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Where is McCain on Slavery Apology?
By Tommy ChristopherApr 7th 2008 7:30PM
Filed Under:eSam Brownback, Republicans, John McCain, 2008 President
While researching a story this weekend, "McCain Learning Curve; MLK, Rebel Flag, Slavery," I was reminded of a bit of campaigning that McCain had done in October of 2007:
Senator and GOP candidate for president John McCain told The Examiner Wednesday that he supports a planned resolution by fellow GOP Senator Sam Brownback to apologize for slavery. Presumably, McCain was too busy helping Brownback draft the resolution to show up to the candidates' forum at historically black Morgan State University in September.Since I wondered at the time whether McCain was just pandering, or was he really behind the measure, I thought now would be a good time to find out what ever happened with the bill. The most recent news report, from February 27, 2008, has Brownback and Iowa Senator Tom Harkin set to introduce the measure this Spring:
From the same article:
"They were federal policies," Brownback told the Boston Globe on Monday. "They were wrong. The only way for us to move forward . . . is at the end of the day acknowledging those, taking ownership for it, and asking for forgiveness."
So far, they have 14 Senate backers, including Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. A similar House measure introduced last year has 120 co-sponsors.After the jump, where is McCain now on this issue?
I contacted the McCain campaign early this morning for a comment on this article, intending only to update my story from Saturday. I was referred to the legislative office, then back to the campaign, and back to the legislative office again. Since the bill has not been introduced yet, the legislative office says they are unable to explain why Senator McCain supported the measure in October, but was silent in February.
I called the campaign office again several times this evening, and a McCain staffer said, "We're going to go with 'No comment."
Whether or not a Senate apology for slavery amounts to a hill of beans is a separate question. John McCain gave a speech Friday in which he asked to be credited for having evolved in his view on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, and to have his late support for the day taken sincerely. At issue here, then, is the substance of that sincerity.
If John McCain was sincere in October, why was he not counted among the 14 Senators in February who backed Brownback's proposal? It is a fair question which he has apparently decided not to answer.
For the sake of context, I am reprinting, below, the full content of Saturday's story.
McCain Learning Curve; MLK, Rebel Flag, Slavery
After stories by David Knowles and Caleb Howe on Republican Presidential candidate John McCain's awakening on the subject of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, which he voted against even as Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich voted for it. I was put in mind of several of the candidate's other epiphanies. Caleb called for forgiveness in his article, a reasonable request, to be sure.
Forgiveness is not something that even requires the trespasser to ask for it. Even so, many will judge McCain by the sincerity of his regret. I am willing to take him at face value for purposes of this discussion, although the video below may make it seem otherwise.
Even if McCain is to be forgiven his opposition to the King holiday, does that mean he will be ready, on day one, to take this country away from the path that 81% of Americans say is in the wrong direction? Although he may or may not have had a sincere change of heart, can America afford to have a president that's always this slow on the uptake, this late to the party?
My colleague, David Knowles, correctly points out that McCain was 47 in 1983, the year he voted against the King holiday. He makes a good case that McCain's excuse that he didn't know enough about King at the time strains credibility. The fact that he didn't support the holiday until 1990, that would make him 54, completely collapses it.
In 1990, Arizonans were given an opportunity to vote to observe an MLK holiday. McCain successfully appealed to former President Ronald Reagan to support the holiday. In a letter to voters, Reagan wrote that he hoped Arizonans would "join me in supporting a holiday to commemorate these ideals to which Dr. King dedicated his life."Better late than never, I suppose, but does it speak well of his ability to lead on current issues? Well, maybe he kept up with the class on the Confederate Flag.
That's great! He even came through again this year, taking heat for this bold stand:
McCain said he "could not be more proud of the majority of the people of this state" who agreed the flag should be removed. Although the questioner, who identified himself as John William Hill, 51, of Charleston, got some scattered applause for his question, McCain's response produced a wave of applause that drowned out further comments from his critic.That's not the same thing as denouncing the flag. He's saying he's proud of the people's decision. Still, let's give him that, we'll mark McCain's "Road to Damascus" moment re: the Confederate Flag at 2002, 2 years after he stopped saying "gook" in public, but 5 years before he retired "tar baby".
Later, McCain told reporters, "I believe the issue has been resolved in the minds of the overwhelming majority of the people of South Carolina. You can tell from the crowd reaction. They don't want it reopened."
What about the issue of slavery? Well, I am proud to report that John McCain didn't just talk about slavery, he took action. In 2007.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Wednesday the Senate should apologize for slavery and segregation, calling them "dark chapters in our history."Perhaps work on this important bill is what caused the "scheduling conflict" that kept him from showing up to the candidates' forum at historically black Morgan State University in September.
As it turns out, McCain may be ahead of the curve, or at least of state and national politicians. To date, only 6 states have apologized for slavery, and the US Senate has not. In fact, I was unable to locate any proposed bill based on McCain's courageous call to action last October. Still, assuming this was sincere, and not a toothless pander, that puts his awakening on slavery at 137 years in the making.
It's nice to know that, even at age 71, John McCain is still teachable, but it is little comfort for those of us looking for a president to lead us somewhere besides the wrong war.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 7)Pukie8:15PMApr 7th 2008
Come on people. Let's not beat this slavery issue to death and resurrect it over and over again. Black people - get over it already. You are here, and admit you would have it no other way. Now move on and get over yourselves. You are no better or worse than any other emmigrant.
Teacher8:17PMApr 7th 2008
If the U.S. is to apologize for slavery, then so should Spain, England, Portugal, The Ivory Coast and the other West African countries who sold their brothers and sisters into slavery.
Ron Jones8:18PMApr 7th 2008
John McCain owes no apology for slavery, period.
jr8:21PMApr 7th 2008
Why the hell do we have to apologise for slavery...........we weren't here then. The blacks that are alive now weren't slaves...........get over it.
When do the white people get White Month....White College............White anything !
richiehartmann8:21PMApr 7th 2008
why the hell should he apoligize for salvery...he/we had nothing to do with it....and nobody alive was a slaveeee...stop playing the victim card!!!!
Victor8:30PMApr 7th 2008
We should not be apologizing for having slavery in this country. We should be congratulated for having done away with it as quickly as we did. There are countries that had it both before and after the USA.
Georgia8:32PMApr 7th 2008
This is so ridiculous! Slavery ended 150+ years ago. As long as this garbage keeps up, we will never have unity among the races. Most of us who are in this country except for native Americans, had mistreatment in some other country. We move on. The blacks must do that!
Plain ole citizen8:33PMApr 7th 2008
Who gives a crap about the slavery apology, thats long over with. If you really want to do it right, try an apology to the American Indian. In fact the best thing we could do, is give the land back to them. At least when they were in control, there were no taxes, the women worked, they gave back to mother nature and took only what they needed.
KMD8:43PMApr 7th 2008
I don't see the blacks apologizing for segrating the 103 current black only colleges in the U.S.
I don't hear black political public servants complaining that they are a slave to their public.
The blacks are the only nationality that constantly whines and blames their history on others when they want something for nothing. More time is wasted in sowing self pity and working the public and the system, than actually working.
RPett;y39418:47PMApr 7th 2008
We have enough current issues with bring Slavery in as a problem. Everybody to day was not here 150yrs ago. The fact thing are not the same as 50yrs ago.
Half my family Ancesters were in Norway. Don't we have Enough problems today. Us History salve are problem NOT cause Problem You can not look back Correct TODAY NOT YESTERDAY....
John8:47PMApr 7th 2008
Let's apologize to the Mexicans for taking their land (from Texas on West to California) and shipping them off to Mexico after the theft, and the Chinese for using them for slave labor when building the railroad and putting them in camps and the native Americans while we're at it for everything too!
Raymond Petty8:50PMApr 7th 2008
Come on be serious we have enough problems to day with creating more with the past..All of us were not here 150yrs ago not even my family who were in Europe. Not even African or African American. Did you know there were far more salves in South America?
URKiddinMee8:54PMApr 7th 2008
APOLOGY FOR SLAVERY!?!? I knew McCain was OLD, but I didn't think he was old enough to have owned slaves!
What a crock of chit! "Affirmative Action" has MORE than made up for any wrongs of 200 years ago. The most maligned, discriminated-against segment of the population today is the middle-aged, white working male.
Obama is capitalizing on the collective guilt of leftist whites. To not vote for Obama, in THEIR minds, is to be racist. Obama is a far left, socialist, inexperienced LIAR! THAT'S why I won't vote for him. It has nothing to do with his color. I'd vote for Colin Powell in a New York minute.
big dad8:55PMApr 7th 2008
No, on apology for slavery,we've been blamed long enough.Obama is no different than Ted Kenndy.It's pay back time for America.
justincase9:00PMApr 7th 2008
I'll apologize in person to any slave who was alive in the 1860's when white folks in this country fought a five year war to free the slaves. I also challenge any man who held slaves during this era to beg for forgiveness. I think, though, that all American slaves and slaveholders were dead by the time the Civil Rights Amendement was passed in the 60's by a bunch of old white men. I'll still not sure exacly how these two monunmental steps forward for African Americans work into how whitey is trying to keep the black man down, but I'm sure someone here at the Huffington Post has a "reasonable" answer. I'm also awaiting apologies from Rev. Al, Rev. Jesse and Calipso Louie for the insults they have hurled toward my proud people, you know, those dirty dog white people and the hooked nose Jew(classy words from "religious leaders" don't you think). Were aproaching the 150 year anniversary of the end of slavery in this country. I think the statute of limitations has ran out for mandatory apologies.
Demanding respect is not the way to bring people to your cause.
Gil Davis9:01PMApr 7th 2008
I don't hold out much hope for turning any page and moving on with the progress of the human race in our nation until the leadership of the black community takes the lead by insisting that episode of American history be put behind them. Not doing so holds their race in bondage to a past that cannot be changed. Not doing so fosters a smoldering seed of hate that does nothing to advance their cause in the present, or in the future. For as long as a person looks behind they will stumble trying to move ahead.
Dr. King was right. The time has come for everyone to be judged "...not on the color of their skin but on the content of their character."
Let’s all move on.
Gonzo9:04PMApr 7th 2008
APOLOGY!? Ok, here's an apology. I'm sorry the ancestors of the Zulu, Watusi and Ashanti tribes killed, captured and sold your ancestors from the Khoi Khoi, Bobo & Hutu tribes, stole their children and raped their women. Why not go ask THEIR descendants for "reparations" and see what happens next?
Tommy Christopher9:07PMApr 7th 2008
A lot of you are asking "Why bring up slavery now?" or words to that effect. If you read the article, you will see that it was John McCain who brought it up in October, not Senator Obama
Debbie9:07PMApr 7th 2008
What would an apology really do? The blacks who are looking for someone or something to blame will continue to do so. The white and black racist will still be racist.
I think the black graduates from Prinston who chose not to answer Michelle's questionairfor her thesis did so because they want to move on and make the most of their lives,despite the past.
I think it is wrong to enslave or mistreat anyone and I wish it never happened.But as any psychologist will tell you the past is over and to obssess about it is distructive to the future.
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NotSoFast8:13PMApr 7th 2008
McCain has lost touch with reality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06hR2EGpl4o
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2008/04/04/opinions/opinions03.txt