There was once upon a time a respected civil rights leader named John Lewis.
As such, he endorsed Hillary Clinton, based on the Clintons’ proven track record in the civil rights as opposed to the guy who was “not that invested in the fights of the 60s and the 70s.” A guy who even used the Reagan moniker for civil rights fight: “the excesses of the 60s”
Then some rumors started that he switched allegiance to Obama. Respected John Lewis publicly denounced those rumors.
And one day, he came out and said he actually did change his endorsement. From the candidate with the track record to the candidate with the correct skin color.
Nevertheless, the Obama people financed and supported an opponent for John Lewis in the primary. As revenge for his initial insubordination. He prevailed.
McCain respected John Lewis as well
McCain, in a book he wrote with aide Mark Salter called “Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life,” had lauded the leadership of Lewis in the nonviolent civil rights movement.
Appearing with Obama at a forum at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in August, McCain included Lewis as one of “three wise men” he would consult as president. “He can teach us all a lot about the meaning of courage and commitment to causes greater than our self-interest,” McCain said of Lewis.
And recently, we heard again from John Lewis.
Here’s what he said originally:
“During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate. George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
There was some outrage over this,
McCain called the accusation “shocking and beyond the pale” and called on Obama to “repudiate it.”
so the Obama campaign offered this “repudiation”
“Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. “But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States ‘pals around with terrorists.’
And now, it’s John Lewis parsing
Under the heading, “Rep. John Lewis Clarifies Misinterpretations of his Earlier Comments,” Lewis said: “A careful review of my earlier statement would reveal that I did not compare Sen. John McCain or Gov. Sarah Palin to George Wallace. It was not my intention or desire to do so.
Nice WORM, John but
Lewis didn’t accuse McCain of imitating Wallace, but suggested there were similarities.
I suppose John lewis has to travel far to earn his forgiveness for supporting the worthier candidate. Knowing Obama’s petty vindictiveness, he never will. But somewhere on the way, he lost the respect a life of righteous activism had entitled him to.
Another destroyed life to the pile. “Burned by the Sun” comes to mind.
From speaking truth to power to overpowering the truth.
Update October 13
More from this excellent entry from the Confluence & Sugar and Spice
’m just. I’m flabbergasted by all of this, and my decision to not utter “yeah Congressman Lewis!” after hearing this news makes me a sellout? No, that makes me sane. I haven’t heard McCain or Palin once urge anybody to not vote. The idiocy of this all is just shocking and forgive me the disrespect, but John Lewis is a fool for pimping himself out like this after the way the Obama goons railroaded him into switching his support from Hillary to Obama.
11 Comments
October 12, 2008 at 8:30 am
Hi Edge,
Great post!
This is yet another example of ex-Clinton supporters having to PROVE their loyalty to the
“ONE”! It’s stating ( has for some time) feel like the “MOB”. OK, I said it!
BTW, did you hear about the “Debate watching Party? If not e-mail me & I’ll send the details. It’s down the street from the site of the Debate & we’ve asked Media & the McCain camp themselves (including John/Obama’s doing a Rally right before) to come see us. I remember you all drove to POCPUMA’s party; it’s SOoooo
much closer than that!
October 12, 2008 at 9:33 am
I have absolute faith that John McCain will win this election. I believe that Obama’s legacy will be that he has uncovered nothing of his true self, but we have seen the true colors of many, many other people. Jesse Jackson, John Lewis, Bill Richardson, and even the Clintons, who had the opportunity to put an end to this madness.
October 12, 2008 at 9:46 am
Another great post from Not Your Sweetie. It is so sad to see the once great John Lewis stoop so low. Obama is toxic and must be stopped.
October 12, 2008 at 10:04 am
Yes, the crumbling of John Lewis is like finally seeing the dam break….very sad….and I agree RIChris…esp. for Hillary Clinton…she has tainted herself by continuing to back this guy, even when he trashes her plan, the she trashes McCain for the same ideas. Really, does that show any real belief in ANYTHING?
The Past Week: Recaps & Random Thoughts, October 5-12 (Cloward-Piven; Oh-Ohio; Musings on Middle Names; Slaughtering Sarah; Feeling Prickly)
http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/the-past-week-recaps-random-thoughts-october-5-12-cloward-piven-musings-on-middle-names-slaughtering-sarah-feeling-prickly/
Don’t you just LOVE how Cloward-Piven is playing out???
The list of the week’s stories I include of every roundup features my own ideas on being “not invested”….
Flashback to January 2008–The “Not Invested” Weasel Obama on the 60’s (and More)
October 12, 2008 at 10:28 am
The press has taken on Obama’s talking points from San Fran.
They say if Obama loses it is because of racism.(bigots)
They say we are angry.(bitter)
next it will be because we are church goers and gun clingers.
October 12, 2008 at 10:36 am
More wreckage in Obama’s wake. Sad.
October 12, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Pattern anyone?
Bill Clinton’s misquoted “fairy tale” remark. Prominent AA and media outrage.
Hillary Clinton’s misquoted LBJ remark. Prominent AA and media outrage.
McCain – nothing too specific, just the audacity of opposing Obama? Prominent AA and media outrage.
October 12, 2008 at 4:36 pm
The more I see McCain….the more I think he KNOWS something that we don’t, that will win the election, no matter how much he seems to screw up.
October 12, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Scott Ferrarello,
Who are you saying will win? I know the media is saying that Obama won, without even waiting for the election to happen and that was how it was during the primary too.
October 13, 2008 at 1:21 am
Annie Oakley,
You forgot the last step in that pattern: under the bus with you!
October 15, 2008 at 9:28 am
[...] Politico has an article titled MCCAIN WARNED ON RACE CARD which is wall to wall Geowge Wallace memories. You know, the one John Lewis brought back and than backtracked on. [...]