Saltsman Should Be Disqualified as RNC Chair

December 28, 2008 by Cato  
Filed under Race, Republican Campaigns

Former Tennessee GOP chair, and Huckabee for President campaign manager, Chip Saltsman wants to be RNC Chairman.  Any member of the RNC who votes for him should be ashamed and immediately replaced at the first opportunity by the body which elected them to their post.

Saltsman decided to send the members of the RNC a little gift – a parody CD titled We Hate the USA.  The CD, by conservative comedian and parody artist Paul Shanklin, includes the song Barack the Magic Negro.

While I’ve been a fan of Shanklin’s for quite a while, this was not his best moment.  Rather than enter into a lengthy explanation as to why this track is rude at best, racist at worst, I’ll leave that to better minds such as my Red Maryland colleague Prof. Richard Vatz.

I’m not calling Saltsman a racist.  I don’t know the man and can’t speak to such character flaws.  I just believe that he showed extremely poor judgment in sending this little “gift” to the voting members of the RNC.  A nice card wouldn’t have worked?

Saltsman’s judgement has now been shown to be deficient.  Why then should he even be considered for the RNC chairmanship?  The next chairman will have plenty of opportunities to make mistakes.  Why would we want a chairman who will be starting from a negative position?

Ken Blackwell, one of the front runners for the post, has defended Saltsman in this matter.  Sad to say, Blackwell is showing some small lack of judgment in this matter.  I agree that far too many of us are hypersensitive when it comes to race.  Blackwell may have calculated that he would appear statesman-like in defending an opponent under fire.  However, I believe that he should have just stood mute on the matter.  While I still believe that Blackwell would be an outstanding chairman (personally, I’m torn between Blackwell and Michigan Chair Saul Anuzis), he would have served himself and the party better by not commenting.

The first African-American has been elected President of the United States.  It would be nice if we, as a nation, could get over some the racial baggage that has plagued us for far too long.  However, that does not excuse a man who wants to lead the party of liberty, opportunity, and inclusion from an act that is rude at best.