Pandagon

I hear you Jesse. That is pretty outrageous. But, to be fair, he is coming across fairly well. Hey, I'm a white southerner, and am I the ONLY one who can pronounce "government"? Gummint, my ass. And what was up with Condi's head shaking no with just about every vacuous statement she uttered??

Pickering is looking pretty good here.

And Condi should just not talk in public. Like Ashcroft, every time she speaks, you just get the sense that something deep and terrible is being repressed in order to simply function.

I was watching a show, White House Chronicles, I think, on Howard U's PBS station earlier, and in the discussion about whether Condi should testify publicly, one of the panel members said something to the effect that Condi is so good speaking publicly that they should have her testify publicly. And I remember thinking that lately she ain't doin' so good. Could it be that the strain is getting to her?

Maybe it's because I'm just Northern scum, but, see, I'd say actually being a white Southern racist was about the worst thing one could do. And Pickering fits the bill.

Yeah, the ruling concering the cross buring was bad judgement on pickerings part, but i dont think he is a racist, he didnt come off that way to me. he seemed to have a lot of support from black in his area. Condi a good public speaker? Certainly not lately, youre right, but when does she really speak in public period. I think she has to testify. She cites executive privilege as the reason she doesnt. Anyone know when bush is testifying? He isnt testifying public correct? I think his excuse is also executive privilege. He told himself certian things in confidence and wouldnt want to betray the confidence of himself by revealing them.

My personal theory is that the Dems were never really opposed to Pickering over the cross-burning case -- there are valid arguments in favor of the defendant, but it's sure a dumb thing for Pickering to have gone to bat for. I think the real deal breaker for the Dems was Pickering's open hostility to the idea of "one man, one vote." In particular, there's a case, the name of which escapes me, in which he could have easily dismissed a voting rights case on procedural grounds but instead felt the need to draft a 10 page opinion explaining why the dissent in "Reynolds v. Sims" was correct and why "one man, one vote" isn't good law. However, voting rights cases don't provide soundbites as provocative as cross-burning cases.

My personal theory is that the Dems were never really opposed to Pickering over the cross-burning case -- there are valid arguments in favor of the defendant, but it's sure a dumb thing for Pickering to have gone to bat for. I think the real deal breaker for the Dems was Pickering's open hostility to the idea of "one man, one vote." In particular, there's a case, the name of which escapes me, in which he could have easily dismissed a voting rights case on procedural grounds but instead felt the need to draft a 10 page opinion explaining why the dissent in "Reynolds v. Sims" was correct and why "one man, one vote" isn't good law. However, voting rights cases don't provide soundbites as provocative as cross-burning cases.

Maybe it's because I'm just Northern scum, but, see, I'd say actually being a white Southern racist was about the worst thing one could do.

Oh, come on, Michael...Southerners are world-famous for their lack of racism, ever since Jefferson Davis freed the slaves, George Wallace made his famous "I Have A Dream" speech at the Washington monument, and James Earl Ray asassinated that KKK leader down in Memphis...

No, it's true. Whenever you call a white Southerner a racist, it makes the Baby Jesus cry. Really. Try it and see!

I'm actually from the South. The worst thing you can call a Southern white man is still 'nigger lover'.

Damn Merl bet me too it. That and 'Oreo'.

I don't know why though, Oreos are a delicious delightful treat.

Just a note: oreo cannot refer to white southerners...unless you're eating white chocolate covered oreos (which are delicious).

Very white of him to say that.

The Pickering interview was an indictment of how badly Mike Wallace needs to retire.

What an absolutely toothless valentine to Pickering. Once upon a time, Wallace was an investigative reporter. Now he creates "headshot" journalism without an iota of investigation.

Perhaps Wallace could have done some reporting on the Sovereignty Commission instead of searching for Pickering's few black supporters. Perhaps Wallace could have noticed that Pickering went after the KKK only after they started blowing up white businesses in the late 60s.

Like most Southern bigot politicians, Pickering didn't convert to the civil rights cause until the late 60s and it was politically necessary.

Mike Wallace sucks. Bring back Lowell Bergman, whom Wallace ran off the show.(Watch "The Insider".)

well, you see, white christian males are the most persecuted group in the history of the U.S. so it would be unfair to label them as having a history of racism!