‘Nevertheless, she persisted’

.

A Fraught Session

“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” —Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, explaining why he cut off Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s speech during a Senate floor debate on the nomination of Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general. See Amy Wang, reporter, “‘Nevertheless, she persisted’ becomes new battle cry after McConnell silences Warren,” The Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2017

“Anyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts. Mr. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters. For this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship.” —Coretta Scott King’s 1986 letter to then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Strom Thurmond, on Jeff Sessions’ nomination to be a federal judge in Alabama. See “This Is the Coretta Scott King Letter That Elizabeth Warren Was Prevented From Reading in the Senate,” Time, Feb. 8, 2017.

“I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate.” —Elizabeth Warren, who was then evicted from the Senate. See Warren video in Amy Wang, reporter, “‘Nevertheless, she persisted’ becomes new battle cry after McConnell silences Warren,” The Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2017

“I’ve been red-carded on Sen. Jeff Sessions. I’m out of the game.”—Elizabeth Warren to Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, Jan. 7, 2017 URL







• Editorial Comment: Since when does reading a letter from a civil rights icon justify curbing the First Amendment rights of a U.S. senator while performing her job on the Senate floor? Sad. 


PeezPix by Ted Pease 
 

What an Ass












Get TODAY'S WORD ON JOURNALISM in your email every weekday morning during WORD season. This is a free “service” sent to the 2,000,000 or so misguided subscribers around the planet. If you have recovered from whatever led you to subscribe and don’t want it anymore, send “unsubscribe” to ted.pease@gmail.com. Or if you want to afflict someone else, send me the email address and watch the fun begin. (Disclaimer: I just quote ’em, I don’t necessarily endorse ’em. But all contain at least a kernel of insight. Don’t shoot the messenger.) #tedsword
 
Ted Pease, Professor of Interesting Stuff, Trinidad, California. (Be)Friend The WORD

“Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” —Tom Stoppard