It never struck me as especially complicated. Once there was a clear Democratic presidential nominee, the Republican National Committee would label him or her weak on terror, liberal (on everything), and desperate to raise your taxes. Throw in some references to 9/11, a few pictures of menacing-looking Middle Easterners, and a dash of immigrant bashing, and voila!
But it appears the RNC is hesitating, not because they’re unsure how to attack, but rather, because they want to avoid being labeled bigots.
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.
“You can’t run against Barack Obama the way you could run against Bill Clinton, Al Gore or John Kerry,” said former Rep. Jack Kemp, the 1996 GOP vice presidential nominee. “Being an African American at the top of the ticket, if he makes it, is such a great statement about the country. Obviously you have to be sensitive to issues that affect urban America…. You have to be careful.”
It’s a really interesting report, and I don’t mean to dismiss it, but I’m having a difficult time believing this story.
Let me put it this way: I’m supposed to believe that the Republican National Committee, which has never shown so much as a hint of concern about propriety in modern political times, is not only worried about crossing lines of respect when it comes to diversity, it’s also leaking word to the Politico about being only worried about crossing lines of respect when it comes to diversity? The RNC?
It seems a little far-fetched.
Look, RNC officials know the difference between a clean attack and a dirty one. They recognize when an attack is driven by race-based politics, and when one is substantive and above-board. The only reason they would need a focus group to help them out on this is if they planned to walk right up to the decency line, and wanted to know how far they could go without crossing it.
“Republicans will need to exercise less deafness and more deftness in dealing with a different looking candidate, whether it is a woman or a black man,” Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway said. “But at the same time, really charge back at any insinuation or accusation of sexism or racism.
“You can’t allow the party to be Macaca-ed,” she continued, referring to a much-publicized remark made by former GOP Sen. George Allen that played a significant role in his 2006 defeat. “I think the standards are higher and the bar is lower for the Republican Party.”
Oh, you mean because the Republican Party has gone out of its way to exploit racial divisions for partisan gain for generations? And now it’s causing a little anxiety because the margin for error will be lower?