Senator John McCain's win in Wisconsin places him mere inches away from the Republican nomination. McCain's march to the nomination is nearly complete and the time is now to consider how he might use race in a general election campaign against the Democratic frontrunner, Barack Obama. McCain will undoubtedly play a number of cards against Obama. From experience, to seeming indecision on some international affairs questions to his nearly comprehensive liberalism, McCain will have many arrows in his quiver. For my money, though, don't count out the race card. McCain's history show it will be on the table during the general election.
It's not too early to consider a general election campaign that could include the first African American major party nominee. That is because McCain is a Republican and from Willie Horton to "reverse discrimination" to voter purge programs to the "welfare queen" to the "Southern strategy," and beyond, his party has perversely used race to demonize African Americans and Black candidates to win elections. The Republican party that built its rise to national dominance during the 1980s and 1990s will not hesitate to use whatever resources necessary to win this election. Consequently, I expect the Grand Old Party to empty a dump truck of racial code language and other negative symbolism on Obama in an attempt to scare away enough voters to keep the presidency under their control.
It won't be easy for the GOP to demonize Obama. His multiracial appeal, particularly to White independent voters, puts the GOP on notice that he is not the typical Black candidate. Therefore, some of their tried and true attempts to stir up a racial hornet's nest will be seen for what they are. That doesn't mean, however, that they won't be utilized. Particularly if Senator John McCain is the nominee. A 71-year-old nominee, McCain probably understands that this is his only bite at the apple and won't allow a little racial animosity to get in the way of a November victory.
Make no mistake: McCain won't avoid playing the race card if necessary. He takes pride in being a Reagan Republican, a statement that sends up warning flags for African Americans. While he has admitted that his vote against a federal holiday to commemorate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a mistake, he nonetheless opposed the holiday. McCain hired Terry Nelson as his campaign manager, a man who is (dis)credited with creating the "call me" ad that helped sink Harold Ford's Tennessee Senate race. Nelson also supervised someone who was ultimately convicted in the New Hampshire phone jamming scheme.
McCain's South Carolina spokesman, Richard Quinn, was quoted as saying of the King holiday: "Ignoring the real heroes in our nation's life, the blacks have chosen a man who represents not their emancipation, not their sacrifices and bravery in service to their country; rather, they have chosen a man whose role in history was to lead his people into a perpetual dependence on the welfare state, a terrible bondage of body and soul."
With McCain's staff choices serving as a window into what he might do to win the presidency, it's clear that race will be used, if necessary, to beat Obama. Hopefully, Obama's campaign understands that a bright vision for the future is one thing, but being prepared for the hardball, racially-tinged campaigning that likely lies ahead is another.
Michael K. Fauntroy is an assistant professor of public policy at George Mason University and author of the book Republicans and the Black Vote (an updated, paperback edition will be published in April 2008). A registered Independent, he blogs at www.MichaelFauntroy.com