Now that the new GOP.com website is up (at least some of the time), I strolled over to visit based on Kos' note in the Midday Open Thread. And lo and behold! who do I see listed as a famous Republican? Ed Brooke, the former Senator from MA.
This is just so unbelievable - the stench from this hypocrisy can be smelled atop Mt. Everest. Follow me over the fold to see why.
Ed Brooke was the first African-American popularly elected to the United States Senate back in 1966. He was elected based on his fame in prosecuting the Boston Strangler case. He was re-elected in 1972 when Democrats in the state beat each other up and ran a terrible campaign.
I had never seen his quote from 2006 that they have up on the website, but it sums it up perfectly - in a Democratic state, the Republicans gave him 8 nominations for elected office, that's all he can say for the Republican party. Because here's the truth:
First and foremost, HE SUPPORTED ABORTION RIGHTS!
He was a champion of the Voting Rights Act, Title IX, and the EEOC.
He was a leader in passing the Fair Housing Act, including a 25% of income rent cap. He fought to retain the Job Corps, Medicaid, and later served as counsel for the Low Income Housing Coalition.
He fought for and got the Equal Credit Act, giving married women rights to their own credit
Today, Ed Brooke would no more get the Republican nomination for office than my dog. About the only thing Ed Brooke has in common with today's Republicans is that he screwed around on his wife too - with Barbara Walters, no less!
What a crock. I would bet that over half of the people they have up on the page wouldn't be Republicans today. Do they really believe that with their policies toward women Susan B. Anthony would be a Republican? With their policies towards minorities that any of the African-Americans there listed would be Republicans? It's laughable.
I guess what's really sad is that William F. Buckley, Nelson Rockefeller or any of the other truly intelligent and thoughtful Republicans aren't up there. As for me, I need a bath after just looking at the site.