Semite of a major order, to the late Democratic US Senator Robert Byrd, who served longer in the Senate than anyone in American history (from 1959 to his death in 2010).
No one is saying that Byrd cannot be criticized, as he was a youthful member of the Klan in West Virginia, and opposed the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s. But over time, he evolved, and repudiated his despicable past, and even supported Barack Obama in 2008 for the nomination and election as President, and helped to make ObamaCare make a successful journey through the legislative process, including being brought in a wheel chair to cast votes for the legislation, in his last months of life.
David Duke has never done anything to repudiate his past record, and is still defiant as a racist and anti Semite, unlike Byrd.
Also, former Alabama Senator Hugo Black sat on the Supreme Court for 34 years (1937-1971), repudiating by his words and actions the fact that he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in his youth.
Also, Alabama Governor George C. Wallace, after running racist campaigns for President in 1968 and 1972, repudiated his past and apologized, although he was never, actually, a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Even Strom Thurmond, who ran as a racist for President in 1948, and served in the US Senate from South Carolina from 1954-2003, later modified his views, even if not formally apologizing for his earlier behavior and statements.
No one is saying that we cannot criticize Byrd, Black, Wallace, and Thurmond, but none of them were on the level lifetime on racism and anti Semitism of David Duke, so the comparison is preposterous!
Hillary won the Southern states, as expected.
Trump continues his march to being the GOP nominee.
This Washington Post article is pretty right on the nose. Democrats just aren’t that angry.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-democrats-didnt-feel-the-bern/2016/03/01/f95c25f0-dff4-11e5-9c36-e1902f6b6571_story.html
I hear that Trump’s nomination may be contested.
Chris Matthews said that the establishment screwing around with the convention, might make Trump angry enough to go third party.
GOP establishment is getting desperate. They are pulling out Romney to give an anti-Trump speech.