Strom Thurmond

James Strom Thurmond (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to 1964 as a Democrat and from 1964 to 2003 as a Republican. He served as Senator through his 90s, and left office at age 100, as the longest-serving senator ever.

Lott controversy

Controversy ensued on December 5, 2002 when incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott remarked at Thurmond's 100th birthday party:

Related Topics:
December 5 - 2002 - Senate Majority Leader - Trent Lott

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:I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either.

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Lott shortly afterward made several public apologies for the statement, and said that it was said as an off-the-cuff compliment to Thurmond on his birthday and not an endorsement of any certain policy that Thurmond had supported 50 years previously, trying to separate his enthusiasm for Thurmond as a person from being construed as an unqualified endorsement of all of the policies which had been advocated by Thurmond in the past. Lott, who was slated to become Senate Majority Leader due to Republican gains in the 2002 elections, subsequently announced on December 20, 2002 that he would not run for the post as a result of the public furor created by his statements concerning Thurmond.

Related Topics:
Senate Majority Leader - December 20 - 2002

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