On the campaign trail, Sen. Harris pays respect to Rep. Waters.

[Kind of Blue]

Link to tweet

[mcar]

1. Kick

[bigtree]

2. love Rep. Waters

...definitely an icon.

She's a giant in a branch of government which didn't have more than a handful of reps of color when I first took notice of that political body. A trailblazer.

[Kind of Blue]

4. Oh yeah, I remember them well.

The '90s, our first great set of trailblazers.

[bigtree]

6. extension of the voting rights act, census, redistricting

...Clarence Thomas in the deal after Bush vetoed the extension of the VRA 5 times.

Sen, Danforth, a republican and a good friend of Thomas, bought votes for the SC justice by agreeing to extend the Act, which, for the first time, included recognition of people with disabilities.

New census accepted in the bill, newly redrawn districts to include black communities drawn out of ancient maps; redistricting went through...right after that, the floodgates opened.


...that's my personal recollection. This interview nearly spells it out:

Danforth discusses his work with Kennedy on the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and other highlights from his Senate tenure.

...in the fall of 1991 two things were happening at once and they were the two biggest things in the Senate, and I was right in the middle of them. One was civil rights and one was Clarence Thomas. The people more or less allied with me on one issue would be against me on the other. It was really intense. That period of three months or so was, let’s say, interesting, and extremely nerve-racking with the Thomas thing. Very time-consuming.

But, on the other hand, if you’re in politics, you want to be in the middle of things, right? So I was in the middle of things.


Young: So there was the Kennedy of Bork vintage, with Clarence Thomas coming up, and there was the Kennedy of civil rights vintage of you working with him. That was quite a situation. Quite a situation.

more: https://www.emkinstitute.org/resources/john-danforth

[Kind of Blue]

9. This is great and thanks for the synopsis and links, bigtree.

I'm eager to dig in right now for a much fuller picture of those times.

[MoonRiver]

3. Two awesome women!

[Kind of Blue]

5. Yes, indeed. So heartwarming to see them there for each other.

[corbettkroehler]

7. Game Recognizes Game!

Congresswoman Water sets the bar, not just for women in Congress but all members of Congress. I can her comments in my head, as if she uttered them yesterday, aimed at those loonies threatening her life and the life of her staff.

[Kind of Blue]

10. Yes, Indeed. Queen meets Queen.

Rep. Waters sets the bar of clear thinking fearlessness, come what may. The other side never, ever gives up but we have many now following her leadership and the women in Congress who came before her.

[JI7]

8. has Waters endorsed Harris ?

[Kind of Blue]

11. Does it matter?