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submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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.

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[-] Rooskie91@discuss.online 60 points 8 months ago

It would be nice if we had more to celebrate than what amounts to sick burns.

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 31 points 8 months ago
[-] protist@mander.xyz 8 points 8 months ago

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.

[-] SphereofWreckening@ttrpg.network 1 points 8 months ago

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.

[-] protist@mander.xyz 2 points 8 months ago

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?

[-] SphereofWreckening@ttrpg.network 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

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.

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[-] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 45 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

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.

[-] BassTurd@lemmy.world 37 points 8 months ago

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.

[-] downhomechunk@midwest.social 13 points 8 months ago

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.

[-] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 8 months ago

I mean he's said Strom wasn't as bad as everyone thought

[-] ripcord@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago
[-] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 25 points 8 months ago
[-] autotldr 1 points 8 months ago

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!

[-] CaptainProton@lemmy.world -1 points 8 months ago

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?

[-] HopeOfTheGunblade@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

Civil Rights Act era. The republicans decided to campaign on racism, called it the southern strategy.

[-] HandBreadedTools@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

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.

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this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2024
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