N-WordheadGate: Conservatives Are Outraged ... at Herman Cain

[jefferson_dem]

N-WordheadGate: Conservatives Are Outraged ... at Herman Cain
10/3/11 at 12:00 PM


Herman Cain should know better than to be offended by racism.
Photo: Steve Pope/Getty Images

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Rick Perry, and now, with the Washington Post throwing him into a racial controversy, things are about to get ... much better! Wait, what? Let's backtrack a bit. Yesterday, the Post published a bombshell story about a hunting camp the Perry family has leased on and off since the early eighties. The ranch was long known as, ahem, "Niggerhead," and the name was scrawled on a large rock situated at one of the entrances. Perry says that his family painted over the offensive word shortly after leasing the land, but seven people interviewed by the Post — most of them anonymous — claim the rock and its epithet were visible for years after that.

So far, only one of Perry's GOP rivals has commented on N-WordheadGate: Herman Cain. Asked yesterday about the story, Cain, the only black Republican in the race, lashed out at Perry. "Since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place," Cain said on This Week. On Fox News Sunday, Cain added that there "isn’t a more vile, negative word than the N-word and for him to leave it there as long as he did before, I hear, that they finally painted over it, is just plain insensitive to a lot of black people in this country."

Cain's reaction is certainly understandable. Anyone could find the revelations offensive, and Cain is a black man who grew up in the segregated South. And yet, as Michael Tomasky points out today, it's Cain, not Perry, who could be damaged the most by this story. To understand why, you have to consider that there are two things Republicans hate more than anything. One is being accused of racism, which has happened with increasing frequency since President Obama became president, and, if you ask Republicans, is never, ever justified. Two is unfair treatment by the allegedly biased mainstream media. So among Republicans, the widespread response to the Post story was not, "wow, Rick Perry messed up." It was, "the liberal media is smearing another Republican as a racist!"

It's in this context that the backlash has occurred. Cain wasn't expressing reasonable grievances — he was "piling on" and legitimizing a sleazy political attack. The Daily Caller's Matt Lewis writes this morning, "Cain’s comments were — at best — premature — and at worst, highly irresponsible. It was a cheap shot, and, perhaps a signal that Cain is willing to play the race card against a fellow Republican when it benefits him." Over at the conservative blog Red State, Eric Erickson says the story is "a slander Herman Cain is picking up and running with as a way to get into second place." And the backlash from pundits and regular voters is taking place as we speak on Twitter. Some former Cain backers have already pulled their support:



<SNIP>

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/10/niggerhead_herman_cain_rick_perry.html

[WI_DEM]

1. funny, but somehow I believe it might very well be true that Rick Perry's numbers among GOP primary

voters will improve now that this racist controversy has come out.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

21. ouch.

but, that makes sense. In a very unfortunate way.

[Enrique]

2. did they complain when he accused Jon Stewart of being racist?

do I have to ask?

Cain has actually been making a lot of questionable charges of racism, and they haven't said anything. Now that he's made one that's justified, the RW won't like it.

[Ian David]

3. ...

[bigdarryl]

4. It figures blame it on the BLACK MAN for Perry's bullshit

It proves to me these white rethugs don't care about the offensive of the use of the word

[MADem]

5. He's going to be on THE VIEW tomorrow--talk about timing!

I'm sure he was booked well before this imbroglio, though.

I will be very interested in seeing that appearance. I recently ran into an old college friend who is a Cain supporter (rather to my suprise, as this person was once a liberal). Even more interesting, my old friend is from TEXAS. I was just going to gloss it over, but now I may do some delving to see if I can't figure out the motivation.

What the fuck universe do we live in, I have to ask, that this article you so kindly cited for us could even be written? Just the headline is appalling! He should "KNOW BETTER" than to be offended? He "wasn't expressing reasonable grievances" and was "piling on?" It boggles the mind!! What, he's supposed to say "Oh, N-word, PLEASE! Nothing but a thing!"

The tweet is just the icing on the cake.

What's nice (if you can use the word in this context) is that the old, ugly scab is getting ripped off once again--and we get a chance to see how far the GOP have (not) come since the old Southern Strategy was put in the back of the drawer.

I am just ASTOUNDED by all this.

[hlthe2b]

6. Well, given that Cain has used racism to attack liberal African Americans...

I can't say I am either surprised nor particularly sympathetic. Either he believes in showing respect for all--or he does not. Suggesting that members of his own race can't think for themselves--are brainwashed--to explain why most African Americans do not line up to vote for RETHUGS.... enough said. He has no credibility on this or any other issue, IMO.

Ironic, I guess that it is the racist factions of the party with whom he so wants to ingratiate himself, that has turned on him....:shrug:

I guess, Herman (or is it Herb) that they are "just not so in to you" .....

[Kurovski]

7. Of course! How dare he obstruct their first amendment right to be racist!

Cain needs to reevaluate his ideas on the whole brainwashing theory.

[YellowCosmicSun]

8. Poor Herman fell into the trap they had laid for Obama.

[fishwax]

9. no surprise there -- republicans always think it's unfair to discuss racism

(except when they're lobbing those charges at democrats, of course)

[steve2470]

10. in other news, Republicans and Tea Partiers are clueless nt

[krawhitham]

11. only reason Cain is still around is so Conservatives can claim they are not racist

[PatSeg]

12. I wonder what republican party leaders

have given or offered Cain to run for president. Those same leaders don't want Perry to win the nomination and I'm sure Cain has been advised to get involved in this issue, to help make room for a more electable candidate (Romney or Christie?). I wouldn't be surprised to find out that a Rove operative was involved in exposing the hunting ranch rock story. They are as relentless against their own as they are against Democrats.

[treestar]

16. +1

They well know they will never nominate him, but will claim that he ran proves they are not racists.

[EffieBlack]

13. Sounds familiar

Unfortunately, such behavior is not limited to Republicans.

[Empowerer]

14. And if Cain DIDN'T object, they would use that as proof that it really isn't all that offensive

I'm no fan of Cain - not at all. But I applaud him for standing up in the midst of these people and speaking up.

Yes, it shouldn't be that hard to speak against this - it's really a rather "duh" no-brainer - but in the environment he's operating in, he's taking a risk.

[Kind of Blue]

18. +1 Exactly! This is a no-brainer

After all, what did Cain say other than it's the most vile word of all to black people and Perry is insensitive - nothing new here. I would have been more appalled by Cain than ever if he didn't say it.

[Splinter Cell]

15. Wow....

Just when you think the GOP can't get any shittier....:wtf:

[CakeGrrl]

17. Oops, you messed up, Mr. Cain

You can only accuse the black President and other black people of being racist. Leave the white man alone. You forgot yourself.



:crazy:

[Fearless]

19. Back in line GOPers!

:eyes:

[OswegoAtheist]

20. GOP voters are disappointed in Perry...

...for painting over the sign in the first place.

Oswego "IOKIYAR" Atheist

[AlinPA]

22. It will backfire on Cain, Perry will go up in the republican polls.

[stevenleser]

23. I was wrong, Republicans CAN still shock me. This is the first time in a while though...

Wow. Just wow.

[Marnie]

24. I have no sympathy for Perry, but the rock is not his property.

He probably could have done something about it if he had wanted. But everybody who is discussing this is forgetting his family is leasing all or a part of someone else's property for hunting or a retreat or what ever. But it is not their property to "fix."

[EffieBlack]

25. I don't agree

But - if Barack Obama can be held accountable for things that his minister says - remember "he should have walked out" - Rick Perry can be held accountable for continuing to use property that contained such an offensive object.

[Buddyblazon]

26. Just doing their part...

to make sure they decimate any remaining miniscule amount of support from African-Americans.

Quite frankly, I wish I could just shut my mouth and let them do all the talking...they do far more damage to themselves than me calling them on their BS.