Congressman Bravely Warns of Negro Menace
Republican quotes KKK founder on House floor
What’s more eyebrow-raising than quoting one of the original grand wizards of the Ku Klux Klan on the House floor? Misquoting him.
“Get there firstest with the mostest.” Well, it’s an innoncent enough quote, I suppose, until you remember who first said it and who decided to borrow the phrase on the House floor. Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest was perhaps better known as one of the original Grand Wizards of the Ku Klux Klan. Nice legacy, eh?
So there was Texas Congressman Ted Poe, A DUMB@$$ if ever there was one, channelling his inner Grand Wizard on the floor of the House of Representatives. You can watch his speech here if you’re into that sort of self-abuse, but I’d recommend steering clear of it. Like virtually anything else that comes out of Poe’s mouth, it’s intellectually vacant, unoriginal, and focuses only on approved Republican talking points. Then again, it’s safe and legal when used a a sleep aid.
Let’s face it; Ted Poe’s a DUMB@$$. He was a DUMB@$$ long before he went to Congress (anyone who’s lived here for any length of time can vouch for that), and he’ll be one long after he comes back to Texas. That he managed to get elected in the first place only proves how low the standards are in this state for Congressional candidates. Apparently, Texans will vote for just about any Republicans who’s drawing breath and not obviously dragging his or her knuckles. Actually, that would explain most of the Texas House and Senate delegation (et tu, Kay Bailey Hutchison?)- not exactly a distinguished lot.
But, I digress. It would be far too easy to get sidetracked on the lunatics representing Texas in Washington. Right now, though, Ted Poe gets the nod.
Now, I don’t know what the exact, accurate quote from Forrest is, and that’s not really my concern. What I find so thoroughly disturbing is that a Congressman, someone who could reasonably be expected to be in possession of something resembling a functional intellect, seems not to understand the inappropriateness of quoting a KKK Grand Wizard.
Jeebus, now here be a DUMB@$$….
[Monday] on the House floor, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) argued that the United States needs to immediately authorize funds for the war in Iraq. “Congress needs to quit talking about supporting the troops and put money where our mouths seem to be,” said Poe.
To make his case, he quoted “successful Confederate general” Nathan Bedford Forrest, but left out the fact that Forrest was also one of the original Grand Wizards of the Ku Klux Klan….
Poe’s spokeswoman tried to justify the reference to Forrest, stating, that it “was used in an historical context comparing the request to Congress for support of the Confederate troops to the request that is being made today by our Generals in Iraq.” (Roll Call adds that it’s actually a misquote of Forrest as well.)
So remember, it’s perfectly fine to quote KKK Grand Wizards to make your argument, as long as it’s in a “historical context.”
And it’s all about the “historical context”, isn’t it? Then again, I suppose one really has to feel for anyone on Poe’s staff, especially the poor spokeswoman, who probably goes to sleep at night praying that her boss with just keep his mouth shut. Imagine living in mortal fear that your boss, a Congressman from one of the reddest, most knuckle-dragging districts in Texas, will at some point decide that he has something worthwhile to say and will actually stand up on the floor of the House to say it. Then she she has to follow allow behind the elephant and clean up the mess.
Yeah, and you thought working in Washington was a glamourous undertaking….