One Man's Racism Is Another Man's "Levity"
In 2008, we witnessed John McCain making his last desperate attempt at winning a losing election with the choice of Sarah Palin for his VP nominee that resulted in one of the ugliest races we've seen. We also witnessed a new sort of Republican National Convention, a virtual hatefest that made many a viewer wince.
If anyone thought 2008 was as bad as it gets, I have a feeling they're sorely mistaken.
On Monday morning, before the abbreviated kickoff of the RNC, we may have seen the kickoff of what this Republican campaign will be about in 2012, and it wasn't pretty.
MSNBC's Morning Joe is broadcasting live this week from Channelside's Howl At The Moon (renamed The Elephant Bar.) On Monday's show, Chris Matthews brought up Mitt Romney's recent birther comment to Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus. In Michigan, Romney recently "joked" that no one ever had to ask for his birth certificate, because they knew where he came from.
Matthews said "That cheap shot ... was awful. It is an embarrassment to your party to play that card you are playing that ethnic card there." As Priebus laughed it off Matthews said "you can sit there and giggle about it, but the fact is your party is playing that card." Priebus appeared angry and pompous, but wasn't able to defend himself and seemed at a loss for words, at which point both Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski jumped in to help him out, which is typical of the hosts as regular viewers know. Not only did they defend Priebus on something that was indefensible, they employed the usual fake outrage at Matthews comments. Scarborough said "Chris, you think Mitt Romney's playing the race card? Wow. Wow." Yes, because Scarborough, a good old boy who grew up in the South, has never heard of such a thing.
When Priebus was finally able to compose himself and speak, he did what he's done before when confronted with his party's actions. Pretend to take the high-road and then shut down the conversation altogether, but before doing so, he defended Romney, again calling it a "joke" and saying anytime his party uses a little "levity" they get this type of outrage.
Yes. Apparently Republicans now see racism as "levity." Welcome to the general election. (You can see the exchange in the video below.)
Later, in typical bully fashion, Priebus appeared on FOX and attacked Matthews from there, saying it was typical for Chris Matthews to "play the role of being the biggest jerk in the room."
"You know, at that point you just tell the guy to go take a jump in the lake because obviously he's just trying to build his ratings on a show that isn't very well viewed, and I let him do it."
Funny. I watched the exchange but I missed the part where Priebus told Matthews to go jump in a lake. I did, however, see him cower like a spoiled bully as he let Scarborough do his dirty defense work for him.
And let's don't forget "Morning Mika." As usual, she tag teamed Joe's low road by taking her holier than thou route. She was mostly concerned about looking concerned, and terribly worried, saying "Let's work on tone."
Yes, let's do work on tone, shall we Mika? She was bothered not by the "tone" of Mitt Romney going full on birther. Nope. She was clutching her pearls because Chris Matthews was calling him out on it. Accusing someone of "playing the race card?" We can't have that! Out of line in Mika's moral code! But saying something that's racist? Not so much.
In the end, the "dynamic duo" wrote Romney's birther moment off as merely an awkward joke. I didn't see it as a joke. I saw it as a carefully choreographed comment. A campaign strategy.
There's a theory now that, since Romney polls at a new low of zero when it comes to the black vote, he's just going to focus on getting the white vote. In other words, now he's actually running against minorities. If that's the theory, then Romney's comment makes sense. Have you listened to the Republican Party lately? Food stamps? Welfare? Seen the voter suppression?
It sure sounds like they're running against minorities to me.
So while Priebus and the GOP may run from their records and comments like cowards, and those like Morality Mika take to their fainting couches, and trade in their "Morning Joe" to toss back a "Morning Vodka" before the cameras stop rolling, it's good to know someone like Chris Matthews is starting to say wait a minute:
This is wrong.
