A Step Ahead

Watty was several years younger than George Wallace, the four-time gov'r who stood in the schoolhouse door.  From the looks of Watty's writings in his twenties and thirties, he was far to the right of Wallace!  He actually ran against Wallace for a delegate position to the Democratic National Convention...when Dixie Democrats were powerful.  I think he even ran against Wallace for a state senate seat.   Over the years, Watty became more socially liberal, but remained a hardliner on most conservative issues that became the principles of a new Republican party we see today.  In one of Watty's writings in the 60s, Watty talked about how he wished Southern whites would abandon the Democratic party in favor the Republican party, which is exactly what happened.  One of Watty's proteges, a very liberal professor and capital punishment expert, after reading Watty's statement, said, "Well, one thing you could say about Watt, he was a step ahead of everyone."  He did have a sharp political mind.....but his views and support most definitely were Republican up until he died.  The only exceptions: his views on homosexuality, evangelical Christianity and the death penalty.  Watt could not understand how his abolitionist death penalty friends could be pro-choice, for example.  To watt, life was life.