The Racism Party

Just in case you've forgotten which party came up with "The Southern Strategy" to say-without-saying that they were the party for segregationists, just in case you've forgotten which party only has middle-aged (or aged) white men running for President, here's a reminder from rightwing columnist Robert Novak on today's all-white, all middle-aged men Meet the Press panel (via Media Matters):

"Republicans are very pessimistic about 2008. When you talk to them off the record, they don't see how they can win this thing. And then they think for a minute, and only the Democratic Party, with everything in their favor, would say that, 'OK, this is the year either to have a woman or an African-American to break precedent, to do things the country has never done before.' And it gives the Republicans hope."

That's right. The last hope for the GOP is that the American voting public may actually be misogynistic or racist enough to keep them in power.

The cynics among you may think that's right. But on the face of it, it is not only an insult to our electorate, it's an admission of evil on the part of the Republican Party. Why don't they all just wear black hats at the next debate and twirl their mustaches?

Even more damning is that not Tim Russert, not a single other middle-aged white man on that panel made the slightest comment as to the rancid nature of Novak's remark. You won't see a better example of why the blogosphere is so important -- it's just a round table of self-perpetuating Washington insider "journalists" chortling over and over as if the average American citizen is a dope, a mark, a rube.

I know plenty of registered Republicans who are not themselves racist in the way the party so clearly appears, but the leadership can certainly be fairly labeled as such.

If not, than how come the only GOP Presidential candidate to show up at last week's NAACP GOP Presidential Candidate Forum was anti-immigration activist Rep. Tom Tancredo? Check out the above link to the picture -- eight empty podiums, whereas all the Democratic Presidential candidates showed up for their day.

It actually speaks rather well of Rep. Tancredo that he honored the NAACP with his presence. While he wants to limit those coming into the country both legally and illegally, by showing up at least he seems sincere about wanting to be President for all us Americans who are already here.