he said that the country would be better off if the 100 yo senator would have become president when he ran like 40 or 50 yrs ago (it was a private birthday party)..but the senator had a history of being a segregationist when he was a dem, of course (ch) ..but we don't know what policies of Thurman, Trent had in mind that would be better for the country..Thurman was also a fiscal conservative, strong foregn policy, etc..
but, of course, it was assumed, the worst..