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Senator Hollings was first elected to the US Senate in a special election in 1966 to fill the remaining term of Olin Johnston who died in 1965. He did not vote against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Like many of his era, he evolved with the times and can be credited with helping the state integrate schools more or less peacefully when compared to other states. He was a champion of education and helped to create the state's technical college system. He was also a fiscal conservative and author of Gramm Rudman Hollings which aimed to cut the federal deficit. Most importantly, while he had a razor sharp biting wit, he was one of the old line gentlemen politicians who valued service over self and could work across the aisle to get things done without resorting to the constant demonizing and division that we see today across the political spectrum. I had the pleasure of working for him for several years in both SC and DC many years ago and can honestly attest to his decency. We will miss him.
Thank you for correcting this thread. As a student in SC during his time as governor, I am proud and grateful for how he managed the difficult process of integration. He wasn't perfect, but he was an honorable statesman who put his state above his party, in a time when politicians still carried some semblance of dignity.
Hollings was witty, but his wit was more pointed than gentlemanly.
In a fight Sam Donaldson picked with him, inquiring where he got that "cheap suit".Hollings retorted "Sam, if you want to make it personal, I got this suit right down the street from where you got that wig"
Hollings was old school in the sense that he wanted the bacon sent to Washington.Then he would fight like hell to get SC more than its fair share.
Thank you for correcting this thread. As a student in SC during his time as governor, I am proud and grateful for how he managed the difficult process of integration. He wasn't perfect, but he was an honorable statesman who put his state above his party, in a time when politicians still carried some semblance of dignity.
As Governor of South Carolina, Ernest F. Hollings personally led the fight against lunch counter integration in his state. It seems Orwellian people are now describing him as a statesman. I've seen people even refer to him as a 'lion' today.
The New York Times reported that Hollings called a news conference on the subject where he "challenged President Eisenhower's contention that minorities had the right to engage in certain types of demonstrations" against segregation. Hollings told reporters at the press conference that Eisenhower was "confused" and had done "great damage to peace and good order" by supporting the rights of minorities to protest segregation at the lunch counters. (SOURCE: "Warning by Hollings." New York Times, March 17, 1960.)
My point was really about how the media covers things. The media for as long as I've been alive has had a lot of angst over the Confederate flag issue in SC but they never mention the flag went up when he was governor.
Looking over some of Holling's 'witty' quotes', I don't see how anybody can accurately argue he was more dignified than anybody else.
Hollings had to comply with the desegregation law. That wasn't a choice and he had supported segregation.
Last edited by ClemVegas; 04-06-2019 at 09:19 PM..
Somewhere in the mid 60's southern Democrats had to decide which side their bread was buttered on.Hollings decided to stay a Democrat and bend with the breeze.I'm sure he voted for McGovern in 72.He was a consummate political animal.
Personally, I'm waiting for the second coming of Barry Goldwater!
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