Herbert: Republicans "Anti-Black"

Racially obsessed New York Times "columnist" Bob Herbert babbles incoherently today about the GOP being "anti-black," while conveniently overlooking the fact that more than 40 years of fealty to the Democrat Party hasn't exactly worked wonders for the people he purportedly represents.

Of course, this is the type of nonsense we've come to expect from Herbert and the New York Times, but now that he's no longer hidden behind the New York Times Select wall, even more people can now be exposed to his ugly bigotry.

The G.O.P. has spent the last 40 years insulting, disenfranchising and otherwise stomping on the interests of black Americans. Last week, the residents of Washington, D.C., with its majority black population, came remarkably close to realizing a goal they have sought for decades — a voting member of Congress to represent them.

A majority in Congress favored the move, and the House had already approved it. But the Republican minority in the Senate — with the enthusiastic support of President Bush — rose up on Tuesday and said: “No way, baby.”

At least 57 senators favored the bill, a solid majority. But the Republicans prevented a key motion on the measure from receiving the 60 votes necessary to move it forward in the Senate. The bill died.

At the same time that the Republicans were killing Congressional representation for D.C. residents, the major G.O.P. candidates for president were offering a collective slap in the face to black voters nationally by refusing to participate in a long-scheduled, nationally televised debate focusing on issues important to minorities.

The radio and television personality Tavis Smiley worked for a year to have a pair of these debates televised on PBS, one for the Democratic candidates and the other for the Republicans. The Democratic debate was held in June, and all the major candidates participated.

The Republican debate is scheduled for Thursday. But Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have all told Mr. Smiley: “No way, baby.”

They won’t be there. They can’t be bothered debating issues that might be of interest to black Americans. After all, they’re Republicans.

This is the party of the Southern strategy — the party that ran, like panting dogs, after the votes of segregationist whites who were repelled by the very idea of giving equal treatment to blacks. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. (Willie Horton) Bush, George W. (Compassionate Conservative) Bush — they all ran with that lousy pack.

Of course the fact Southern segregationists were Democrats, including Al Gore Sr. and Robert Byrd, is an inconvenient truth Hebert doesn't bother to mention. He continues with bizarre rants about Ronald Reagan and Lee Atwater, a man who's been dead for many years.

Nothing like besmirching a man who can't defend himself.

Herbert also perpetuates the myth that the elder George Bush invented the Wille Horton issue, when it was actually the son of segregationist Al Gore Sr.

But why bother with the facts when you have a racist spiel to deliver?

He ends with this gem, wholly unsubstantiated by any facts.

Republicans improperly threw black voters off the rolls in Florida in the contested presidential election of 2000, and sent Florida state troopers into the homes of black voters to intimidate them in 2004.

Some supporting evidence would be nice.

We know the Democrats disenfranchised military votes in Florida in 2000, but I guess that's OK since most of them likely voted for George W. Bush, evil racist.

It's not just giving MoveOn.org whopping discounts for slanderous ads that is driving their stock value to new lows.

It's garbage like this delievered by their esteemed "columnists" that has people fleeing the alleged paper of record.

UPDATE: Gateway Pundit smacks down this racist bilge.