In my November 29 item, I noted that Carl Leubsdorf of the Dallas Daily News claimed that prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, "Republicans were using opposition to civil rights to woo the South from its century-long Democratic home." I responded that, contrary to Leubsdorf's claim, it was the GOP that overwhelmingly supported civil rights acts while a large percentage of Democrats opposed those acts.
Today, in a tribute to his "regular correspondents" (if one e-mail makes one a "regular correspondent," Mr. Leubsdorf must not receive much correspondence), Leubsdorf writes, "[Groenhagen] was correct that Republican support was essential in passing those bills. But my basic point about Southern Republicans also was correct, since in 1964, such prominent Republicans as Barry Goldwater and Texas Senate candidate George H.W. Bush attracted Southern votes by denouncing that bill."
Notice the switch there? In his original column, Leubsdorf did use the words "Southern" and "Republicans," but he did not use the words together, i.e., "Southern Republicans." His original "basic point" smeared the GOP in general.
In the Senate, only 69 percent of Democrats (46 for, 21 against) voted for the Civil Rights Act as compared to 82 percent of Republicans (27 for, 6 against). All southern Democrat senators voted against the act. The act's primary opposition came from the southern Democrats' 74-day filibuster.
In the House of Representatives, 61 percent of Democrats (152 for, 96 against) voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Ninety-two of the 103 southern Democrats voted against it. Among House Republicans, 80 percent (138 for, 34 against) voted for it.
Mr. Leubsdorf's most recent column only adds further evidence to my contention that he is a dishonest man.
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