Sanford: ‘Discriminatory, exclusionary ignorance’ is Republican DEI
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., speaks during a television news interview at the Capitol in Washington June 14. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP file)
Otis Sanford
Otis Sanford is professor emeritus of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Memphis and political commentator for WATN-TV ABC24 News. Contact him at o.sanford@memphis.edu.
Now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the presidential race and the old shoe is on the other foot, Republicans suddenly must alter how they plan to attack the opposition in the bid for the presidency.
And a congressman from East Tennessee appears ready to lead the way — except his method is steeped in racism, sexism and ignorance and it promises to make the Republican Party of 2024 look more like the party of 1964.
The congressman in question is Tim Burchett, who represents Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers communities in and around Knoxville. No doubt most Memphians either have never heard of Burchett or know little about the three-term U.S. House member who hails from the Gibbs community and once served as Knox County mayor.
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