If Trent Lott Had To Resign, So Should Harry Reid

Trent Lott was pressured into resigning from his position as Senate Majority Leader because of an innocuous compliment to an old man. (While Klukker Robert Byrd has never seriously been called to account… nice to have the “absolute moral authority” of the Democratic Party and the MSM behind you.)

“In the interest of pursuing the best possible agenda for the future of our country, I will not seek to remain as majority leader of the United States Senate for the 108th Congress, effective January 6, 2003,” Lott, 61, said in a statement. His decision to step down in the face of controversy is unprecedented for a Senate majority leader.

An apology wasn’t good enough for Lott. Nothing would do but that he face censure, because this Gore quote came after Lott’s apology -

But some Democrats were angry. Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson called for Lott to resign, and former Vice President Al Gore told CNN that the comment was “racist.” Issuing one of the harshest rebukes Lott has received to date, even from Democrats, Gore said Monday in an interview on CNN’s “Inside Politics” that Lott should apologize for his comments or face censure by the Senate.

Now the calls are beginning for Harry Reid to step down as a consequence of undermining our troops.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Rep. Duncan Hunter called Wednesday for Sen. Harry Reid to resign his post as Senate majority leader over remarks that the senator made last week that the war in Iraq “is lost” if the United States continues on its current policy. Hunter, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. “In my opinion Sen. Reid, having made that statement, which can only have a demoralizing effect on our troops and an effect of encouragement of the adversary, I think it would be appropriate for Sen. Reid to resign his position as the leader of the United States Senate,” he said. Reid made his remarks Thursday, prompting an angry backlash from Republicans.

Notice how “some Democrats were angry” but a response from Republicans over a statement that encourages the enemy to try harder to kill our troops prompted “an angry backlash”? CNN goes further in this article, minimizing what Reid originally said and emphasizing his backtracking:

In recent days, the debate turned personal, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Pelosi receiving the brunt of GOP frustration. Republicans on Wednesday seized on Reid’s comment that the war was “lost.” Reid told reporters last week that he believed strides in Iraq could only be made on the military, political and diplomatic front.

NOW it’s personal. It’s personal to point out the fact that Reid, whether intentionally or not, is supporting the enemy and harming our troops. Not just their morale, but continually giving the enemy PR victories and encouraging them to continue fighting. Pointing that out is “personal.” But in the same article, Reid calls Vice-President Cheney “the administration’s chief attack dog.” That’s not personal? Reid won’t even acknowledge what he did and apologize.

This isn’t about getting a scalp in exchange for Lott’s. I’m no fan of Trent “damn tired of those porkbusters” Lott, even if I did think it was ridiculous for him to resign. Lott’s behavior since Katrina has been abominable. But Reid should go. He won’t go on his own, and it’s unlikely enough pressure can be mounted to force him, but he ought to go - and his parting speech ought to be a heartfelt apology to the troops whose lives he endangers with his partisan rhetoric. But it’s not going to happen, because Republicans don’t have the backbone to make it happen. They never saw fit to investigate Reid’s dicey real estate windfall that he hid from Congress. They have no interest in investigating Diane Feinsteins shuttling money to her husband via military contracts. If they won’t investigate potential crimes, there’s no reason to think they will hold the Democrats to account on moral issues.

A pox on both their houses.

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