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A history lesson *is* warranted. Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge were southern *conservatives*—as were other segregationists, in both parties.
As I've noted repeatedly, Southern Democrats were *absolutely* the champions of segregation for most of the 20th century.
But on segregation and civil rights, the first Southern Republicans of the modern era were virtually identical.
See this thread:
But on segregation and civil rights, the first Southern Republicans of the modern era were virtually identical.
See this thread:
To be clear, the point in all that isn't that Southern Republicans were "worse" than Southern Democrats on matters of civil rights, but rather that they were pretty much the same.
See here for more examples:
See here for more examples:
The vote on the 1964 Civil Rights Act is instructive.
Almost all of the Southern Democrats were opposed to it. But all the Southern Republicans were opposed to it too.
As you can see, region mattered more than party. Within the south, racial conservatism was bipartisan.
Almost all of the Southern Democrats were opposed to it. But all the Southern Republicans were opposed to it too.
As you can see, region mattered more than party. Within the south, racial conservatism was bipartisan.
Personally, I find Biden's jokes and stories -- about how warm and gracious Jim Eastland and Herman Talmadge were to him -- to be pretty awful.
(My first book was on segregation in Atlanta. The Talmadges -- Herman and his father Gene, both governors -- loom large in the story.)
(My first book was on segregation in Atlanta. The Talmadges -- Herman and his father Gene, both governors -- loom large in the story.)
Sen. Herman Talmadge (D-GA) was an outspoken, virulent segregationist as governor -- watch this interview below -- and he didn't get much better when he moved to the Senate.
It's hard to believe, but Sen. Jim Eastland (D-MS) was even worse.
These are not figures any politician should be reminiscing about.
But Biden's point was that he could make friends with people who didn't share his values.
They were in his caucus, as he noted, so it wasn't "bipartisanship." But working with them *was* an ideological stretch.
But Biden's point was that he could make friends with people who didn't share his values.
They were in his caucus, as he noted, so it wasn't "bipartisanship." But working with them *was* an ideological stretch.
Listen to the American Conservative Union (@ACUConservative), the conservative lobby which rated House and Senate members each year based on their votes.
Like the ADA ratings for liberals, these are a great gauge for how conservative a legislator was regarded at the time.
Like the ADA ratings for liberals, these are a great gauge for how conservative a legislator was regarded at the time.
Here are the ACU's Senate ratings for Biden's first year in office, 1973.
Eastland and Talmadge scored 77 and 76 (24th and 25th most conservative).
Meanwhile, Biden scored a 9 (74th most conservative, between Ted Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey).
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Eastland and Talmadge scored 77 and 76 (24th and 25th most conservative).
Meanwhile, Biden scored a 9 (74th most conservative, between Ted Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey).
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Here's 1974:
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Eastland is rated a 73, tied with Bob Dole; Talmadge slipped to a 43, a few spots below Bob Taft, "Mr. Republican."
Biden is a 6, tied with Ed Muskie. (The only people below them had zeroes.)
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Eastland is rated a 73, tied with Bob Dole; Talmadge slipped to a 43, a few spots below Bob Taft, "Mr. Republican."
Biden is a 6, tied with Ed Muskie. (The only people below them had zeroes.)
Here's 1975:
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Eastland is a 70, not far behind Bill Brock and James Buckley (brother of William F. Buckley Jr).
Talmadge closer to him again, at 63, tied with Howard Baker.
And Biden is creeping up to 19, but still pretty far away from them both.
acuratings.conservative.org/acu-federal-le…
Eastland is a 70, not far behind Bill Brock and James Buckley (brother of William F. Buckley Jr).
Talmadge closer to him again, at 63, tied with Howard Baker.
And Biden is creeping up to 19, but still pretty far away from them both.
Again, there's plenty to criticize about Biden's relationship with Eastland and Talmadge and other southern conservatives -- in *both* parties -- especially when it came to the decade's debates over busing, affirmative action, etc.
Here's one just now:
Here's one just now:
But, to be fair here, Biden's point -- that he worked with people with whom he ideologically disagreed -- is born out by the record.
Eastland and Talmadge were fellow Democrats, yes--but at the conservative end of the party's diverse caucus, while Biden was at the liberal one.
Eastland and Talmadge were fellow Democrats, yes--but at the conservative end of the party's diverse caucus, while Biden was at the liberal one.
