Something we can all agree on? David Duke running for Senate

[KingsGambit]

Former KKK leader David Duke is entering the political world again, attempting to run for Senate as a Republican in Louisiana. He says he feels the time is right because Donald Trump is saying some of the same things he's been saying for years.

The state Republican Party and the national Republican Party immediately denounced him. I'm hoping that not supporting this guy is at the very least something we can all agree on. Since there are 24 people in the primary, and Duke does have name recognition that the others don't, I don't think he should be underestimated (that, and he actually has won a state-level election before and nearly was elected to Congress another time).

http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...e91324837.html

Another thing: Unless the voters actually pick him, I don't think it's fair to smear the Republicans based on him running. Fred Phelps ran for office in my home state as a Democrat for years (I think to troll people), and that wouldn't have been a fair criticism of the Democrats either.

[JimL]

Former KKK leader David Duke is entering the political world again, attempting to run for Senate as a Republican in Louisiana. He says he feels the time is right because Donald Trump is saying some of the same things he's been saying for years.

The state Republican Party and the national Republican Party immediately denounced him. I'm hoping that not supporting this guy is at the very least something we can all agree on. Since there are 24 people in the primary, and Duke does have name recognition that the others don't, I don't think he should be underestimated (that, and he actually has won a state-level election before and nearly was elected to Congress another time).

http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...e91324837.html

Another thing: Unless the voters actually pick him, I don't think it's fair to smear the Republicans based on him running. Fred Phelps ran for office in my home state as a Democrat for years (I think to troll people), and that wouldn't have been a fair criticism of the Democrats either.

I wonder why Duke is a republican?

[KingsGambit]

I wonder why Duke is a republican?

I don't know, why was Fred Phelps a Democrat?

[Jaecp]

I don't know, why was Fred Phelps a Democrat?

Like you said, to Troll. Same can't be said of Duke. Xenophobia is what drove votes to trump. And the brexit, too, fwiw

[KingsGambit]

Like you said, to Troll. Same can't be said of Duke. Xenophobia is what drove votes to trump. And the brexit, too, fwiw

My point mainly is to move beyond the namecalling. Most people here probably don't know I am a registered Democrat. I see my share of negative characterizations of Democrats here and am trying to set a better precedent by refusing to do the same back to Republicans.

[Jaecp]

My point mainly is to move beyond the namecalling. Most people here probably don't know I am a registered Democrat. I see my share of negative characterizations of Democrats here and am trying to set a better precedent by refusing to do the same back to Republicans.

Thats putting it a bit mildly, KG.

[seer]

Former KKK leader David Duke is entering the political world again, attempting to run for Senate as a Republican in Louisiana. He says he feels the time is right because Donald Trump is saying some of the same things he's been saying for years.

The state Republican Party and the national Republican Party immediately denounced him. I'm hoping that not supporting this guy is at the very least something we can all agree on. Since there are 24 people in the primary, and Duke does have name recognition that the others don't, I don't think he should be underestimated (that, and he actually has won a state-level election before and nearly was elected to Congress another time).

http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...e91324837.html

Another thing: Unless the voters actually pick him, I don't think it's fair to smear the Republicans based on him running. Fred Phelps ran for office in my home state as a Democrat for years (I think to troll people), and that wouldn't have been a fair criticism of the Democrats either.

It is his right to run, after all Democratic Senator Robert Byrd was an Exalted Cyclops in the KKK. And the longest serving member of Congress, and loved by the Democratic party.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

[demi-conservative]

I wonder why Duke is a republican?

He ran as democrat once. Probably dems already have too many ex-KKK so he's trying republican this time!!

[shunyadragon]

It is his right to run, after all Democratic Senator Robert Byrd was an Exalted Cyclops in the KKK. And the longest serving member of Congress, and loved by the Democratic party.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

Robert Byrd left and denounced the KKK in 1952, and changed rejecting the problematic racist views of Duke later in his life. In contrast David Duke remains a believing American white nationalist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and Holocaust denier.

[One Bad Pig]

Robert Byrd left and denounced the KKK in 1952, and changed rejecting the problematic racist views of Duke later in his life. In contrast David Duke remains a believing American white nationalist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and Holocaust denier.

I'm quite certain that I recall Byrd getting caught using racist language within 5 years of his death, but he was mostly given a pass (unlike Trent Lott, who was forced to step down earler because he made an off-the-cuff statement that could be interpreted as racist).

[seer]

I'm quite certain that I recall Byrd getting caught using racist language within 5 years of his death, but he was mostly given a pass (unlike Trent Lott, who was forced to step down earler because he made an off-the-cuff statement that could be interpreted as racist).

Exactly right!

[seer]

Robert Byrd left and denounced the KKK in 1952, and changed rejecting the problematic racist views of Duke later in his life. In contrast David Duke remains a believing American white nationalist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and Holocaust denier.

Oh please... And how do you know that Duke still holds those positions? And Byrd voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[Cow Poke]

I'm quite certain that I recall Byrd getting caught using racist language within 5 years of his death, but he was mostly given a pass (unlike Trent Lott, who was forced to step down earler because he made an off-the-cuff statement that could be interpreted as racist).

Byrd's "reformation" was apparently political, not because he had a change of heart.

[rogue06]

I'm quite certain that I recall Byrd getting caught using racist language within 5 years of his death, but he was mostly given a pass (unlike Trent Lott, who was forced to step down earler because he made an off-the-cuff statement that could be interpreted as racist).

I wrote something on Byrd's history awhile back:

Byrd was vehemently opposed to both the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act decades later and yet in spite of all this the Democrats kept making him Senate Majority Leader and then President pro tempore (third in the line of succession to the presidency, after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House) just a couple of months after his multiple use of the n-word on national TV.

[rogue06]

Oh please... And how do you know that Duke still holds those positions? And Byrd voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

More than voted against it (and Voting Rights Act as well), he engaged in a 14 hour long filibuster in an attempt to stop it. If it weren't for overwhelming Republican support for these measures they would not have passed.