Republicans: "Magic Negro" Song Good For RNC Candidate

Politico reports that RNC candidate Chip Saltsman's distribution of a song called "Barack the Magic Negro" hasn't killed his chances -- in fact, the scandal "might have inadvertently helped" him win. Most of Saltsman's rivals for the chairmanship have condemned his actions, but other party members are rallying to his side.

Four days after news broke that the former Tennessee GOP chairman had sent a CD that included a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro" to the RNC members he is courting, some of those officials are rallying around the embattled Saltsman, with a few questioning whether the national media and his opponents are piling on.

"When I heard about the story I had to figure out what was going on for myself," said Mark Ellis, the chairman of the Maine Republican Party. "When I found out what this was about I had to ask, 'boy, what's the big deal here?' because there wasn't any."

Alabama Republican committeeman Paul Reynolds said the fact the Saltsman sent him a CD with the song on it "didn't bother me one bit."

Republicans say current RNC chair Mike Duncan is only hurting himself by denouncing the song, while Ken Blackwell improved his position by defending Saltsman:

Indeed, in a fluid race in which six candidates are vying for the votes of 168 members, both Blackwell and Saltsman stand to benefit from a backlash to the flap.

Most observers expect Duncan to lead after the first ballot, but few expect he or any other candidate will be able to secure election on a first ballot. For either Saltsman or Blackwell to win election they will likely need the votes of the other's supporters to break in their direction, along with any other committee members who are not enamored of Duncan's leadership.

In calls to committee members in recent days, both Saltsman and Blackwell have been reminding Republicans of how both Duncan and [Michigan GOP Chair Saul] Anuzis reacted to the story.

Mike Huckabee defended Saltsman, his former campaign manager, on his blog.

"Chip should have been more careful in his selection of Christmas gifts, but no one who knows him would ever suggest that he in any way would purposely disparage other people," Huckabee wrote. "Chip knows how sensitive such issues are. It shouldn't be the main factor in the RNC race."

The Republican National Committee is holding a series of debates in January where members will discuss their ability to reach out to minorities and expand the party.

Comments

[StillAmused]

Alternate headline: "Flies Swarm On Rotting Garbage"

Will this GOP self-destruction pact take much longer to carry out? The janitorial staff has to clean up the room for the next event.

[johnnynyc]

This is a battle between the moderate, for them anyway, elements of the Republican Party and the far right elements.

The McCain wing and the Palin wing.

It will be interesting to see if the Republicans are interested in governing again sometime in the near future or if they go over the cliff fighting the culture wars.

So far I don't see any moderate able to unite the party.

[neuron]

They just don't get it.

[FabulousAt52]

So let me get this straight:

A GOP idi.ot does something really really insulting and stoo.pit; publicly gets caught doing it.
Other GOPs have two choices:

1. publicly denounce what stoo.pit GOP pal did (and get shunned and disrespected by others in the party), or
2. Rally to the side of the stoo.pit GOP pal and publicly excuse it with "he didn't mean it...." (and be considered a Loyal member in good standing).

Hmmmm..... what kind of message does this send to all the people of this country?
Republicans, you are just shoveling more and more dirt on your own graves...

[BeyondKen]

I hear Senate Republicans are writing a song about Roland Burris...

[Sam 32]

What democrats dont realize is this song makes fun of RACISM IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY! Read the LA Times story by David Ehrenstein on March 19, 2007. Read what Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and other civil rights leaders were saying about Obama back then... then, listen to the song. Actually listen to it! Only a blind partisan or an someone with an IQ close to that of a fish stick (um... that may be a majority of Obama voters) would still believe this song embodies racism in the republican party.

[Camis]

nice try on the old spin, but we're not buying it. no, racism is racism is racism.

[RealPlumber]

Obama voter here, I don't need to listen to this drivel to understand the rampant racism in the Republican party, just listen to them speak. Sarah, Rudy, McCain, Romney, the various clowns called Right wing media, Oh sure they roll out a minority now and then for show,.....­..........­..........­..........­.... look at our black guy! Oh I'll bet my IQ is higher than yours.

[tinarm]

I hope they pick Chip and select Palin for 2012! Then we can all watch, cry, and laugh as they make idiots out of themselves once again. The RNC and it's members still think it's the 60's and early 70's. Knock, Knock it's the 21st century not the 20th! At the rate the RNC is going they will be out of power for a very long time, which makes me perfectly happy. If I made it through 8 years of Bush and the republican bull that has just about destroyed this country, maybe 8 years of Obama can at least start to correct some of the disasters Bush created. We'll see, but I figure in 2010 the only seats any republican will win will be in the south. Sad, but true it is still hugely divided mostly in the rural areas, but it is and the south is mostly rural.

[AliLiz]

Repubs just don't get it.

[StillAmused]

Alternate headline: "Flies Swarm On Rotting Garbage"

Will this party-wide hara-kiri pact take much longer? The janitorial staff has to clean up the room for the next event.

[some-realtalk]

The only people I am sad for is the African Americans, and Latinos, and Asians, who have been living in a dream world, thinking that the Republican party cares about them, they are now getting a big wake up call, because the fact is the majority of the Republican party leaders DO NOT want diversity in the Republican party, and the other fact is the majority of white Republicans also DO NOT want diversity in the Republican party either! Sad indeed!!

[mentortfc]

I am an African-American woman. Please don't feel sorry for me. I get it, and everyone I know gets it. There are a few exception, a very few, but we understand the republican party and are not fooled by them. They can't even fake it. Every time they "reach out" to us, their true feelings find a way of coming back to bite them on the butt. Look at our voting record. This is a clear indication of how well we understand the republican party and how much contempt we have for them.

[qdog112]

"The only people I am sad for is the African Americans, and Latinos, and Asians, who have been living in a dream world, thinking that the Republican party cares about them,"

As an African American, I have absolutely no sympathy for any minority who votes GOP.

If the bare victims, it's the Stockholm Syndrome and they have had good enough seat as spectators to know better. They deserve whatever they get.

[solarian]

every time I see that face I want to throw up eck

[dutchman]

Sadly, I'm sure it will help attract a good portion of the far right vote. Just ask Le Pen or Haidar (well, it's too late for Haidar) or Wilders, some of Europe's equivalent to this misguided soul.

Dutchman

[Gitmo]

After the 2008 elections I predicted that the GOPers would be out of power for at least 12-15 years, now, after watching their latest round of stupidity, I'm going to up those numbers to 20-25 years.

They are truly clueless..

[qdog112]

The next GOP president HAS NOT BEEN BORN YET.

[pokey11]

As a proud american and a proud african american I would just like to say that this has been a rough week to be black. On one end of the spectrum we have people like Ken Blackwell and Larry Elder ( appeared on CNN and FOX ) who have NO pride and are being used by the Right ( i.e. Chip Saltsman ). Then on the other end of the spectrum we have those with too much pride like Bobby Rush and yes Mr. Burris who are still using the old militant race baiting techniques for us to advance which I thought we had finally gotten past. They are unfortunately being used by someone on the Left ( i.e. Rod Blago ).
All are pawns in a bigger game and don't realize it. Thank God Barack responded accordingly on the second issue. I can't wait for Jan 20th ( except for the 2 minutes when Rick Warren comes out when I'll be taking a bathroom break out of respect for our gay brothers and sisters ). Peace.

[rich misty]

This is good news for Democrats, I hope he wins... And that Sarah Palin runs in 2012

[rushthelibs]

If he was to win (which he wont, and not because of the magic n e gro thing either) he would be supporting Hu ckabee, not P alin. From a conservative point of view, this would be the worst possible scenario. The left should come together and demand he be elected as Chairman of the RNC. Hu ckabee will be even better for you than you think Palin will be.