The View From Mississippi

The Jackson (Miss.) Clarion Ledger has a very interesting article today comparing Trent Lott with the other Republican Senator from Miss., Thad Cochran. The comparison is not flattering to Lott. Some excerpts:

“Cochran is an effective crossover senator. He comes to black organizations” and supports their initiatives, such as the Jackson Medical Mall, Jackson State University political scientist Leslie B. McLemore said. Cochran is an advocate of Head Start, Mississippi’s historically black colleges and universities, and health care programs in the African-American community.

“Cochran has made it one of his primary issues to identify federal dollars for black organizations,” McLemore said. “And Lott has not.”

Being able to successfully appeal across racial lines is a must for any Southern politician today, from Lott on down.

“It’s important in the South and an absolute necessity in Mississippi,” said Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute at Mississippi State University. “This state won’t get anywhere without both sides pulling together.”

Cochran has done a much better job handling the politics of race than Lott, Wiseman said.

….

Cochran received 32 percent of the black vote in 1996; In Lott’s last race, in 2000, he picked up 11 percent of the black vote.

The more I learn of Lott, the less respect I have for his colleagues who elected him majority leader in the first place. And if they keep him now, they deserve him.

Say What?