Matt Ortega

Congressman John Conyers (D-Detroit, Mich.) authored the bill to establish Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a federal holiday and spent 15 years to get it passed. (It was first introduced four days after Dr. King’s slaying.)

On the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Rep. Conyers was in Memphis, Tennessee and appeared on MSNBC where he spoke about the resolution and John McCain’s opposition to it in 1983, the year it was signed into law.

Rough transcript from Crooks & Liars:

Conyers: When John McCain was my colleague in the House and I introduced the Holiday bill, he voted against it in 1983…Now I believe in forgiveness, but it’s incredible that all he can do is show up on April 4th and think that everything is OK. We’re not just African Americans, but we’re most people.

Host: Rep. Conyers I think in all fairness we should say , perhaps you did not hear it but certainly John McCain did offer an apology for that first vote in 1983 when you did put forward that bill.

You had not heard that? He did make that apology sir so that he regretted voting that way back then.

Conyers: Yea, well look. I’m happy. That was in 1983, he didn’t make any apology, he didn’t make any apologies in 1987, so I guess I’m thrilled and forgiving that finally when he’s running for President he remembers to apologize. No, that’s great. (satirically)

Host: Well, he has done so today and perhaps you’ll take that as some sort of appeasement, but anyway…

Friday afternoon, Rep. Conyers penned a DailyKos diary about John McCain’s 25-year wait to apologize for his vote.