ConfirmThem

By AndrewHyman Posted in SCOTUS — Comments () / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Earlier today, Quin wrote a confirmthem post explaining some of his concerns about a Karen Williams nomination, in the event that a Supreme Court vacancy opens up. As usual, Quin's stuff is readable and interesting, but I do want to dispel his concern about the connection between Karen Williams and Strom Thurmond. Quin wrote:

[T]he line of attack will be incredibly easy for the MSM to buy into and amplify. What line of attack? Well, that she's just a protege of that racist, philandering, crazy old Strom Thurmond. Of course, ANYbody who came from S. Carolina for decades had to be okayed by Thurmond's staff, and that doesn't make somebody a protege of Thurmond much less responsible for his racial opinions from 1948.

If Williams had sympathized with the Thurmond campaign in 1948, then there would be cause for concern. But there's no hint of that. If the Democrats or the MSM try to slime Williams for a Thurmond connection, then there's a huge arsenal of stuff to fire back, and much of that arsenal can be found right here. Following are a few excerpts:

Sen. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my colleague from South Carolina and to wish him a happy 100th birthday. For the better part of the 20th century, STROM THURMOND devoted his life to public service, service to the people of South Carolina, service to his country in World War II, and service in the Senate.I want to take this moment to thank Senator Thurmond for supporting New York during this difficult year. In the wake of massive terrorist attacks, Senator Thurmond stood by the people of New York and the people of New York are grateful for his assistance as the city rebuilds. Today, it gives me great pleasure to honor STROM THURMOND and to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for all that he has done to improve the lives of the people he represents in South Carolina and every American. We are honored for his years of service and wish him a very happy birthday.

Sen. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am honored to join my colleagues in this tribute to Senator THURMOND and his extraordinary record of service to the people of South Carolina and the Nation.Over the years, many of us have often disagreed with him on specific issues, but we have always had great respect for his ability and dedication. Senator THURMOND has served our country with great dedication in the armed forces as well, from his early days as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve in 1924 to his outstanding service in the 82nd Airborne during World War II. He volunteered for service immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and piloted a glider onto the beaches at Normandy in 1944, earning five battle stars and numerous other medals for his courage in combat.

I have had the honor to serve for many years with Senator THURMOND on both the Armed Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee in the Senate, and we often worked together to meet the important challenges facing our Nation.I know that all of us in the Senate commend him, as he retires this year, for his long and distinguished service to the Senate and the Nation.

The Thurmond connection will not be a significant issue, if Williams is nominated, IMHO. These Senators said more glowing things about Thurmond than Williams ever did. It's a wonderful thing that Harry Truman defeated Strom Thurmond in 1948, but Thurmond really grew and improved in his later years. Just look at what else his Democratic colleagues said about him in 2002.