GOP fears charges of racism, sexism

[Enrique]

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=4CD6F8F1-3048-5C12-00DC54CD0B7E61E8

Top Republican strategists are working on plans to protect the GOP from charges of racism or sexism in the general election, as they prepare for a presidential campaign against the first ever African-American or female Democratic nominee.

The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate, according to people involved. The secretive effort underscores the enormous risk senior GOP operatives see for a party often criticized for its insensitivity to minorities in campaigns dating back to the 1960s.

The RNC project is viewed as so sensitive that those involved in the work were reluctant to discuss the findings in detail. But one Republican strategist, who asked that his name be withheld to speak candidly, said the research shows the daunting and delicate task ahead.

Republicans will be told to “be sensitive to tone and stick to the substance of the discussion” and that “the key is that you have to be sensitive to the fact that you are running against historic firsts,” the strategist explained.

more...

[davidinalameda]

1. why should they start worrying about this now

it hasn't stopped them before

[elleng]

9. My thought exactly,

dwickham!

[MikeNearMcChord]

2. How they are going to do that without alienating their base, is going be a chore worthy

of Cirque Du Soliel.

[lligrd]

3. LOL They Must Be Reading DU

and seeing how easily those charges are getting thrown around.

[Mist]

4. I thought being racist and sexist was one of their selling points for wingnuts. nt

[NOLALady]

11. It is.

Or it was.

I don't know anymore.

All I know is we've always been at war with Oceana.

[Kitty Herder]

15. I thought so, too. Maybe it isn't selling anymore and they have to

upgrade their sales technique.

[Raksha]

18. Was...it's past tense now. Not so long ago the old white man vote

could win or lose elections for them in certain areas. But that demographic is dying off and not being replaced. Sure, there are still plenty of bigots around, but they aren't the political force they once were.

[Hand]

5. "Pope fears charges of Catholicism." nt

[Kitty Herder]

16. LOL Well said. nt

[bluestateguy]

6. They could start by apologizing for the Willie Horton ads in 1988

Oh, and Ronald Reagan's coming down to the Neshoba County (MS) Fair in 1980 to kick off his campaign by saying that he was for "states rights" (as if every Southerner doesn't know what those words really mean) and his "welfare queen" remark in 1976, and the Nixon "Southern Strategy" in 1968 and 1972.

Could we have those white votes back now please?

[sutz12]

7. Ah, yes....the new era of sensitive attack politics is just around the corner. nt

[Warpy]

8. They're going to be farming out the racism and/or sexism

to all those vicious little PACs already planning racist and/or sexist TV ads. That breathy female is already recording spots to ask why Obama drinks the blood of Christian babies and why Clinton dines on live baby bunnies at breakfast.

It should be pretty funny to see the McSame team try to stick to policy since his party's policy has been such a miserable failure every time it's been tried.

[SoCalDem]

10. All I can say is...

hahhahahahaahahahahahahaha

[Maddy McCall]

12. In other words, they'll develop coded language that conveys subtle racism and sexism.

They are masters at this.

[Kitty Herder]

17. And yet they fool no one.

Everyone understands what they mean.

[LibDemAlways]

13. The GOP doesn't have to do it. They'll get their

shills in the media to do it for them. And it won't always be direct attacks. There was a story on 20/20 on Friday that was textbook race baiting. The message was that black males are criminals and whites fear them. I expect a whole lot more of that kind of crap in the next few months.

[Forkboy]

14. I thought those were requirements to be a Republican.

[chat_noir]

19. The Party of Nixon

NIXON: Jewish families are close, but there's this strange malignancy that seems to creep among them -- radicalism.

13 May 1971 President Richard Nixon: "We're going to more of these little Negro bastards on the welfare rolls at $2,400 a family

26 May 1971 President Richard Nixon observes: "You know, it's a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish.”

13 Sep 1971 President Richard Nixon tells Bob Haldeman: "Now here's the point, Bob. Please get the names of the Jews. You know, the big Jewish contributors to the Democrats. Could you please investigate some of the cocksuckers? That's all."

NIXON: What about the rich Jews? The IRS is full of Jews, Bob. Go after them like a son of a bitch.

Nixon: But, Bob, generally speaking, you can't trust the bastards. They turn on you. Am I wrong or right?" (Speaking about Jews)

Nixon: "As long as I'm sitting in the chair, there's not going to be any Jew appointed to that court. can be right on the criminal-law issue."

"The Jews are irreligious, atheistic, immoral bunch of bastards." - February 1 1972, Nixon telling Bob Haldeman

Responding to Rev. Billy Graham's assertion that the Jews have a "stranglehold" on the media that "has to be broken or the country's going down the drain."
Nixon: "I can't ever say that, but I believe it."
Nixon: "I'm not for women, frankly, in any job."

Nixon: "They (Mexicans) don't live like a bunch of dogs, which the Negroes do live like."