Changes

The only newspaper on the national level which gave any significant coverage was ''[[Newsweek]]'', which described the senator as "finally cut loose with his first unprovoked outburst of rabble rousing," and said of the overall lack of press attention, "Hardly a newspaper reported it."<ref name=fleegler,p.10/> However, the ''Newsweek'' article failed to mention Bilbo's praise of Nazi racial ideology.

The only newspaper on the national level which gave any significant coverage was ''[[Newsweek]]'', which described the senator as "finally cut loose with his first unprovoked outburst of rabble rousing," and said of the overall lack of press attention, "Hardly a newspaper reported it."<ref name=fleegler,p.10/> However, the ''Newsweek'' article failed to mention Bilbo's praise of Nazi racial ideology.

===1940s: re-election, furthered bigotry===

===1940s: reelection, furthered bigotry===

[[File:Harry Truman by Kempton.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Throughout his political career, [[Harry Truman]] was heavily entangled with and entrenched among racists including Bilbo.]]

[[File:Harry Truman by Kempton.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Throughout his political career, [[Harry Truman]] was heavily entangled with and entrenched among racists including Bilbo.]]

Bilbo ran for re-election in 1940 and won renomination in the Democratic primary over former governor Hugh White. After winning the general election, a member of the Roosevelt Administration congratulated his victory and regarded him "a real friend of [[liberal]] [[government]]."<ref>Morgan, Chester M. (1985). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Redneck_Liberal/f8_t3_Ss0_MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bilbo+real+friend+of+liberal+government&pg=PA229&printsec=frontcover Redneck Liberal: Theodore G. Bilbo and the New Deal], p. 229. ''Google Books''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In return, Bilbo boasted of being "100 percent for Roosevelt...and the [[New Deal]]."<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/a-history-of-liberal-white-racism-cont/275129/ A History of Liberal White Racism, Cont.] ''The Atlantic''. Retrieved September 14th, 2020.</ref> Despite his reputation as a notorious shrill demagogue, ''The New York Times'' referred to him as an "obscure member" of the Senate without mentioning his racial bigotry.<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism," pp. 11–12.</ref>

Bilbo ran for reelection in 1940 and won renomination in the Democratic primary over former governor Hugh White. After winning the general election, a member of the Roosevelt Administration congratulated his victory and regarded him "a real friend of [[liberal]] [[government]]."<ref>Morgan, Chester M. (1985). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Redneck_Liberal/f8_t3_Ss0_MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bilbo+real+friend+of+liberal+government&pg=PA229&printsec=frontcover Redneck Liberal: Theodore G. Bilbo and the New Deal], p. 229. ''Google Books''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In return, Bilbo boasted of being "100 percent for Roosevelt...and the [[New Deal]]."<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/a-history-of-liberal-white-racism-cont/275129/ A History of Liberal White Racism, Cont.] ''The Atlantic''. Retrieved September 14th, 2020.</ref> Despite his reputation as a notorious shrill demagogue, ''The New York Times'' referred to him as an "obscure member" of the Senate without mentioning his racial bigotry.<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism," pp. 11–12.</ref>

According to Fleegler:<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12/>

According to Fleegler:<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12/>

{{cquote|Bilbo’s racism did not seem to bother his fellow Democrats.|||"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, 1938–1947," p. 11.}}

{{cquote|Bilbo’s racism did not seem to bother his fellow Democrats.|||"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, 1938–1947," p. 11.}}

When Bilbo had just won Democratic renomination in 1940 during the primary, he bolstered the party establishment nationwide, campaigning in fifteen states. Bilbo gave a keynote address to the Young Democrats of New York, and speeches in [[Pennsylvania]] received the praise from the state's pro–New Deal senator Joe Guffey as being "tops among Southern statesman as a campaigner."<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12/> In [[Missouri]], Bilbo campaigned for—and was thanked by—the state's U.S. senator and future president [[Harry S. Truman]], who wrote after being re-elected: "Can’t thank you enough for what you did in Missouri."

When Bilbo had just won Democratic renomination in 1940 during the primary, he bolstered the party establishment nationwide, campaigning in fifteen states. Bilbo gave a keynote address to the Young Democrats of New York, and speeches in [[Pennsylvania]] received the praise from the state's pro–New Deal senator Joe Guffey as being "tops among Southern statesman as a campaigner."<ref name=fleegler,pp.11-12/> In [[Missouri]], Bilbo campaigned for—and was thanked by—the state's U.S. senator and future president [[Harry S. Truman]], who wrote after being reelected: "Can’t thank you enough for what you did in Missouri."

In late June 1945, Bilbo launched a three-hour long filibuster against appropriations for the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC), attacking Jews, "n*****s," and "white Gentiles."<ref>June 28, 1945. [https://www.jta.org/archive/mississippi-senator-attacks-jews-in-three-hour-speech-in-senate Mississippi Senator Attacks Jews in Three-hour Speech in Senate]. ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved June 16, 2023.</ref> The speech, which lambasted harmonious racial relations in the workplace, was prepared by his equally bigoted and vitriolic Mississippi colleague [[John E. Rankin]] of the state's 1st congressional district.

In late June 1945, Bilbo launched a three-hour long filibuster against appropriations for the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC), attacking Jews, "n*****s," and "white Gentiles."<ref>June 28, 1945. [https://www.jta.org/archive/mississippi-senator-attacks-jews-in-three-hour-speech-in-senate Mississippi Senator Attacks Jews in Three-hour Speech in Senate]. ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved June 16, 2023.</ref> The speech, which lambasted harmonious racial relations in the workplace, was prepared by his equally bigoted and vitriolic Mississippi colleague [[John E. Rankin]] of the state's 1st congressional district.

[[File:Allen Joseph Ellender.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Southern Democratic Sen. [[Allen Ellender]] defended Bilbo during the Senate investigation.]]

[[File:Allen Joseph Ellender.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Southern Democratic Sen. [[Allen Ellender]] defended Bilbo during the Senate investigation.]]

After being re-elected due to a violent campaign marked with rampant suppression and fraud, left-wing Idaho senator Glen H. Taylor requested an investigation of Bilbo's conduct by the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee.<ref name=fleegler,pp.21-22>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, pp. 21–22.</ref> The anti-Bilbo movement gained traction particularly after the Mississippi senator told ''[[Meet the Press]]'' in an interview where he admitted of [[Ku Klux Klan]] membership:<ref name=fleegler,pp.21-22/>

After being reelected due to a violent campaign marked with rampant suppression and fraud, left-wing Idaho senator Glen H. Taylor requested an investigation of Bilbo's conduct by the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee.<ref name=fleegler,pp.21-22>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, pp. 21–22.</ref> The anti-Bilbo movement gained traction particularly after the Mississippi senator told ''[[Meet the Press]]'' in an interview where he admitted of [[Ku Klux Klan]] membership:<ref name=fleegler,pp.21-22/>

{{cquote|No man can leave the Klan. He takes an oath not to do that. Once a Ku Klux, always a Ku Klux.|||Bilbo, August 9, 1946}}

{{cquote|No man can leave the Klan. He takes an oath not to do that. Once a Ku Klux, always a Ku Klux.|||Bilbo, August 9, 1946}}