A new PAC has been formed, FightBigotry.com. I will give my thoughts at the end.
The Video: (Via Think Progress)
Who is running it:
FightBigotry.com’s founder and treasurer is Stephen Marks, a well-known Republican opposition researcher whose 2008 book Confessions of a Political Hitman detailed his work in what he called “the dark side of politics.” In 2000, he launched an attack ad under the misleading name “Americans Against Hate,” attempting to tie Al Gore to controversial comments by Rev. Al Sharpton. Another Marks spot in 2004 attempted to link John Kerry to convicted murderer Willie Horton. He was forced to retract a claim in the book about then-Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), acknowledging that “the information was not accurate.”
About the Video:
Beyond the obvious race-baiting, the ad is riddled with factual errors. Holder’s March 2011 statement was criticizing a Congressman for equating an a 2008 New Black Panther Party incident with the much more violent assaults against voting rights advocates in the 1960s – not about “pursuing the New Black Panthers.”
And what this group terms a “racist altercation with police” involved a Harvard University professor being stopped by police for trying to enter his own home. Even conservative Fox News legal analyst and former New Jersey state Judge Andrew Napolitano called it an “improper arrest.”
Okay now for my thoughts:
To Steven Marks, you have the right to do this — but… What does it honestly do for the Conservative movement and the Republican Party? I mean, the stuff is class A, USDA choice, weapons grade, dog-whistle material. I mean, what is the motivation? Is it to inform people, or is it to stir up hostility among white people against Obama?
Simply put, this is nothing more than a losing gambit; for all concerned — White People, The Conservative movement, The Republican Party, Mitt Romney and his supporters. The truth is folks, we can run on Obama’s record; as it is said that he is going to lose big anyhow, we do not need to bring race into this election at all. It is unneeded baggage and it will only hurt us in the long run.
While I am empathetic and sympathetic to the things said in this video, as I am a white person myself; I simply do not believe that this is really needed at all. It does nothing for the Conservative cause and it does well play into the talking-point that Republicans are racist. This is simply something that we just do not need at all.
Round up of liberals covering this, and yes, they’re right about this one: Washington Monthly, Wonkette, Little Green Footballs, Shakesville (Via Memeorandum)