Candidate for RNC Chair plays the race card
Raynard Jackson
Issue date: 1/4/09 Section: Politics
Well, here we go again. Just couldn't end the year on an upbeat note regarding the Republican Party. Chip Saltsman, candidate for national party chair and former chair of the Tennessee state party, has played the "race" card and now wants us to believe that it "was just a joke."
According to the Hill Newspaper, Saltsman, in a Christmas greeting to RNC members, sent a CD that included the song about the president-elect as well as other tracks lampooning liberals that were written by conservative satirist Paul Shanklin. When The Hill first reported about the CD, Saltsman noted that "Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies."
This is a bittersweet moment for me. On the one hand, FINALLY a couple of Republicans in leadership spoke out against Saltsman. Again, from the Hill Newspaper,
"The 2008 election was a wakeup call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party," current Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, who is again running for the position, stated. "I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."
Michigan Republican Party chairman Saul Anuzis, who is also seeking the RNC chairmanship, said the song is not his idea of "appropriate humor. "In my opinion, this isn't funny and it's in bad taste," he added, noting that the GOP is not helped by criticism of Obama that does not stem from philosophical differences with the president-elect.
Even former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is quoted as saying in an e-mail message, "This is so inappropriate that it should disqualify any Republican National Committee candidate who would use it."
But, what is even more disgusting than the audacity of Saltsman to send out these insulting CDs, is the deafening silence of Black Republicans, especially the two who are running for national party chair.
According to the Hill Newspaper, Saltsman, in a Christmas greeting to RNC members, sent a CD that included the song about the president-elect as well as other tracks lampooning liberals that were written by conservative satirist Paul Shanklin. When The Hill first reported about the CD, Saltsman noted that "Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies."
This is a bittersweet moment for me. On the one hand, FINALLY a couple of Republicans in leadership spoke out against Saltsman. Again, from the Hill Newspaper,
"The 2008 election was a wakeup call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party," current Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, who is again running for the position, stated. "I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."
Michigan Republican Party chairman Saul Anuzis, who is also seeking the RNC chairmanship, said the song is not his idea of "appropriate humor. "In my opinion, this isn't funny and it's in bad taste," he added, noting that the GOP is not helped by criticism of Obama that does not stem from philosophical differences with the president-elect.
Even former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is quoted as saying in an e-mail message, "This is so inappropriate that it should disqualify any Republican National Committee candidate who would use it."
But, what is even more disgusting than the audacity of Saltsman to send out these insulting CDs, is the deafening silence of Black Republicans, especially the two who are running for national party chair.
Be the first to comment on this story