Republicans Court the Bigot Vote

Republicans Court the Bigot Vote: "Ah, autumn -- a brisk snap in the air, the deep hues of trees changing colors ...and Republicans telling you that black men are coming to have sex with your daughters.

All right, that isn't completely accurate. Black men are coming to have sex with your daughters, Republicans warn, but gays are also going to turn you into one of them, and if we don't act soon the halls of power will be crawling with sex perverts.

We've all heard about the ad directed against Senate candidate Harold Ford in Tennessee, in which a ditzy young woman squeals, "I met Harold Ford at the Playboy party!" and closes the ad with, "Harold, call me!" -- and you know what they'll be doing if he does. But that isn't even the most racist ad that has been aired in that state, nor is the one that features thumping jungle drums every time Ford's name is mentioned.

...

Ford's opponent, Bob Corker, condemned that ad, as he did the "Call me!" ad (which was produced by the national Republican Party). But there are lots of Republicans in Tennessee who want to make extra sure that voters know that Harold Ford is black, black, black. Faced with a dynamic, skilled candidate in Ford and a mediocre one of their own in Corker, combined with a national mood decidedly unfavorable to Republicans, the GOP decided to hitch its wagon one more time to the bigot vote."

(Via AlterNet.)