Civil Rights Pioneer John Lewis Advises McKinney to Stop

[dolstein]

My oh my. Even the Congressional Black Caucus is embarassed by McKinney's behavior. I wonder how long it will be before some DU'ers starts calling John Lewis a spineless DINO.

Lewis advises McKinney to stop
By Josephine Hearn

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil-rights pioneer and the senior member of the Georgia Democratic congressional delegation, told Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) to stop making political hay out of her scuffle a week ago with a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

“I told her she needs to lower the temperature and stop holding the press conferences,” Lewis said, recounting his conversation with McKinney on the House floor yesterday. “I don’t think it had any impact because she is still going on all the TV shows.”

Lewis said other members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) had also told McKinney to back off, adding that she had little support in the group. It held an emergency meeting last night to discuss the issue, a House source said.

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) told Human Events on Tuesday that he would consider filing an ethics complaint against McKinney if nobody else did. Yesterday he said he would monitor how law-enforcement authorities deal with the matter.

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/040606/lewis.html

[endarkenment]

1. It must be feeding time. nt.

[OKNancy]

2. No one can call him a DINO

he has one of, if not the most liberal voting record in the House.

[xultar]

4. Will chicken s*it do?...it's already started.

Remember when they called Rangel a Uncle Tom cuz he supported Clark instead of Dean? So just watch.

[pinerow]

3. Damned shame that even her so-called allies are

too chicken-sh** to stand by one of their own...if the rethugs can stand by Delay and Cunningham, the least the Dem's could do is support McKinney...and the fact that Delay wants to refer a complaint to the so-called House Ethics Committee is the height of hubris...:wtf:

[endarkenment]

8. Democratic Disease

instead of looking for the play that give us an advantage, we seek to be fair and even handed. All laudible and high minded of course, but our opponents are kicking us in the balls and we are demanding that they box by the rules.

14 years after this particular brawl started we still can't figure out what sort of fight we are in.

[dolstein]

9. Well, if "common sense" is a disease, I hope it spreads

It doesn't take a genius to know that McKinney does damage to the Democratic Party as well as the cause of racial equality every time she goes before the television camera. It must really gall someone like Lewis to see McKinney make a total mockery of civil rights, and to sell out the entire African American community for her own personal aggrandizement.

It's also worth nothing that John Lewis is dean of the Georgia congressional delegation. He knows as well as anyone that this latest stunt by McKinney could cost Democrats a few closely contested seats in that state.

[yurbud]

72. sad but true

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Perhaps her allies actually beleive that she is in the wrong

Yes, the GOP did stand by Delay for may years. I'm sure that many GOPers wish they hadn't right now. Should we make the same mistakes that they do?

[pinerow]

12. For the record...John Lewis supported McKinney's opponent

in 2002...seems that her vocal opposition to the 9/11 whitewash was too much for the "Old Guard"...she was on of the first to demand a congressional investigation into the shortcomings leading up to 9/11...she was also right about the War in Iraq...Black women being assertive...what a concept...:wtf:

[OKNancy]

14. yes he did and Majette was a reliable liberal

voter. One of the misconceptions about Majette was that she was some sort of DINO.
She had an ADA rating of 100% her first year.

[pinerow]

20. That was not my point...

His opposition was based on her positions on 9/11 and the events leading up to it...and history has proved her correct...not only on the government cover-up of the incompetence of this administration and her unwillingness to compromise on those principles...Majette was defeated handily by McKinney...so what does that say about her costituents...?

[rinsd]

48. Facts are your friend....

"Majette was defeated handily by McKinney"

McKinney lost to Majette in the 2002 primary. Majette left her position to run for a vacant Senate seat. McKinney ran virtually unopposed in 2004 and regained her seat.

Denise Majette was a consistently liberal voter and it would have been great if she had been able to win that Senate seat.

[tn-guy]

65. Biggest difference between Majette and McKinney....

was not their voting records. The big difference was that Majette was a rational person, not a demagogue.

[BooScout]

22. She never helped me.....

Her office was the most disorganized mess I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. I repeatedly tried to get her office to help with an immigration issue concerning my husband.......they would not respond, didn't have phone lines, computers were'nt up, lost correspondence, etc.....I eventually gave up and bit the bullitt and went to Miller's office (hey, I was desparate)........they weren't much help either but they did make inquiries and respond to my letters phone calls and emails.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. Are you sure that is why Lewis supported Majette?

There may be other issues at play.

[dolstein]

21. I wasn't aware he supported her in the primary -- however

as dean of the delegation, I'm sure that Lewis wants Democrats to be successful throughout the state. McKinney is at best an embarassment and at worst a drag on the ticket. Not every Democratic representative in Georgia represents overwhelmingly African American districts. A few are locked in very tight races. And yet another McKinney scandal certainly doesn't help any.

[pinerow]

24. At best an embarrasment...?

Are we supposed to just quietly shuffle off because it may shake someone up...since when do we defer to authority just because...?...what next?

[no name no slogan]

31. Assertive, yes. Infallable, no.

Even I (a straight white male) know that you shouldn't "poke" or provoke a cop, no matter what the situation is, and no matter how big of a hurry you are in. ESPECIALLY in a high-security zone. That's just insane.

The cops' behavior was uncalled for, but McKinney's wasn't much better if she was not following the rules. Everybody screws up. She did the right thing by apologizing, so we can get this inane issue off the table and focus on what's important: like impeaching Dubya for treason.

[pinerow]

33. I'm with you on that....altough I never implied she was

infallible...we all know only the Pope and Dubya are infallible...:sarcasm:

[no name no slogan]

43. LOL

:rofl:

[One_of_8]

63. Agree

The cops' behavior was uncalled for, but McKinney's wasn't much better if she was not following the rules. Everybody screws up. She did the right thing by apologizing, so we can get this inane issue off the table and focus on what's important: like impeaching Dubya for treason.

If we as Democrats are try to loudly remind everyone that Bush is not above the law, then one way for our elected representatives to reinforce that message is by not placing themselves above the law either. I think both the cop and McKinney could have handled the situation better, but they didn't. The quickest way to diffuse it would have been to apologize for not responding to the cop calling to her to stop, while at the same time offering her explanation (in a rush to get to a vote, didn't hear him, whatever), and then let the matter drop off naturally. I disagre with the way she initially handled the situation, by putting all the blame on the cop. Neither one was 100% in the right, and it just made the situation worse to act like it was all his fault in the first place.

If Democrats are going to run on the anti-corruption party, then all our representatives should be ever vigilant at the appearance of impropriety, even in the small details, such as remembering to wear your lapel pin, stopping and waiting for an officer of the law if he asks you to do so. It doesn't make you a doormat to do so.

[creeker]

66. I'm confused--- what did the cop do that was uncalled for?

At least he didn't put her face down on the floor after she hit him in the chest.I once made the mistake of touching a cop on the chest with the tip of a finger while making a point-- and thats what he did to me.

[DrGonzoLives]

40. Clearly John Lewis is a racist sexist

:eyes:

[QC]

44. A DINO and BFEE-Enabler, too! n/t

[SaveElmer]

59. If there is any doubt about John Lewis' credentials...

As a true American hero and pioneer of the civil rights movement...here is a picture to disabuse you of that notion...

SNCC leader John Lewis (light coat, C) cringes as burly state trooper swings his club at Lewis' head 3/7 during attempted Negro march on the state capitol at Montgomery--Lewis later was admitted to a local hospital with a possible skull fracture

If there was racism in the Capitol Hill police department, you can be sure Lewis would be the first to speak up about it


on edit: Sorry the picture is not the best...

[rinsd]

49. Do you have a link for John Lewis supporting Majette in the primary?

He was supportive in her Senatorial bid in 2004.

[Tight_rope]

53. And that in a nutshell is the "BIGGEST" problem of the Democratic party!

We can't and won't support each other. Just look at the Repukes. They will support their fellow croonies (DELAY, CUNNINGHAM, FRIST, CHENEY, BUSH) no matter what crime they commit.

[mondo joe]

74. So why won't you support Lewis? Why are you willing to criticize

this American Hero?

[David__77]

5. I support McKinney.

She's a true progressive--one of perhaps half a dozen people in congress who consistently put people before profits and who oppose power politics and imperialism abroad. For that reason alone, these other things pale in relevance.

[Laughing Mirror]

47. One of the "most brightly shining lights of progressivism in the CBC"

according to the Black Commentator Congressional Black Caucus Report Card, which gives her a score of 100 and places her at the top of the Honor Society along with John Lewis and also John Conyers, Barbara Lee, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Charles Rangel, Bobby Scott, & Maxine Waters.

http://www.blackcommentator.com/169/169_cover_cbc_report_card.html

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. Would a true progresive say this?

"Al Gore's Negro tolerance level has never been too high. I've never known him to have more than one black person around him at any given time."

Sounds more like a race-baiter to me.

[OKthatsIT]

70. McKinney is someone you can trust...she's walks the good road

[xultar]

6. As a black female McKinney should know that she has to be above

and beyond when it comes to behavior and decorum. We have to be more than perfect just to be percieved as equal.

She screwed up. In the position she's in she can't afford to screw up.

[RufusEarl]

7. As hard as it for me to say this, i'll have to agree with you Xultar

[xultar]

10. It is hard for me to say. But Black folk need to wake the fuck up.

Old school learning is what got us here to this point. Now the new school bratz are screwing it up. Sports players in rape scenarios, entertainers in lewd scenarios, now politicians with drugs (DC mayor) and hookers, McKinney even being in a situation where she can be accused of hitting a cop is mind boggling.

We can't afford this. Everyone already thinks we're all alike so she's setting a bad example for people to use against future black political candidates.

I'm not happy that this has happened. I support her but I'm not effin happy. She needs a public spanking by her elders in the Congressional Black Caucus. They didn't work that hard for a spectacle by her to drain attention from the issues they are trying to work on and pass.

[RufusEarl]

13. You framed my position perfectly, and i do respect Ms. McKinney

[lalajohns]

17. You don't speak for ME....damm..it!!

I support Cynthia McKinney.

This woman put her life on the line to tell the world about Bush and 911 and I don't remember at any time John Lewis deafened her at that time and now all of a sudden he is telling this woman to back off!

Give me a break!!

[xultar]

35. Ahhh o.k.

:crazy:

[Seabiscuit]

62. Why can't you make a simple distinction between McKinney's position

on 9-11 (which is admirable) and her inappropriate behavior with that cop (which is anything but admirable)?

I support McKinney's postion on 9-11. I don't support her public antics with the cop and her knee-jerk claims of racism as a ruse to distract from her own responsibility for the incident, and neither does the Congressional Black Caucus.

When the CBC admonishes her for that behavior it is *NOT* commenting on her position on 9-11.

I supported Senator Byrd's constitution-waving oratory against the Iraq War Resolution. I did not support his constitution-waving oratory in favor of the nomination of that right-wing creep who replaced Sandra Day O-Connor on the Supreme Court.

No one's perfect, and therefore it's not appropriate to support anyone 100% all the time.

[Rowdyboy]

25. Thanks for speaking so eloquently.....

Now set these people straight on why you "presume" to speak for black women (I can't WAIT to read your response to the two folks who don't get it!)

[xultar]

39. Fuck'em. I'm sick of having to prove to white folk I'm black enough

to comment on African-American issues.

David Chapelle had a great skit about "I know black people" it was funny which stemmed from a conversation he had with a white guy telling him his show was offensive to black folk.

Fuck'em.
And they can kiss my ass.
And my chihuahuas asses too.

I'm sick of liberal white folk telling me how black folk feel.

[goclark]

55. Ditto, ditto, ditto

We have a right to feel how we damn well feel.

We are individuals and in my mind Lewis is cool and Mc Kinney is cool.

African Americans are not cookie cutters. We have different views on different issues.

But on the vast majority of major issues that have affected the CIVIL RIGHTS of this country, Lewis and McKinney can speak for me.

[oblivious]

69. "She needs a public spanking by her elders" - You call that eloquent!!!

[Schema Thing]

15. wtf do you know about being a black female???

:dunce:


*runs*

[lalajohns]

19. Thank you very much!

...

[Schema Thing]

27. er, well.... uh....

it was a joke actually. As far as I know, Xultar is a black woman.

[xultar]

38. Ahh yeah! With junk in da trunk to match!

[DrGonzoLives]

41. Whatcha gonna do with it?

All that junk inside your trunk?

[Schema Thing]

42. stop teasing me, you vixen!

[xultar]

37. get back here....

:rofl:

that was pretty effin funny!

[QC]

18. He's a witch! Burn him!! BURN HIM!!! n/t

[Rowdyboy]

23. Thank you, Representative Lewis, for trying to talk sense to her....

Though by now you should realize its hopeless. This bullshit would be a nonstory except that the Republicans are eager to turn the spotlight on Democrats, and McKinney can't turn down a chance to claim racism.

[pinerow]

26. Could it be that there may be some semblance of racism present...?

Just cause the the cops say there isn't, should we just accept that...?...there was a riot in Brooklyn that was described as a "protest"...burnt patrol car...cop trapped in the car...yet McKinney is what is obsessing this and other boards...oh wait...the "protesters" were NOT Black...:wtf:

[flashdebadge]

29. the difference is this...

Violence in Brooklyn happens every day. Violence in our nations capital building is unheard of. Except for the other non-published altercations involving McKinney. GET HER OUT! She's content as long as the camera is on her no matter the story.

[pinerow]

32. Sorry my friend...they may believe that over

in freeperville, but that won't wash here...it wasn't just "everyday violence in Brooklyn"...it was a cop trapped in his burning patrol car surrounded by some very violent people...in my world we call that a riot...we don't call it "violence happens everyday in Brooklyn"...what is true is that many people of color are put through the wringer every day for being people of color.

[Tight_rope]

54. Thank you!...And unless you are "BLACK" you will "NEVER" know how it feels

to be discriminated against because of the color of your skin!

[flashdebadge]

56. Wrong! Ever heard of reverse discrimination??

Try asking a college student who worked hard to keep his grades in the 4.0 range so he/she could attend the college of his/her dreams, only to learn that because he/she isn't "black enough" he won't be accepted. While there are legitimate claims of racism, there are also those who use it as a crutch not to try. My 2cents.

[SOS]

61. Kinda like Bush

getting into Harvard Business School with a 2.0 Yale average?
He was rejected from UT Law School because of his miserable performance at Yale.
So Daddy called the dean at Harvard and purchased an MBA for his drunken son.
Bush took that spot from a student with a 4.0.

[flashdebadge]

68. that is certainly one example. But that's not about race.

[pinerow]

75. Straw man argument...why is it that most freepers believe that

because they knew someone's cousin whose sisters uncle knew a guy whose brother did not get the job...entrance to college...promotion...ad ifinitum...what makes people believe because a white man/woman was passed over that it somehow automatically the person who did get the job...entrance to college...promotion...ad infinitum is less qulified...People of color generally have to be meta-qualified to be considered equal...and unless you are a person of color, the sound of racism rings hollow with you...Oh the poor disadvantage white guy...what will become of him...the last part...:sarcasm:

[SaveElmer]

58. I guarantee you...

If there were racsim present in the Capitol Police force in any meaningful way, Representative Lewis would be all over it. The man put his life on the line marching with MLK in the sixties, do you think he would be afraid to speak out against the Capitol Police.

[OKNancy]

28. Looks like it worked!

I hope this will cool things down

[DumpDavisHogg]

30. Ethics complaint by DeLay???

Does TOM DeLAY (of all people) have any business filing an ethics complaint against ANYONE???

[oneold1-4u]

36. DeLay -no voice

He has resigned.
Then I have a picture in my mind of the once powerful house leader approaching a 5'1" black female security person without any form of ID to be seen. He simply ignores her and she touches him! Only a very few months ago, she would have at the very least been FIRED.
I visualize a more likely response of "You don't have to know me, I own this place and Texas too!" Of course then FIRED!

[President Kerry]

51. exactly - thank you. A great aside to the story that got my attention.n/t

[No Exit]

73. Wouldn't that just be PERFECT??

I'd love to see St. Thomas file lotsa ethics complaints against other bad, naughty congresspeople, too. Talk about great comedy!:rofl:

[patcox2]

34. But we have to stand with Cynthia, she's an american hero!

hee hee hee. Thats a classic.

[lalajohns]

45. She spoke when everyone else was *voiceless*

I admire this lady for speaking out against Haliburton's contracts in Iraq.

[dolstein]

46. No, she didn't speak -- she ranted

She's makes a lot of noises, but as far as being an advocate of left-wing causes, she's incredibly ineffective.

[Catrina]

71. We were all ranting back then.

I think that what she was ranting about warranted a little ranting, don't you? Or do you like being lied to by your government? She had the floor and she could have played it safe and been a good little girl, but at a critical period in her country's history, she decided to speak out while the rest of her cowardly colleagues remained silent. She paid a price for that and still does, btw.

Did you read the transcript of her questioning Rumsfeld? If only everyone would do that, had done it, and not allowed that evil man to bamboozle them with his ridiculous babbling. I wouldn't be surprised if some of this is payback for her daring to insist on hearing the truth from him.

Many thought Martin Luther King was being a bit too uppity also back then ~ I imagine had we been there, and been online, this exact same conversation would be taking place back and forth, about why he should STFU or why he shouldn't. He caused way more uproar than Cynthia ever has ~

Back then, I bet Lewis wasn't so well-behaved either. Things don't get done by people who don't want to rock the boat ~ and those who do are usually pretty controversial. But Cynthia brought the issues out in the open ~ and they lied about her then, misquoted her and smeared her and then made sure to get her out of Congress because this particular administration would not tolerate no dissent.

She's very effective. Please speak for youself ~ here in NY many of my friends who heard her speak out in Congress were prompted to rethink their previous positions ~ after all when a US Congresswoman is saying what others have been trying to say, it does carry more weight.

She has fire and spirit and I just wish more of our Dems had backed her up back then but they played it safe. A lot of people might be alive today had they done that. She at least tried.

Telling the truth is 'making noises' to you?? Wow! But guess what, the noises she was making then, have all turned out to be true!

I keep asking this, but why is the identity of this cop still a secret???

[Rex]

50. LBN: DeLay will monitor from his jail cell how authorities deal

with the matter.

"Reprehensible" was DeLay's response, sitting next to his new friend Bubba 'Ohio Stranger' Smith. Smith was more philosophical about the issue, "She got a purrrrdy mouth."

[MaryBear]

57. What does the videotape show?

Do we know what really happened? Lots of opinions here but what are the facts?

BTW, McKinney speaks clearly and passionately. Passionate speech is not the same as a rant!

How is "rant" defined anyone? Maybe, "passionate words spoken by someone not liked"?

[confludemocrat]

60. Would never call this giant of our time a DINO, but he's wrong on this

anyone who went through what he did as one of the few original freedom riders deserves to be listened to, but he is wrong on this point because if they truly are backing off support of her, the fact that DeLay is targetting her should be enough to rally them. DeLay filing an ethics complaint!!!! MY god, that alone would stiffen my supprt for her!

[JerseygirlCT]

64. Good for him! nt

[fujiyama]

67. John Lewis

is a real American hero.

It's clear Mckinney couldn't play the act anymore and that's why she apologized. If this likely were a case of profiling or racism, it is very unlikely she would have backed down. That's certainly not like her.

It's pretty obvious she was in the wrong. She was arrogant in believing she didn't have to wear a pin. Then she walks around the security check, because she's 'distracted' on a phone. How idiotic. Then when confronted she flips out. The cop may have been wrong though in grabbing her...

But a grand jury? Talk about overblown.

I hope this stupid story just fades.

[Lt. Governor 2B]

76. Lewis is right!

This was not a rascist move on the part of the Capitol Hill Police. However, Cynthia McKinney has been demagoguing this issue. Right now theres not much difference between her actions and statements and Lester Maddox of the 1960's Georgia. Thank God someone like Lewis stepped up and spoke truth!

[CTLawGuy]

77. I rarely agree with you

but McKinney completely overreacted, and I'm glad she ended up apologizing.