JONATHAN CHAIT JUNE 6, 2011
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David Frum points out the obvious racial incitement on the Drudge report:
I've heard Republicans in private deplore the racial incitement that too often substitutes for conservative talk. But in public, who has a word to say when the popular home page of the DrudgeReport strings together local news headlines of college-student rowdiness over Memorial Day to create a (false, obviously) image of the Obama administration licensing a nationwide eruption of African-American anti-white violence?
UPDATE: MIAMI 'WAR ZONE' DURING URBAN WEEKEND ...
'I was scared for my life' ...
Poet 'Da Real One' Gunned Down In Front Of Miami Poetry Cafe ...
Violent crime explodes in Myrtle during Black Bike Week; 8-hour hell ...
Rib Fest At Rochester beach turns rowdy ...
Riot On Long Island ...
Urban Melee In Charlotte ...
Chaos causes DNC concern for convention ...
Unruly urban crowd shuts down Nashville water park ...
Emanuel shuts down packed Chicago beach; 'heat-related illnesses' ...
REPORT: 'Dozens of gang bangers' ...
TEEN GANGS UNLEASHED ON BOSTON BEACH
Obama cracks down on civil rights abuses by big-city police departments ...
Mainstream conservatives confine their criticism of racism in American life almost exclusively to anti-white racism or anti-black racism by people who are not members in good standing of the conservative movement. It's admirable to see Frum take this on, though I don't really consider him a member of the conservative movement in good standing himself.
But the odd thing is that Frum includes this important point within a tactical argument for why Republicans must not blow their chance to win the 2012 election. ("Obama could lose if -- and here's the big if -- Republicans do not blow the opportunity by presenting themselves as Medicare-annihilating racist maniacs.") Does Frum really think the incitement of white racial paranoia by conservatives who aren't on the Republican ticket actually hurts the party? Or is he couching his case in tactical terms because he doubts Republicans will buy it as a moral proposition?
4 comments
The Democratic Party has the Big Tent. The Republican Party has Party Discipline. So even if Racism hurts the GOP (and I could make a good argument that getting all the Dixie-Crats to turn Republican following the Civil-Rights Act in 1964 helped them) I don't think they really care. Oh, sure, in the run-up to an election they make lip-service calls to incorporate Hispanics and Blacks, and try to "blame the victim" by saying it's THEIR fault. But in between they pass laws that favor the rich and punish immigrants and reverse Affirmative Action. So despite their rhetoric, it's clear to see who'se side they're on. And they DO NOT have a "Big Tent".
- AllanL5
June 6, 2011 at 2:58pm
Racism does not hurt the GOP at all, even when running against a Democrat besides Obama. The GOP favors revoking policies which are directly and indirectly beneficial to large numbers of minorities across the country, as well as foreigners. Being outwardly and directly racial/racist can hurt their image with swing voters, if that bloc of idiots actually notices, but a little damage control, maybe a mea culpa, and all is forgiven.
- GSpinks
June 6, 2011 at 6:41pm
Wow. The arrogance that surfaces here on a regular basis. Swing voters are idiots. I think racism just might hurt the GOP. Pete Wilson with his anti-immigration nonsense wrecked the GOP in California.
- liberalref
June 6, 2011 at 9:47pm
My comment wasn't borne of arrogance, but thanks for the recognition. You do have a point though; being too overt can retard their efforts to gain a greater percentage of minority votes. I was thinking of more subtle and indirect efforts, the dog-whistles we hear all too frequently from the GOP.
- GSpinks
June 7, 2011 at 2:42am