The Republican Agenda On Race

In one of the odder articles assessing the post-Lott fallout, David Firestone writes in the New York Times that “G.O.P. Senators See No Need for Altered Stance on Race.” Why odd? Because it never said what that agenda was, or is.

This reticence can’t be said to characterize fellow Timesman Bob Herbert’s column today, “The Other Trent Lotts.” Who are they? Why, all the other Republicans. The column spews a string of epithets unlinked by any analysis.

• racism and ethnic insensitivity;
• ugly, backward, divisive and destructive behavior of many, many politicians in the Republican Party, including those at the very top;
• The G.O.P. could cleanse itself of the taint of racism, but it’s not so inclined;
• the G.O.P. is still hot for the racist vote

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports that “Civil Rights Leaders Widen Attack on GOP: Groups Charge Senator’s Actions Reflect Party’s Agenda.”

Acting almost as one, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and other groups sent a flurry of telephone calls, faxes and e-mail announcements saying that Lott’s resignation from the Senate leadership might have changed the party’s face, but not its soul.

According to John Lewis and the inevitable Jesse Jackson, Lott’s “actions reflected his party’s agenda.” What “actions”? The Republican Party has an agenda item to attend birthday parties for old racists and then insert its foot into its mouth?

There is a mounting chorus from the left, in short, that the Republicans should abandon their (obviously) racist ways (whatever they are). Helpfully, the NAACP’s Kweisi Mfume steps forward with advice about how to do that.

“This is a good first step for the Republican Party,” Mfume said of Lott’s departure. “Now they’ve got to reverse four decades of dependence on racist elements in their base. They can do this by embracing the generally accepted remedies for racial discrimination and by replacing the rhetoric of outreach with the reality.”

In short, all the Republicans need do is … act like Democrats: “outreach” (to coin a verb) with hands full of special privileges such as racial preferences.