If the right goes uber racist in the GE as they seem prepared to do.

[Egnever]

Does it forever seal the deal that they are the party of racists? Will they actually further their own destruction by driving minorities away from them en mass?

[ruggerson]

1. It will backfire bigtime

[Egnever]

4. I think so too but how extreme do you think the backlash will be?

[angie_love]

2. They already proved themselves racists when McCain called asians "gooks"

Of course the press protected him and it didn't make big news b/c they love him so much. ugh. He says something worse than "macaca" and yet he might be president b/c hes a "war hero". Right. whatever.

[Egnever]

3. He said that recently?

[progdonkey]

6. Unless she's referring to a more recent instance...

it was during the 2000 primaries. He was on his Straight Bullshit Express and talking with reporters about Vietnam, and he referred to the Vietnamese he was fighting as gooks. The excuse was that he was just using the word that they called them at the time. You know, because that makes it okay.

[rch35]

12. I know Vietnam veterans who say that from time to time

none of them are racists. When you are in the sweltering humid jungle, constantly afraid, and in all the shitty conditions that there were in Vietnam, you're gonna call the enemy every vile name you can think of. Habits in times like that are burned into you forever in most cases.

[progdonkey]

13. I can see your point...

Like WW II veterans who might continue to hate Germans, even fifty, sixty years after the end of the war. Or, to use a non-military analogy, it could be like someone who hates black men because a black man once robbed them at gunpoint (ie. having an actual traumatic experience as opposed to "I'm above you" sort of racism).

It doesn't make it right but I guess you can't begrudge someone for holding on to it, when you don't know how such an experience would affect you.

[rch35]

18. Yeah, I've been told in situations like that, you transfer a lot of your

anger and hate onto the enemy. By that I mean you just turn it on them. Then later in life, you see people that look like them and it just automatically recalls those emotions.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. Sorry, no.

They're racists.

Vietnam is no excuse.

[washingdem]

22. Agreed

Call them a-holes, jerks, scumbags, etc. whatever kind of insult you can think of. But racial epithets are never excusable.

[meow mix]

5. hope he doesnt go "john rambo" on someone..

:yoiks:

[ellisonz]

16. I don't think McCain saying that is particularly racist.

[AgadorSparticus]

7. I hope and pray they do. It is about high time they are exposed.

[Johnny__Motown]

8. I think that "Middle America" in not a bunch of racists. If they do that then they could lose the

middle for a generation, or more.

[Omnibus]

9. It seals the deal.

I think their stance on issues over the last 10-30 years had clearly sealed the deal already for all Americans who are cognizant enough to notice racism.

When Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964, he said "We have lost the South for a generation." He understated the case. Nixon's "Southern Strategy" proved the South was ready to jump ship as long as it "kept the blacks down". The Democrats still had momentum in the south for several years , but by 1994 all the racist hateful morons had fully switched to the Republican party.

Today, anyone who hates black people or other minorities is either Republican or over 70. Or sometimes both.

[LibDemAlways]

10. You are right about the racists -

repukes and the elderly. I know some Dems in their 80's who can't imagine Obama in the WH. It's unthinkable to them. They'll sit this one out or vote McCain.

R's of all ages hate everybody who isn't white, and most make no pretense about it. My repuke relatives make no effort to hide their racism.

[DearAbby]

11. It will backfire bigtime...

even to the average racist, would recoil from blatant racism. those who are blatant are KKK and they have to hide behind sheets.

There will be millions of Democrats ready to yell "SHAME". They are not going to get away with the bullshit. The Pendulum has swung. Keep your eye on the ball, We are the change we've been waiting for.

[redstate_democrat]

14. If they go racist

then they will only be reinforcing a widely held view amongst black people that racism is still alive and just underground in a more pervasive and sicking way. There will be no "race card" lingo, because it will be known that even at the highest levels of government, racism is supreme. This will, of course, spark an entirely new Civil Rights Movement. It will also lessen their credibility in THE WORLD. Can you imagine a president, who got in the WH by using race as a factor, meeting with different leaders of different races and ethnicities in the world and actually expect to garner any respect? Can you imagine? The world would view us as pathetic. But let them try it and watch how quickly they are tossed aside as a party full of bigots, trash, UnAmerican, crack pot idiots. As if that were not clearly evident by now. Even the moderates would break apart from a party stained with that kind of obvious reputation. Right now, the Repugs blame a lack of wide AA support based on loyalty to the Democratic party, they never really blame themselves. Now, there would be no denying. Even black Repug leaders would have to break from the party.

I don't believe they are this stupid. If they are, God help us these coming months. It won't be pretty, but trust, we will be prepared.

[DearAbby]

15. !

I totally agree. You have articulated this better than I ever could. T

[Egnever]

17. It sounds like they will try it.

I think it could possibly be a final nail in the republican coffin. Interesting take on it you have there thanks for that!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. Heh

Actually there was some sort of internal poll among Republicans a few days ago asking whether or not they should go full blown racist.

[NeedleCast]

21. Be a huge mistake if they did

and I think they know that. I don't consider republicans to be the party of racists. I've met several pretty openly racist people who vote democratic. They are, often, people opposite of me...socially conservative and fiscally liberal (although I'm more of a fiscal moderate).

Yeah, I think if the Republicans make this about race it will be titanically self-destructive. G-Dubs has already driven a good number of moderates and indies away from the Republican party...making the GE about race (or gender, depending on who wins the Dem nomination) would be the finishing blow.

[jackson_dem]

23. Yes and that is basically what Rove said yesterday

Ambinder reported that Rove has called on rethugs to stop with the "Barack Hussein" BS because it will reinforce the image of the rethugs as the party of racists and bigots. Still, let's not be fooled. They may succeed in getting their official surrogates and even maybe Rush and Sean to pipe down but they will still try to swiftboat Obama with "outside groups". It will backfire because it would show the rethugs as the racist party and hurt them with minorities and white swing voters, particularly in the suburbs.

[Orsino]

24. As long as they control the media...

...or are controlled by them, the Right can get as sexist or as racist as it likes in the GE. The MSM will help turn any such charges back against the Democratic Party.

Every day is Opposite Day for the Right.

[DemGa]

25. The won't go overtly racist; that's just the undercurrent

Expect to see much about Obama's loyalties and ties -- it will get very nasty indeed.

But there is truly hope for Hillary in TX.

[jasmine621]

27. Reagan wasn't "overtly" racist but his base just understood. nt

[ElsewheresDaughter]

26. they are not the least bit worried about driving away something they NEVER had nor wanted

[rasputin1952]

28. Not just minorities...but people who believe in equality,

justice and dignity, not just in this nation, but the world over.

Every time they bring up something in the racist vein, they should be slammed w/a Lincoln quote.

Notice how the goomers left Lincoln in the dust w/bush's entering the WH? You NEVER hear the GOP being the "Party of Lincoln" anymore, and with good reason.