July 1, 2002

1:20 PM

Rep. J.C. Watts to Retire.The only Black Republican in Congress is retiring to spend time with his family. Dems say they have a shot at winning his seat, and hopefully, the House. Republicans are already vying for his #4 position in the House. I'm giddy already.
posted by jennak (27 comments total)

Watts to "Spend More Time with his Family"
posted by ColdChef at 1:29 PM on July 1, 2002

Come on Democrats!
posted by dreamsbay at 1:30 PM on July 1, 2002

eh, Watts was always an embarassment to me (as an oklahoman, not a repub or a black person). He's about as verbose as a drunken turtle. Further proof that a football hero does not a politican make.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:37 PM on July 1, 2002

I started to make a snarky comment, but that made me think. Assuming you know who they are and something of their record, is there anyone here who would get up to defend the record and character of his or her elected representatives or senators (U.S. MeFi only on this one, apologies to the rest of you)? Anyone who feels that they do an outstanding job and are decent, ethical human beings? This goes beyond who you would vote for, which introduces other considerations. Public oversight is the last check in a representative democracy. We frequently damn and deride members of Congress for their errors, their partisanship, their ignorance, and their greed. But of those few we have chosen to represent the interests of us many, are there any doing it consistently and demonstrably well?
posted by rushmc at 1:38 PM on July 1, 2002

Why would you root for the Democrats?
posted by insomnyuk at 1:40 PM on July 1, 2002

"But of those few we have chosen to represent the interests of us many, are there any doing it consistently and demonstrably well?"

I nominate Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich. Principled, experienced, fair, but not a mushy-headed capital L Liberal.
posted by pardonyou? at 1:50 PM on July 1, 2002

rushmc: j.c. watts pitched himself as a conservative republican and i think his voting record speaks (acu) for itself (aclu).

the guy consistently did what he was voted in for. i don't care for his politics, but you can't argue that he misrepresentated how he planned to approach the job.

as for character, he's a moralizer, so of course he has an out of wedlock child in his background. he was also tied to some funny goings on at the oklahoma corporation commission before becoming a representative and some minor shadiness with taxes/liens. i'm pretty sure he was officially cleared. i think he's about as clean as you reasonably expect someone to be.
posted by lescour at 2:35 PM on July 1, 2002

Anyone who feels that they do an outstanding job and are decent, ethical human beings?

I think my old Senator, Connie Mack, was an outstanding human being and that rarest of creatures, the honest politician. Disclaimer: I did work for him briefly.

ColdChef: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Adam is wrong, dead wrong, about Watts running for Governor. If he was going to do that, he'd have to announce it in the next nine days. Unlikely that he would have passed up that opportunity now.

Also, running for governor means taking on his former colleague and friend, Steve Largent, in the Republican primary. Watts is too smart to do that - Largent already has a large head start and who wants the partisan infighting?
posted by mikewas at 3:25 PM on July 1, 2002

Despite Bush's approval rating, despite the recent judicial rulings, I really do think that the Dems have a chance to take the house this cycle.

An aside -- I've always kind of wondered whether Watts was the Republican golden child because he is Black ("Look! We're diverse too!") or because he pretty much follows the line set out by Lott & Armey.
posted by jennak at 3:27 PM on July 1, 2002

And also, for only the second time in my life, I'm going to back up mikewas and say that -- *gasp!* -- I agree with him. If he was going to run for governor, he would have bowed out differently, IMO.
posted by jennak at 3:28 PM on July 1, 2002

jennak: Light is both a particle and a wave.

The answer on Watts? Both.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 4:07 PM on July 1, 2002

good god, if Watts ran for governor, i'd have to call off my planned combined Ninja Cheerleader and Commando Nun assault on Largent's campaign office, which is about 1000 feet from my apartment. i think i'd actually campaign for Largent (but only through the primaries, of course).

/cheer Watts. you made a good decision, bub.
posted by tolkhan at 4:08 PM on July 1, 2002

"...is there anyone here who would get up to defend the record and character of his or her elected representatives or senators...?"

Feinstein and Boxer? You're joking, right? Pelosi? *shudder* Lee's okay, hardly outstanding.

If most of these folks are representing my interests, then I must be a large national corporation with a profit base to protect. Funny, it didn't look that way in the mirror this morning!
posted by majick at 4:18 PM on July 1, 2002

Despite Bush's approval rating, despite the recent judicial rulings, I really do think that the Dems have a chance to take the house this cycle.

Oh, Jenn. Sometimes you just make me laugh and laugh and laugh.
posted by ljromanoff at 5:42 PM on July 1, 2002

is there anyone here who would get up to defend the record and character of his or her elected representatives or senators

My rep Jan Schakowsky is extraordinary. She doesn't do everything I tell her but she is pretty compatitible with my views. I do admit she's one the few politicians I do feel positive towards. No, she's not flawless but she beats the pants off most others in the political machine/game.

Your ideology may vary.

Homepage

ACLU scorecard
posted by skallas at 6:17 PM on July 1, 2002

My rep, Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), has never cast a vote on the floor of the House that I've disagreed with. Not even once.
posted by GriffX at 6:41 PM on July 1, 2002

Despite Bush's approval rating, despite the recent judicial rulings, I really do think that the Dems have a chance to take the house this cycle.

Oh, Jenn. Sometimes you just make me laugh and laugh and laugh.

Seriously, though. With the demographic shift from the 2000 census now in effect, the Democrats have lost 10 seats, perhaps more, as populations have grown in strongly Republican regions and shrank in strongly Democratic ones. Therefore, the Dems are behind even if everything since 2000 had remained equal, which it has not. The Democrats may be able to hold the Senate, but there's no chance they will win back the House in 2002. I think the best that they could hope for is a 2004 win if, say, Bush is caught in a cocaine and hookers binge on the White House lawn with his two daughters.

But that seems somewhat unlikely.

As for me, my congressman is a Kennedy. That's about all I need to say about that.
posted by ljromanoff at 6:43 PM on July 1, 2002

Well, I kinda like John McCain
posted by delmoi at 10:22 PM on July 1, 2002

Hee hee, pretty funny, Griffx. Non-D.C.-ites should know that Norton can't vote in the House. If only it were true for the rest of them.
posted by mediareport at 10:08 AM on July 2, 2002

Hee hee, pretty funny, Griffx. Non-D.C.-ites should know that Norton can't vote in the House. If only it were true for the rest of them.

You know, not all of us need the jokes spelled out for us like we're idiots.
posted by ljromanoff at 11:04 AM on July 2, 2002

You know, not all of us need the jokes spelled out for us like we're idiots.

Just the ones that don't appreciate having a Kennedy represent them in Congress perhaps? Leave mediareport alone you insensitive clod. Go back to free republic or something.
posted by nofundy at 11:54 AM on July 2, 2002

Just the ones that don't appreciate having a Kennedy represent them in Congress perhaps?

Appreciate? AHAHAHAHA. Now that's funny.

Leave mediareport alone you insensitive clod. Go back to free republic or something.

Sorry I offended your delicate sensibilities, larouchefundy.
posted by ljromanoff at 12:07 PM on July 2, 2002

Oh, Lance. Sometimes you make me laugh and laugh and laugh. What, you couldn't think of a real comeback?
posted by jennak at 12:52 PM on July 2, 2002

Oh, Lance. Sometimes you make me laugh and laugh and laugh. What, you couldn't think of a real comeback?

Hey, I thought Washington DC was built on a swamp, not on rolling hi.....

Never mind. The people would have to have vistied your web site to truly appreciate that.
posted by ljromanoff at 12:53 PM on July 2, 2002

Watt's father summed it all up quite nicely. To paraphrase:

"A black man voting publican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."

If the publicans really wanted to be inclusive, not just for the video spot, then they would renounce theri affiliations with the CCC, the KKK and all the right wing nut groups that advocate violence and hatred (like Fats Limbaugh.)

And ljr, name calling so becomes you, it shows your true colors!
posted by nofundy at 6:43 AM on July 3, 2002

And ljr, name calling so becomes you, it shows your true colors!

Boy, the hypocrisy of this statement just reeks. Not that I'm surprised.
posted by ljromanoff at 8:05 AM on July 3, 2002

If the publicans really wanted to be inclusive, not just for the video spot, then they would renounce theri affiliations with the CCC, the KKK

Yeah, those wacky Republicans with one of their most senior members a former Klansman.

Oh, wait, that's the Democrats. Sorry.
posted by ljromanoff at 10:40 AM on July 3, 2002