GOP's Steele Finally Speaks: "Magic Negro" Hurt Party

Last month, the Hill reported that RNC chairman candidate Chip Saltsman sent out a Christmas greeting that contained a CD with the song "Barack the Magic Negro" on it. Several of Saltsman's opponents were "shocked and appalled," calling the move "in bad taste." However, as the Hill later noted, "surprisingly," the two African-American candidates for RNC chair -- Ken Blackwell and Micheal Steele -- had "been the easiest on Saltsman."

Today, the candidates debated the future of the Party at the National Press Club and all agreed that the GOP needs to bring in more minorities. But in an interview with ThinkProgress after the debate, Steele said that Saltsman is detracting from this effort. He strongly criticized Saltsman's decision to send out the "Magic Negro" song, saying "it doesn't help at all" the GOP's effort to bring in minorities to the party:

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[castleberry]

Man, that's exactly right. It's not the song that hurts the party, it's the fact that these are actually the beliefs of these racists. Why do the media keep pretending like the R party stands for something other than the anti-urban, fundamentalist, racist, homophobic, anti-woman, pro-corporate platform they publicly adhere to?

[Getbent]

You know what else hurts the Republican Party? The fact that they are racists and race-baiters, and anyone with a brain knows it.

[lmvd3]

Duh.

[ckfan]

Michael Steele is an opportunist. Pure & simple. He joined the Repubs only so he could stand out as one of the few AA's and hopefully get elevated because of his race. It took him this long to come out because he wanted to test the waters. He has no character, soul, pride or self-respect unless. He only does what he thinks will move him up in that pathetic party of his.

And now that President-elect Obama has done the impossible he's licking himself and wondering if he should have joined the Dems. Sorry, Steele, the majority of Black folks will never support or defend you, Thomas, Blackwell - you're nothing but a bunch of wannabes.

[scrutiny1]

"He has no character, soul, pride or self-respect..." No African-American who has character, soul, pride, or self-respect would join the Republican party IMO. Why would they?

[ckfan]

I don't agree. Just because someone is AA and a member of the Republican party doesn't mean they have no character, soul, pride or self-respect. I certainly wouldn't say that about Col. Powell. But, I certainly believe it is true about Michael Steele. My comment is aimed directly at Michael Steele - who also happens to be the former brother-in-law of boxer Mike Tyson. But I digress. Michael Steele is a fraud.

[rockyersocksoff]

The Reverse Vanilla Ice.

[AlaskanWannaB]

The following article has to do with the mindset of some Republican. I think it was awesome for this middle-class, white man from Georgia to say this

Article Title:
Andrew M. Manis: When are we going to get over it

To view the contents on www.shreveporttimes.com, go to:
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200812120903/OPINION/81212007

[mmgbizgirl]

Thanks for sharing the Shreveport Times piece. Amazing courage from the Georgia Professor. I find the racist mindset incredibly child-like as most of the world does. It means some can ride the I'm WHITE coat tails instead of standing on their own merits as every other race must do to make it in this world.

[kasv]

What a great article and what an enlightened man! Thank you for posting it.

[chicagoike]

Two black guys in the whole Repub party and they are both running for chairman, what's up with that.

[AsianAfricanAMERICAN]

Tokens...I bet neither wins.

[chicagoike]

Wait till the Klan leader walks into the room, these two will be long gone.

[Tanyars5]

Uncle Toms Party

[bazokbros]

Michael Steele you are a COWARD!!! Now that this has blown over some, are you willing to give a sorry weak and self serving statement. Maybe you are realizing how much of a token you really are.

[iawill]

It is ironic that when asked directly about the matter Micheal Steele skirted around the issue and did not see where the song did much damage. Now that he is in front of an audience of fellow Republicans, he gives an opinion. This shows the type of leader that he is - WEAK! He will not challenge his party in front of the country with a statement for all to see -- he waits to give comments behind closed doors. That is not the type of leadership that is needed for any party and definitely not a leader needed for our country. He was a weak Lt. Govenor in Maryland and his actions show that he has not changed at all!

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

Having the likes of Ken Blackwell and Michael Steele as representative of Black Republicans is what hurts the GOP. In the same way Clarence Thomas represents the type of Blacks that they elevate, the GOP is never going to be acceptable to the mainstream of Black America. I don't know much about the Latino representation in the GOP, but I suspect that they play the same game in picking Latinos who are out of step with the needs and desires of American Latino voters.

[jorge4u]

Paul,

After the whole immigration debate and rhetoric during that time, the GOP has lost the Latino voted as reflected in this last presidential election. I believe that Obama took almost 70% of the Latino vote, whereas, McCain did not even reach 30%.

[bazokbros]

When it comes to religion and core values, Blacks actually are very conservative. The problem is the GOP is and has meant to be a white Southern party.

[cdub1991]

"Blacks actually are very conservative."
-------------------------
Shhhhh--Don't give them any ideas. If they're too stupid to recognize that, then that's their problem.

[Bitsko]

I wouldn't say "very" conservative.

[DMHendrix]

Some stupid, childish song is not what is ailing the GOP and squashing their futile attempts to attract anyone other than very old and very white southerners...it's their stale, old, moldy policies of which racism is just a symptom.

[OBXartist]

How bizarre for Steele to use the phrase "negative stereotype" as though the Republican Party's "racist" label is somehow undeserved. I would never make the claim that every single Republican is racist any more than I would claim that no Democrats are racist. Neither statement would be true. But when you have a Party that tolerates this kind of behavior and, in fact, defends it in some quarters, then you have a Party-wide racism problem. Saltzman should have been soundly rejected by his Party. The fact that he was not, and may have even benefited from this outlandishly racist attempt at humor, is disturbing. How clueless does a Party have to be to tolerate this kind of behavior and then wonder why there is no diversity in their Party? They may think they haven't done a very good job communicating to minorities, but they've actually communicated plenty!

[robXdion]

Lots of people are wondering about the existence of black Republicans, black Mormons, gay Republicans, and even rooster executives at KFC headquarters.

The reason people do this is essentially a strong desire to show esoteric thinking as some show of intelligence and rising above what they see as typical pedestrian thinking by those in their demographic. They feel "special" and superior by being different from what they see as the masses of sheep. Some blog on here and actually justified their choice because of the Clintons' campaign comments and the idea that whites had to give blacks "permission" to vote for Obama. Some black Republicans are misinformed and base their choice on pre-civil rights movement thinking as justification and are unaware the Dixiecrats became Republicans. Others are staunch social conservatives and let that guide them because "pastor" said so. Some are fiscal conservative business owners and just want to save their investment, as if Democrats won't protect them. All of this is the result of propaganda feeding delusional self-interest above commonsense and basic information. But it is hilarious to watch a grown man defend this nonsense.

[lovesds]

Who the heck does Steele think he is fooling. He sat there for days and said nothing. He wants the job so bad that he will do anything to get it.

[Dustee]

I can't stand that smiling clown Steele. Now he must see what they think of him too.

[jorge4u]

Can you please stop offending clowns by comparing Steele to a clown? That's a honorable profession. I believe an apology is in order. :-)

[therblig]

breaking f'ing news.