Buchanan Made The GOP a Heavily White Party

GOP hatchet man and media pundit Pat Buchanan recently quipped that the GOP is a "heavily white party." It's not a heavily white party, it's virtually an exclusively white party; Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele notwithstanding. And Buchanan did much to make sure that the GOP got that way and stays that way. The checklist of Buchanan's blunt speak racially charged barbs, insults and inflammatory pitches to unreconstruted bigots during the past two decades can fill up a book. In fact it fills up two books, the State of Emergency and Death of the West.

Buchanan damned multiculturalism, railed against affirmative action as blatant discrimination against whites, lambasted Republicans for pandering to the NAACP, applauded those who called Martin Luther King, Jr. a "fraud" and a "demogouge" and in 1969 he opposed the federal holiday for King. Three decades later he hadn't softened his take on King one bit. He's called him a "divisive" figure.

Buchanan waded into the fight to keep the Confederate flag flying high on state capitols in the South. To him the flag is an honorable symbol of the South's noble fight in the Civil War for self determination, states rights, and to protect cultural differences (Slavery=cultural differences?) Buchanan also has no qualms about appearing on the aptly named The Political Cesspool radio talk show, a show less charitably described as an on air forum to fan and spew white supremacist views.

This is the kooky Buchanan stuff and it can easily be shrugged off as the rants of a fringe political hack and media bloviator to stoke controversy to peddle his books and inflate his on screen presence. But Buchanan and company played a big and insidious part in crafting, tweaking, and honing the GOP's Southern Strategy. The GOP used this to rule national politics for four decades. The strategy was simple; say and do as little as possible about civil rights, talk God, country and patriotism, use racially tinged code words and furiously court white males. The goal was to win elections by openly and subtly pandering to Southern white fears of black political domination. Buchanan even warned that tainting the strategy by pitching the GOP to minority voters would amount to political sepaku.

The race tinged strategy was the magic gateway to the White House for Republican Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Reagan and Bush Sr. and Bush. The key as every Republican president since Nixon has known and in some cases unabashedly said, was to maintain near-solid backing from white Southern males. They have been the staunchest Republican loyalists. Bush grabbed more than 60 percent of the white male vote nationally in 2004. In the South, he got more than 70 percent of their vote. Without the South's unyielding backing in 2000, Democratic Presidential contender Al Gore would have easily won the White House, and the Florida vote debacle would have been a meaningless sideshow. In 2004, Bush swept Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in every one of the states of the Old Confederacy and three out of four of the Border States. This insured another Bush White House.

The strategy didn't work in 2008, but not because it's totally outdated. Despite the heavy chains of Bush domestic and foreign policy bungling and incompetence, the deep voter disgust with the lies, corruption, and negativity of the GOP, a failed, flawed, financial and human cost draining war, and an economy sinking faster than a lead balloon, Republican GOP presidential candidate John McCain was still competitive with President Obama for much of the 2008 presidential campaign. The only thing that prevented the election from being a total rout of McCain was the solid majority backing he got from white males in the Deep South, farm belt, and the heartland states. Nationally, McCain won a clear majority of the white vote.

The widespread popularity and voter approval of Obama in the months since the election hasn't totally changed that. A recent NYT Times/CBS Poll showed that blacks still are overwhelmingly Obama's strongest backers. The defection of Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter to the Democrats, the continued shooting themselves in the foot, and deconstruction of the GOP and the phenomenal success of Obama have only sharpened the political lines.

Buchanan knows that. His heavy white party quip drew the headlines, but he was careful not to knock the party for being a white man's party. Buchanan and the Southern Strategy adherents still pine away that the party can regain its fighting form of the past, and it can't do that by pandering to minorities. That's hopeless anyway given the iron grip that Obama and the Democrats have on black and minority voters. But as long as the GOP has its grip on the millions that made and kept the GOP a heavily white party, it's far from dead as a party.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His weekly radio show, "The Hutchinson Report" can be heard on weekly in Los Angeles on KTYM Radio 1460 AM and nationally on blogtalkradio.com

Comments

[Petronius Jones]

Pat Buchanan most certainly promulgated the strategy that the Republican party has followed to its ugly end. Watching the Gop (which stands for either Greedy old people or Geriatrics and odd people, I forget which) reeling drunkenly to its grave is one of the most entertaining sights of my 62 years.

Thank you, Pat. Thank you ever so much.

The Republicans of dignity are gone. The Republicans of conscience are all gone. There isn't an Everett Dirkson or an Elliot Richardson or a Dwight Eisenhower among them anymore.

I'm watching these ignorant, bigoted, conspiracy minded, rednecks and peckerwoods arming their doublewides to hold off Herr Comrad Hussein Obama. What a fitting end for the party that loves the rich.

[Grada3784]

The only thing I'd disagree with is the bit about Eisenhower. He was pre-Southern strategy and ordered the National Guard to carry out the Supreme Court orders ending separate but equal.

[MosiahGarvey]

The republican party is hurting but the Dems better not screw up because it can swing back to 50/50 with them winning Florida. Strike the iron while its hot and get the economy back and rolling for 2012

[LarBear]

I've come to perceive Pat Buchanan, Neo Cons, Bushies, Right Wing Evangelical Christians, etc as frightened Children, semi functioning, as fearful adults... They believe they're loyal Americans.­.. I very strongly disagree..­. They're frightened of being non Americans, is more accurate..­. They Believe in America, the Constitution and the Rule of Law, as long as they're not frightened­... They speak of a FEAR BASED "HIGHER" MORAL AUTHORITY that supercedes Constitution and Rule of Law...

Torture is un-lawful, Un-Constitutional and against US signed International Treaties, but is subject to/ superceded by fear and the FEAR BASED "HIGHER" MORAL AUTHORITY, RULE... They as a collective group really do NOT Believe in the USA and "America".­.. Their "GOD" is a fear based GOD... Their Religion is fear based... Their loyalty is to fear and more what they do is based in fear, including their belief in doing business..­.

They truly do NOT grasp that America is a Belief in Constitution, Rule of Law, Bill of Rights, etc... Is America Perfect??? Not if Perfect is an absolute end results, but (yes!) if Perfection is an ongoing process of improvement, about the journey, not the destinatio­n... Has our Fear laden Mind reacted badly at times and violated, or not enforced our Constitutional and Rule of Law... Absolutely! Yet we grow stronger when we Love and support our Constitution, not our FEARS...
Obama mostly pauses and Responds, NOT Reacts, is why I believe he got elected...

[Catothemuchyounger]

Buchanan is no neo-con, Bushie, or evangelical christian. He is a paleo-con, IMO.

[litlbznsmn]

This simply proves what most of us have known for a very long time, white southern males are extremely stupid. By the way - YOU LOST THE CIVIL WAR!

[Plissken]

I say again, in two more generations african americans will be politically aligned with the conservative party. When the jim crow generation finally passes and race becomes a non-issue african americans as a voting block will align with the conservative party. The reason is that the african american community is culturally adverse to the homosexual community and is enthuastically religious. Those two factors will have an overwhelmingly magnetic pull on the african american voting block. The african american community will find common cause with the less gay friendly and more religiously aligned conservative party. It's inevitable. As the liberal progressives become more and more secular the african americans will find they have less and less in common with them. So all these silly arguments about Pat Buchanan are academic.

[graceland9]

ooookay. I'm pretty religious and also a liberal though, so maybe it's your argument that's "academic" (NOT.)

Try reading the Audacity of Hope for more explanation - it actually makes sense...

[graceland9]

and btw - I'm also white, not that it matters.

[elmundo6]

You are being short-sighted. Part of the problem with the Republican Party now is the emphasis on these divisive social issues. I don't think that's a way to get a sustained black vote.

Besides I don't think you are correct that blacks are opposed the "homosexuality" anymore than whites are. While gay marriage is a contentious issue in many communities, it's my understanding that many African Americans have less issues with repealing DADT or passing hate-crime legislation or employment discrimination laws for gays and lesbians. You can't just look at marriage and think that one issue alone will dictate party loyalty.

The Republican party has much work to do in terms of showing concern about communities of color. I think Ofari is right that for too long the stratgegy in the Republican party has been to pit the races against each other and to ignore the concerns of blacks. I don't think the Republicans are going to win any sustained support merely on the issue on gay marriage or homosexuality generally.

[blaqntelligence]

Only if you assume that African-Americans are merely a voting bloc.
And what Pookie in South Central thinks is mimicked by G Dawg in The Bronx and Lil' Ray Ray in Atlanta.
Marching in lockstep and robotically repeating talking points are conditions unique to neocons.

[ChandraSF]

It is silly to talk about what will happen two generations from now - that is roughly 60 years hence - when most of pundits cannot even predict the voting trend five years out. Who would have dared suggest right after John Kerry's whopping defeat in 2004 that we would be witnessing a historic win by an African American President within four years?

[MED1025]

The Southern Strategy is nothing more than playing the race card. Younger, better educated voters throughout the country aren't going to respond to that.

[noamjunior]

my fellow whities- get over yourselves. The less America is seen a a White culture the better. THis is EVERONE's country. The only white people being oppressed are the ones that rightly SHOULD be oppressed becasue they are racist A-holes who think their "civil liberties" as white americans allow them to oppress others

[steppenwolfsayshi]

With current demographic shifting, its no strategy for the New South. That's why the dems won Virginian and North Carolina in 08. Out West it is the same. The proportion of white "southern" males to none will be to small in the coming decades.

[demimckingwoodtx]

I myself like to say that being a racist is for the ignorant, it is how you were raised, but when you grow up and do not have the gull or the balls to get your own mind set you are stupid, racism exists not only in the south but all over, because we move all over, what a waste of mind when your thoughts are lost on hating people but we live and hopefully we learn, its what we learn that keeps us going or stuck inside of a time warp.

[ladydragon]

And yet Chris Matthews continues to have this loud mouth on his show. Buchanan tries to talk bad about Obama but he knows he better not take it too far, or I swear before my maker that I will start the letter writting to MSNBC, I am sick to death of Pat Buchanan and people of his ilk. I knew that in my life time that America would either see a person of color or a woman as president because, white men ran this country into the ground, we are in so much trouble involved in wars that we can't even get out of and a financial crisis that is going to take years to correct, the Republicans need to just sit down and shut the hell up, ALL of America's problems are their fault !

[robXdion]

I can't stand Matthews. He has Buchanan on because he partly agrees with his words. Matthews will have a panel of 4 white men sitting around discussing what blacks think and how good whites have been to blacks. It's disgusting.

[noamjunior]

that would be annoying- you SHOULd write to Mathews- I honestly think he is allright and I Like Gene Robinson on his show

[TryToBeFlexible]

Hey robXdion. I am white, originally from the south. I support you totally. I hate bigotry and prejudice in all forms. I understand totally white black people would be angry, and I think these southern white "christians" exclaiming their victimhood are a joke. I believe in affirmative action. I voted gladly for Obama. I am proud to have a literate and intelligent man like Obama leading my country, rather than a mealy mouthed low IQ bumpkin like Bush.
Just curious.. How do you feel about LGBT people? Do you support their rights and aspirations? I think the biggest test of a person's character is their ability to see the other's point of view, and to stand for the rights of others who are different, rather than just their own.
That's why I can't stand these whiny wingers from the south. Low character.

[medici]

You're so right! If you want to find out about black people, ask white people?!?! Great point!!

[Oldchef]

Even worse, Tweetybird continues to have Tom DeLay on his show and allows him to bloviate on and on. Everyone else gets interrupted constantly by Matthews, but DeLay is allowed to spew uninterrupted. Compared to DeLay, Pat Buchanan is almost reasonable.

[arvay]

I kinda wish we didn't have as much political correctness as we do, because the nation would ultimately benefit from an open discussion of Buchanan's clearly held belief that the white race needs to be protected from others.

Rather than shut him up, we need to let him talk and clearly state his ideas -- and undergo the withering responses from scientists, anthropologists and other thoroughly educated people who know the facts about human origins, relationships and races.

I realize that wouldn't necessarily move the truly and willfully ignorant (see Creationism) but it would put a lot of correct information in prominent places where impressionable people, especially the young, can see and read it.

[jeanwny]

Totally agree, let PB talk, talk, talk, along with the chorus of far right people like V Foxx of NC, it gives the positions they promote zero credibility to fewer daily and opens more eyes and minds to the sadly inflamatory rhetoric they try to rebuild their party on.

[mitsu63]

It's hard to get an open conversation going. I am not overly burdened by white/black issues, but when I try to speak openly about them, I tend to get shushed - usually by white people who can't handle their "white guilt" and prefer to pretend we're all the same.

[arvay]

Yes, I wouldn't have stated it the same way he did but I think the AG was right when he said we need to discuss race.

Misunderstandings are at the root on many conflicts, and they are best avoided by open discussion, no matter how painful or upsetting.

It was a very disturbing revelation to me when I learned that much of the early wealth of my country was built on slavery, that Thomas Jefferson took sexual advantage of a female slave, that George Washington was both a slaveholder and racist, that European Americans committed vast crimes against the indigenous people that lived here -- I could go on --- but in the end these facts and others created understanding. I'm very happy I no longer believe in the plaster-saint version of my country taught to me in school.

None of this changes the fact that the US' ideals of liberty and the worth of the individual were and are valid, or makes me an "America hater.' Our nation is composed of people, with typical human weaknesses and faults.

Actually, makes me prouder and happier about us, because most of us of all races are trying to live up to those ideals. Realism increases our chance of success, so we should talk.

[eniobob]

Coming home from his Little League game, Pat swung open the front door very excited. Unable to attend the game, his father immediately wanted to know what happened. "So, how did you do son?" he asked.

"You'll never believe it!" Pat said. "I was responsible for the winning run!"

"Really? How'd you do that?"

"I dropped the ball."

[cbeenthere]

The is also the article by Mr. Rosensaft running concurrently on this site where Pat Buchanan's anti-semitism is called out. What more need be said about this person's politics? I am just grateful that my two young white males never fell for his hysterics.

[Cakey4814]

The skies will open and...lol.­.i actually agree with Earl O. Hutchinson­..great article..