TNR: GOP Convention Will Get Racist

All the reporters in Denver were predicting that the GOP convention promises to be boring. I'm not so sure. One reason: There's no way thousands of conservative Republicans are going to hew to a politically-correct message about Barack Obama. Especially with the media goading delegates and activists at every turn--much as they did Hillary's supporters in Denver--I'm guessing we'll have a racial-insensitivity flap every 90 minutes or so. You can almost write the "I found another racist delegate!" blog items right now.

The McCain campaign should prepare some kind of stock response to this sort of thing, almost like one of those out-of-office emails: "RACIST COMMENT AUTOREPLY: SENATOR MCCAIN DOES NOT CONDONE THAT SORT OF LANGUAGE."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ohiomark]

When you cry "racism" when it doesn't exist, it does a disservice to the people who are truly victims of racism.

We all saw this coming. Anything critical of Obama will be a "racist attack", even when it has nothing to do with his skin color.

[LAB10]

James Dobson took care of all that.

[Felicty]

My aunt in Iowa is getting phone calls from people representing themselves as black persons who are against Obama, urging her elderly confused self to vote instead for McCain. They repeat all the GOP's greatest hits against Barack (Muslim, Rezko, etc) and LIE their heads off.

She believes them.

[gwt301]

Uhmm........duh!

[RobinSeattle]

What the Republicans will do is begin running ads and sending blast faxes about whether or not Obama thinks OJ was guilty, the influence figures such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton will have during his administration and they will try to peel Asians, who vote heavily Democratic, off by using statements Maxine Waters has made against Korean-Americans and Obama's sitting there and not criticizing her for it.

They will couple that with increased belligerence on immigration since they have nothing to lose since they are not going to get the Hispanic or black votes. So they will target Asian-Americans instead by playing up the bad feelings between the black and Asian communities in the U.S. and attempt to increase their working class white male voter base

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

The GOP is secretly praying for Hurricane Gustav to make landfall so they can cancel their Convention

[Mattie]

Obama and his supporters need to stop whining about race, it's such a turnoff, good god have some personal responsibility. The only time race has been an issue is when Obama played the race card against Hillary and her supporters. True Democrats don't do that, nor do the vote for FISA or the Cheney Energy bill.

[LeeBee76]

What world do you live in??.Reagan used the southern strategy...when he announced his candidacy did you know he went to a small town in Mississippi and Philly, two places that had ,had racial issues/tensions. This was not a shot in the dark pick he went there to show how he felt and to show the "good o'le boys" he was one of them. If you know the true history of this country and the different parties then you wouldn't make statements such as the one you did. Of course you obviously believe the Reps. are just nice guys who could never be racist. The sad thing is you probably don't think they are because little jibs might go unnoticed to you. But I know when George Wallace said segregration now, segregation for ever....and the Dixiecrats went over to the Republican party it showed the Rep. party was full of racist bigots! and they welcomed them. But, like you said only Obama supporters bring up race....yep, when we call it out and say something is racist thats bringing up race. I guess we should just grin and bare it.........

[tbone99]

The Gop sees racism as a beneficial attribute

[XME]

Heck, if recent history is any indicator, McCain's auto response will be along the lines of, "I was a POW."

[Bettysdad]

For 40 years the Republican Party has been based on racism.

You think the "Southern Strategy" of Nixon was based on a love of biscuits?

Why are the most racist states red states?

And why are racists Republicans?

[morbie5]

The dems are already sexist.

[Tropiholic]

it says more about the people making those comments than anything else

[Daisy1111]

I seem to recall TWO not one but TWO AA holding the office of Secretary of State.

Jeeze you guys are hateful.

[BethStuart]

In 1884, a Republican politician called the Democratic party "the party of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion." American Catholics didn't need anyone to translate the message for them.

In August 2008, Rush Limbaugh called the presidential candidate of the Democratic party "the little black man-child." I doubt African Americans need the message translated either.

[rzan1]

McCain has a daughter of color. I don't believe he is a racist, and he needs to fight racism tooth and nail at his convention. At least for her sake. She has been quite hidden throughout this campaign, but I am sure she will be at the convention.