Behind the Anti-Lynching Resolution

We found it awfully interesting that, as of June 15th, it has taken the following Republican Senators as long as it has taken to co-sponsor the Senate Anti-Lynching Apology:

Alexander (R-TN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thomas (R-WY)

Note Hatch, who has tried to use his support of controversial conservative African Americans such as Janice Rogers Brown and Clarence Thomas as a way to wedge relations between the Black electorate and the Democratic Party. Most of the others on this list don't surprise us - why Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) continues to pander to her colleagues by labeling them as "supporters" when they clearly have not co-sponsored the resolution (either you sponsor it or not) speaks to the elite "buddy system" nature of the Senate.

There is a political agenda in the presentation of this resolution. For one, the Senate figures this will make amends for the recent filibuster flap. Two: Sen. George Allen (R-VA) also introduced this bill with Sen. Landrieu; the whisper is that he is currently mulling a Presidential bid in 2008 - hence, the outreach of symbolism is supposed to hold greater value for this conservative movement mouthpiece than those substantive items African Americans really care about. Three: Landrieu has to find some way to energize the Black vote in Louisiana following the Republican coup in last year's Senate race, where newly installed Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) replaced long-time Democratic icon and retired Louisiana political legend Sen. John Breaux. Somebody dropped the Democrat's ball in Louisiana ...