THUMB AWARD WHITE FLIGHT?

Thumbs down to Gov. Mark White for waffling on the Peyton McKnight ethnic slurs affair. Former State Sen. McKnight had been tabbed by White to fill a vacancy on the Public Safety Committee. Then, at a charity roast, McKnight jokingly referred to his longtime friend, Dallas Rep. Paul Ragsdale, as a “nigger.” Several people left, offended by the slur; White stayed and laughed and talked with McKnight after the affair. Almost three weeks later, the remarks became public, a firestorm of criticism was ignited, and White withdrew McKnight’s appointment. If White truly felt the remarks were reprehensible, he should have made his stand that night-not when the winds of public opinion shifted against him.