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The Death Bed Confessions of a Boogie Man
Lee Atwater was a genius of dog-whistle politics, architect of the racist ‘Willie Horton’ campaign ad. But in the end he regretted it all.
Most people never knew how badly Lee Atwater was scarred during his childhood. Or if they did know, they forgot about it. What they remember is the bad stuff. And no wonder. His bad stuff was a Pandora’s Box, unleashing the evil Atwater is known for.
The infamous political operative died more than 30 years ago. But several pieces about him have cropped up during this neverending 2024 presidential campaign season. All of them conjure his bad stuff. All blame him for the fear-mongering and hateful tone of today’s political rhetoric. And he certainly deserves credit for that.
But no one talks about the childhood scarring. And no one remembers the deathbed confessions that went on for nearly a year as his physical strength and boyish looks deserted him.
It’s easy to pass judgment on Lee Atwater
But put yourself in his shoes for a moment. You are five years old when you witness something that will haunt you for the rest of your life. You wish you could not remember the moment your baby brother died one of the worst deaths imaginable. But you keep…
