[aguaviva]

an ex-KKK member

In the 1940s. Mentioning this, but the fact he would publicly denounce the Klan by the end of the decade, and spend the rest of his life profusely apologizing for having been so stupid as a younger person -- is just smear, basically.

  Byrd later called joining the KKK "the greatest mistake I ever made".  In his last autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a KKK member because he "was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision — a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions".[37] Byrd also said in 2005, "I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times … and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened".

[paulddraper]

So people can change their viewpoints from their youth?

[rdtsc]

Now imagine a politician from a political party we don’t like, apologized publicly about it. Would you believe them?

As an example if Vance apologized for being in the KKK, how eager would we be to forgive him?

[aguaviva]

If they're a full-on toady windbag like Vance, it doesn't matter which party they're from.

[consteval]

Not very, because Vance isn't very old. When was he in the KKK? It would be very unusual to be in the KKK in, say, 1995. Someone would have to be extremely committed to white supremacist ideology to be in such a position, I would think.

[fifilura]

Still pushing stories about Haitians and cats?

Probably not. Even if - as in this case - it was 30-50 years later. (That Biden said kind words about Byrd)