Rangel: ‘Hard to Distinguish’ Between Tea Party, Anti-Civil Rights Dixiecrats

Rangel: ‘Hard to Distinguish’ Between Tea Party, Anti-Civil Rights Dixiecrats (Mediaite)

Congressman Charlie Rangel talked about the anniversary of the Civil Rights Act on Hardballtonight, and he argued that modern-day tea partiers speaking out against the Obama administration have rather a lot in common with the Dixiecrats back in the 1960s who were very outspoken in their opposition to civil rights.

Steve Kornacki asked if the Civil Rights Act could not get passed if it were going through the modern-day Congress. Rangel didn’t say directly, but he did note how the Dixiecrats who hated LBJ and civil rights jumped ship to the GOP after the iconic legislation was passed.