House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said Friday on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” that if Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) blocked the Democrats from changing the filibuster rules to pass voting rights, he should be condemned and likened to former Sen. Strom Thurmond, an opponent of the Civil Rights Movement.
Clyburn said, “I believe Joe Manchin is proud of his record in West Virginia and the country. I don’t believe he’d like to see that record sullied by going down in history as one who, out of tradition, set out to deny basic rights to American people. Now we’ve had that to happen in the past. Strom Thurmond, in 1957 set the filibuster record against a Civil Rights bill that wasn’t a bill. It was just a statement of policy. I don’t think Joe Manchin would want to see that for himself .”
Reid asked, “The King holiday is coming up. If, in fact, Joe Manchin does not budge and continues to stand by the filibuster and wrap his arms around that more than voting rights, is it not time for a Civil Rights group like the NAACP, for the groups that he’s going to be looking to to convene with on MLK day to do the annual thing politicians like to do — is it time for Civil Rights groups and organizations to condemn him as to being akin to a modern-day Strom Thurmond?”
Clyburn said, “No question. I have a long history in South Carolina. I knew Strom Thurmond well. We used to have desks next to each other when we worked state government together, and so that didn’t stop me from saying to Strom Thurmond you’re off base and need to reckon with the truth. I’ll say the same thing here. I’ll join with my colleagues in the NAACP and every other Civil Rights organization doing what is necessary to call these people out.”
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