“Just like, really, with the Voting Rights Act, Republicans have some fundamental philosophical difficulties with the whole notion of Equal Protection.”

February 1, 2006 2:31 PM

“Just like, really, with the Voting Rights Act, Republicans have some fundamental philosophical difficulties with the whole notion of Equal Protection.” Ben Ginsberg, who was Chief Counsel for both Bush campaigns, dropped this gem in a speech at Duke Law School. The quote was made in the context of a discussion of Bush v. Gore and the Florida recount. (link is video, quote comes around 38:30).
posted by expriest (26 comments total)

Do you really expect us to download and watch this thing? How about a transcript, at least of the relevant parts?
posted by caddis at 2:41 PM on February 1, 2006

What's so tough? I clicked the link, dragged the slider to about 37:00 and watched the clip.
posted by stenseng at 2:45 PM on February 1, 2006

So then what was the quote?
posted by caddis at 2:54 PM on February 1, 2006

Surely, something about gays or negros.
posted by Witty at 2:56 PM on February 1, 2006

well, he's right.
posted by wakko at 3:04 PM on February 1, 2006

and, of course, witty brings his tiresome pseudo-humor to the table.
posted by wakko at 3:04 PM on February 1, 2006

Nice, taking the quote of of context, and all.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 3:05 PM on February 1, 2006

well, now they have the Supreme Court: they'll eliminate that whole pesky voting thing, and that pesky rights and protections thing entirely.

That he can speak so unashamedly tells you all you need to know.
posted by amberglow at 3:06 PM on February 1, 2006

fifteen minutes waiting for this to load enough to see the 37 minute mark and still not there (and over a T3 line). meh.
posted by caddis at 3:07 PM on February 1, 2006

Well wakko, you can always scamper off to Meta where everyone can pat you on the back for being such a good little soldier. Now, what did you think about the quote?
posted by Witty at 3:11 PM on February 1, 2006

I kinda remember while listening to the Roberts senate hearings, that he had been involved in the re-instating of the Voting Rights Act in 1984 as White House Counsel. IIRC, there was some abstruse principle wherein the Reagan administration wanted to reword or drop a section that declared statutes that effected minority participation would be illegal, even if they were not intended to harm minorities. But then Coburn went on some 45 minute rant about how Science was opposed to abortion and I lost track of the whole argument.
posted by boaz at 3:15 PM on February 1, 2006

It is... strange and disorienting... to hear this thing you call... "truth"...
posted by mkultra at 3:25 PM on February 1, 2006

Democracy is dead. The future of the world is a police state.
posted by j-urb at 5:01 PM on February 1, 2006

Democracy is dead. The future of the world is a police state.
posted by j-urb at 5:01 PM PST on February 1 [!]

America /= world.
posted by mek at 5:33 PM on February 1, 2006

Police states are the new black.

What's this about America not being the world?
posted by Smedleyman at 6:00 PM on February 1, 2006

Wasn't equal protection part of the legal argument that put Bush into office in the first place?
posted by namespan at 6:14 PM on February 1, 2006

Yes, he's been against it all along.
posted by hank at 6:25 PM on February 1, 2006

America /= world

What, you think your gov't isn't reading from the same playbook? Perhaps you haven't been paying attention to recent developments.

...and that was before the recent election.
posted by aramaic at 6:40 PM on February 1, 2006

well, now they have the Supreme Court: they'll eliminate that whole pesky voting thing, and that pesky rights and protections thing entirely.

And should this actually happen, I'll be the first to publicly retract my next statement in any public forum that The Government chooses for you, but until then...

Please. Stop. Saying. Shit. Like. That.

It. Makes. Us. All. Look. Stupid.
posted by Cyrano at 8:35 PM on February 1, 2006

As do meaningful pauses indicated by periods.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:53 PM on February 1, 2006

I am reminded of a bumper sticker I once saw that said:

Please don't tell my mother I'm a lawyer.
She thinks I'm a piano player in a brothel.
posted by wsg at 12:37 AM on February 2, 2006

Well, Astro, it's better than Cyrano screaming it at the top of his keyboard...
posted by JB71 at 6:39 AM on February 2, 2006

This is no surprise, everyone knows George Bush doesn't like black people and the GOP "southern strategy" is all about racism.
posted by nofundy at 7:06 AM on February 2, 2006

It was like a Pinter play here for a moment.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:07 AM on February 2, 2006

So to bring this all back to focus:

The Chief Counsel for Bush campaigns says that Republicans have some problems with the Voting Rights Act, especially as regards equal protection.

Or, in short, the Republicans don't want fair voting.

Peachy.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:01 AM on February 2, 2006

What was it that Kanye said again?
posted by bardic at 12:28 PM on February 2, 2006