1) Strom Thurmond ran for President. He ran for President on a platform with the main pillar of maintaining racial segregation.

2) Trent Lott made remarks at Lott’s birthday party that stated, in no uncertain terms, that Thurmond enjoyed his support when Thurmond ran, and that Thurmond should have been elected. Lott was rightly censured and suffered numerous political consequences for saying such things forty years after the Civil Rights Act tried to make it clear how stupid and ugly racism is.

3) Lott agreed he shouldn’t have said what he said.

4) Gordon Smith asked for an apology.

5) Today, Gordon Smith says that Lott shouldn’t have suffered the consequences he suffered. That is, Gordon Smith thinks Lott’s comments were defensible.

If you think that Lott’s comments, which amount to “If we’d elected a segregationist back then, we wouldn’t have ‘all these problems’ now” are defensible, then you’re racist as hell.

I said I don’t recall seeing Smith saying “I hate black people” or noting that he agrees with Lott. Just like Oliver, don’t quote just say what your race-baiting mind sees.

There’s lots more about his record at StopGordonSmith.com (from the Democratic Party of Oregon.)

I’d also like to draw your readers’ attention to the Democrats who are running against him.

I’m supporting Jeff Merkley, Oregon’s Speaker of the House. He led the Democrats to a majority in 2006, after 16 years in the minority.

As Speaker, Merkley held together a one-vote 31-29 majority, and achieved the most progressive session in Oregon in 30 years.

This all happened in 2007:

• A 22% increase in university budgets
• A $6.245 billion K-12 education budget, an 18% increase
• Guaranteed sexual assault victims access to emergency contraceptives
• Domestic partnerships for gays & lesbians
• Majority signup for unions (”card check”)
• 25% renewable energy standard by 2025
• A 36% cap on predatory payday loans (down from 528% average)
• A biofuels incentive package
• Established a rainy day fund for the state budget
• Sent the voters a fix for Measure 37 that protects housing rights while stopping Wal-Mart
• Expansion of the Oregon Bottle Bill to include water bottles (~125 million/year)
• Guaranteed coverage for contraceptives in health insurance
• Employment non-discrimination for sexual orientation
• Free speech and free press rights for student media
• 3200 more children in Head Start
• Sent the voters a cigarette tax to fund health care for all kids
• Expanded the prescription drug purchasing pool
• Started the ball rolling toward universal health care in 2009
• An extensive identity theft protection law
• 100 new state troopers; 15 new forensic scientists
• The internet predator act
• An e-waste recycling program
• A 17% pay raise for Oregon’s judges (who were lowest-paid in the nation)
• Restored the “Rule of 31″ to the Oregon House; encouraging bipartisan cooperation
• Referred to voters a repeal of the “double majority” rule
• A wide-ranging and strict ethics package for all public officials
• Reform of the initiative process that boosts grassroots organizing, while regulating mercenaries

…and it all happened because Merkley led the Democrats to victory in 2006. Learn more about Jeff Merkley here.

The other Democrat who shouldn’t be ignored is Steve Novick. He’s been an activist and consultant to various Democratic campaigns and officials over the years. He’s also an excellent progressive and a good friend of mine.

[Full disclosure: My company hosts StopGordonSmith.com, OregonHouseDemocrats.com, and JeffMerkley.com. I speak here only for myself.]