In the era of Obama, the GOP’s tone deafness on race could ultimately destroy the party.
Would-be RNC Chair Chip Saltsman's decision to send out a Christmas CD to GOP committee-members featuring a song calling our President-elect "Barack the Magic Negro" is the just latest sign of Republicans' tone deafness when it comes to race. It's a problem that has led directly to the pathetic lack of diversity on its political bench and underscores the party's long-term challenge of regaining relevance in the Age of Obama.
There’s a reason the Republicans have pathetic lack of diversity on their political bench.
Saltsman presumably did not intend to offend by mailing out the parody CD by Paul Shanklin with songs that first aired during the campaign on Rush Limbaugh's radio show. A look at the lyrics shows that the song's real target is the Al Sharpton-sound-alike singer who feels that Obama has usurped his rightful place as the protest leader of African-American politics. But now that Obama has been elected the president of all Americans, and Saltsman is attempting to run for leader of the opposition party, the song—whose title comes from a Los Angeles Times column—could not help but become a lightning rod. The failure to anticipate the outrage points to the blinders that exist in racially homogenous Republican backrooms. Conservatives who take good ol' boy pride in being politically incorrect are either unaware or don't care that they come off as being somewhere between indifferent and hostile to the full diversity of American life.
But ultimately, this is not a problem of political perception—it is rooted in the Republican Party's electoral strategy over the past four decades.
Republicans rightly take pride in calling themselves "the Party of Lincoln." It's sometimes easy to forget that Lincoln was the first Republican president, and that his promise to preserve the Union, even by ending slavery, caused the South to secede after his election in 1860. People who lose wars have long memories and the (white) South voted straight Democrat for 100 years.
But when Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act over southern conservative objections—whispering to his press secretary Bill Moyers, "I just gave the South to the Republicans for your lifetime and mine"—some Republicans smelled electoral opportunity. Conservative icons Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater opposed the Civil Rights Act on the grounds that it was an unconstitutional infringement on state's rights and freedom of association. These men were not racists, but they gave some racists the cover of political legitimacy in a new party. Mississippi returned the favor by casting 87 percent of its votes in 1964 for Goldwater—the first time the state had voted Republican in its history. Soon, the entire red/blue map was reversed.
This southern strategy may have sold the Party of Lincoln's soul, but it contributed to four-decades of political gain. Between 1968 and 2004, Republicans won seven of 10 presidential elections. Before 1968, the opposite was true—Democrats won seven of 10.
Now the bill for this Faustian bargain has come due. Demographics are destiny and America is becoming less white and rural, and more diverse and urban.
Barack Obama's historic victory changed old political dividing lines, winning states that hadn't voted for a Democrat since 1964, like Virginia and Indiana. While Obama played offense, making inroads into virtually every major demographic group—and winning swing voters decisively—the McCain-Palin ticket increased its vote totals only in a narrow band of districts stretching from Appalachia to Oklahoma, and demographically winning decisively only voters over age 60 and towns with populations under 50,000. The costs of preaching to a shrinking base of what Palin characterized as "real Americans" will only become more apparent in the future.
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Joe Mathews is a journalist, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a contributing writer at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as Justice Department reporter for the Wall Street Journal and as a city desk reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He is the author of The People’s Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy.
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John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
by John Avlon
John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
Good column -- although the Civil Rights Act you're referring to, I think, wasn't "subsequent" to the Voting Rights Act, it was the year before. CRA - 1964, VRA - 1965, if I remember correctly.
Someone needs to tell the blog "Think Right" to read this. Some Bozo over there wrote that the 50 state strategy was not the reason Obama won or even a part of it. As a Republican I am ashamed of my party and it's apparent inability to understand how we have gotten to this point. The party leaders, at least the majority of them, fail to realize any mistakes made and fail to address the idiots such as Saltsman who beyond all reason keep pulling our party into the dirt. Saltsman needs to be removed from a public position so that the American people can elect someone who can lead our party into the future. The Palins and other uneducated people holding office under the Republican banner need to go away.
I agree. Good column, and pumpkinshirt is right: the VRA was signed in 1965. The Republican party is slowly (or quickly) working its way to being obsolete.
Dude,
The Republicans are *OVER*. The party is made up of old white guys that dye their hair and take viagra. No one over 35 even wants to be seen with a Republican. You guys are Whig 2.0
Where's your bench? How are your young leaders? Who are your thought leaders (that aren't old white guys)?
There won't be another Republican President for a long time - maybe never.
Overall a good article, if a bit obvious, but why do people keep buying into the Republican claim of being "the party of Lincoln"? Have you forgotten that the parties basically did a flip-flop? Woodrow Wilson was an avowed white supremacist, and a Democrat, as was Strom Thurmond. The racist white south used to vote overwhelmingly Democrat. Please stop giving the obviously racist Republican party the credit of being the "party of Lincoln"; it's a complete distortion of history.
Not all Republicans are racists, but without the support of people who are, Republicans could not win elections. I still admire Ross Perot's statement during a 1992 Presidential debate (neither Bushes would ever say this): "If you hate people, I don't want your vote." Impossible to imagine any major Republican figure saying that today - he'd be shooting himself in the foot.
Thanks, Mr. Avlon, for bringing some historical perspective to this loathsome "Magical Negro" episode. And yes, as others have noted, pumpkinshirt is correct: Voting Rights Act, 1965. Although the 1964 Civil Rights Act was by far the most comprehensive of several Civil Rights Acts enacted over the years, the '65 Voting Rights Act was much more potent (i.e. enforceable) from its inception.
The majority of Republicans are NOT racists and are dismayed at Saltsman's distributing the CD. If anything, there are some in leadership positions who are tone deaf or maybe closet racists. These are the same leaders who gave us John McCain and more big government etc. We are trying to get rid of these clods. Please do not lump all of us with the likes of Saltsman.
"Demographics are destiny and America is becoming less white and rural, and more diverse and urban." So I guess you will agree with Mark Steyn that Europe's rapidly changing "demographic" from mainly secular whites to devout Muslims, means that we should expect a Muslim Europe in the near future?
I am registered mas a Republican, but that is mostly because there is no where else to go.
I certainly do not endorse much that the RNC does.
Study Sarah Palin to get a handle on where I am.
We've quietly tolerated folks like David Duke representing the GOP banner so we members of the GOP have enabled this to develop to a fatal state.
I would expect that if the RNC wants to dispel the perception that racism be a quality of a "real Republican" they should be strong and swift in how they officially react.
Restore the intregity and intellect of the party and throw Chipper and his entire organization not to the back but under the bus.
Remember you're not talking about representation of a small intolerant jurisdiction. The American majority has spoken and they did not let race limit their choice of who is best to lead. While Republicans revealed that they couldn't even support their own superior candidate probably because there was a vowel on the end of his name.
Magic NegroGate should be an uncompromising moment in rebuilding. I can't believe an idiot like this is rising to the top for consideration in leading the party. I think it is time to ask just what is really going on in the Republican leadership?
Being Republican is a principle ... not a race.
Bobby Jindal and Michael Steele are two rising Republican stars, people of color, who believe in less government.
So are Republicans supposed to embrace "ILLEGAL" immigration to get the support of Latinos. So in other words it's best to condone breaking the laws of this country in order to attract a certain voting block?
If one (Tom Tancredo) believes in protecting our border he is automatically labeled racist. Why uphold the laws of this country when we can satisfy corporate America's thirst for cheap illegal labor, where we are now seeing the results of a system out of control, including overcrowding in certain emergency rooms where American citizens pay outrageous health bills, as people in this country "ILLEGALLY" in the same waiting room get free medical care.
Being Republican in the true sense includes embracing less government, protecting the Constitution, the Rule of Law, upholding the sovereignty of country, and the celebration of individuality.
If is obvious that the GOP does not want people of color. Which is fine as long as they leave us Latinos alone come election time.
sophia5
Being Republican is a principle ... not a race.
That's the big problem right there....principle, they don't have any principles....we've seen the way they have gone on during the election at McCain's rallies with Sarah Palin rabble rousing etc and that seems to be their problem!!!
Not all but most are in a mind set which will be hard to break, they are not inclusive at all.....look at the crowds...9 out of 10 white faces and all enjoying every minute of any hateful slogans or words that were used.
They have a long long way to go before they can ever think of getting the White House back after their behaviour during the election and even now....people have long memories!!!
sophia5
Being Republican is a principle ... not a race.
That's the big problem right there....principle, they don't have any principles....we've seen the way they have gone on during the election at McCain's rallies with Sarah Palin rabble rousing etc and that seems to be their problem!!!
Not all but most are in a mind set which will be hard to break, they are not inclusive at all.....look at the crowds...9 out of 10 white faces and all enjoying every minute of any hateful slogans or words that were used.
They have a long long way to go before they can ever think of getting the White House back after their behaviour during the election and even now....people have long memories!!!
Saw your piece on MSNBC with Nora O. - you were right on as is this. Republicans are so out of touch they don't even know they are out of touch. Thoroughly unacceptable song, lyric and mentality. dumbed down ignorant white southerners will not carry them far but they may have to stumble upon that result to "get it."
So. My comments didn't pass the PC test? Or moderation is so slow as to remove timeliness completely?
Bulldoglover100 touched on it: education. and any conservative intellectual gains might be overtaken by destructive conservative social trends that often happen in lean times. apologies and language changes will be important first steps, but it will take at least a generation of conservative hard work to pull conservatives out of their anti-intellectual corner. democrats must be careful to stay out of that corner too.
There is no way that being Republican is a principle. Republicans lost all their principles when they signed up with the "moral majority" and aligning themselves with the racist south. (I'm from the south, I know how racist it is.)
Salter is just another notch in the Republican belt of intolerance and racism. Is our memory so short that we have already forgotten the outrageous verbal assaults against the President-elect during the campaign?
From Republican county officials to southern sheriffs, from Limbaugh to nearly a quarter of the population of Texas, we saw Republican after Republican play the race/terrorist card against our President-elect.
To state that Republicanism is still a principle is an outdated idea. It will take more than just a couple "people of color" as "rising stars" in the GOP to prove to Americans that it is not the party of white people. There's always an exception to the rule and these two guys appear to be the exceptions, not a trend or a change in the GOP.
The bit about "immigration reform" was not at all unexpected. Perhaps a better thinker than Avlon could explain exactly why giving even more power to far-left racial power groups would help the GOP:
http://24ahead.com/s/comprehensive-immigration-reform
Alternatively, Avlon should just be honest next time.
have we gotten tired of blaming rush, or is he made of teflon? his program created the song. and while his show is entertainment and not a government entity, rush is the conservative muse for sooo many people. will rush lead change, follow change, or petrify in place?
Sophia5, I agree with your summary:
"Being Republican in the true sense includes embracing less government, protecting the Constitution, the Rule of Law, upholding the sovereignty of country, and the celebration of individuality."
If you accept these principles, you need to vote Democratic. Clinton balanced the budget and grew the gov't at a much slower rate (basically, at inflation-rate only) compared with Bush's dramatic extension of budget. Follow your principles, not your Party, and vote Democratic.
You people are the ignorant ones! I'll bet most of you never even heard the song or understand where the lyrics come from! THIS IS A PARODY OF STATEMENTS MADE BY DEMOCRATS! It includes VP Joe Biden saying that Obama was the first "clean and articulate black candidate" during the primaries. The title comes from an LA Times article written by a DEMOCRAT! So the truth is that this parody illustrates DEMOCRAT racism. I don't care that Obama is half black! I do care that he is going to be the most liberal marxist President we've ever had and this doesn't bode well for freedom or the economy. The post election Zogby poll proved who the ignorant ones are. I know Obama better than the people who voted for him. I really hope he's a great President, however, if anything goes wrong and it will, you can always blame Bush.
H/T Ben Smith@ politico.com for linking to this. Actually, as it turns out contrary to your argument - the core strength of the GOP is the ability to tolerate and even welcome the bigots, xenophobes, reactionaries, fundamentalists, homophobes. The -isms and -ists are the core of the GOP.
Bottom line...
The song isn't funny. It isn't clever, witty, smart or poignant.
Instead of a well thought out parody, we're left with a commentary on how out of touch the GOP is.
Such toxic residue remains from the likes of Lee Atwater, Karl Rove and now this jerk. ( I purposely left out Palin) This behavior is exactly what stirs the fringe regiments of America.
Thank you.
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