Good thing is there's no mention of Huck. But this type of thing, no matter how well-meaning a guy Chip might be in general, just pushes the GOP further away.




And beyond my personal offense at the song or even the implications for the GOP's image, there is the stupidity factor. Smart people can do stupid things - I don't think I'm stupid but I do dumb things all the time. But, why, after seeing how the "Magic Negro" song hit national news when Rush Limbaugh put it out there last year (see the clip below), would somebody who was competing for a high profile job go and stick their own feet - and even worse, risk sticking the feet of their former clients - right into that lawn fertilizer? Forget the very poor taste aspect. It's just stupid. Why watch someone else get in hot water and then say "that's a great idea ... I'll send it out to lots of people and put my name on it." Not bright.

And if the argument is that this was supposed to be a joke between friends, I start wondering what else gets joked about between the fellows at the RNC.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

Here's the song in it's entirety. I'm still not laughing - in fact, I'm frowning.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

I heard this song on "Rush" one day several weeks ago. Didn't really pay that much attention to it. Parody, you know. Glenn Beck has even more
"questionable" stuff on his show sometimes.

That said,
I agree. In BAD taste.
If Saltsman did send this out as a joke, what does Michael Steele think about it?, I wonder....or any of the other "black" conservatives.
This is a gnarly situation sure.
Good grief. Does this whole election cycle seem like the weirdest in history?
Or does this kind of stuff go on all the time.?
What good could Mr. Saltsman have thought this would do.???????????

A few things on this:

1) The CD was not called, "Barack: The Magic Negro" That was one track of 41 on the CD. Are we going to seriously take the standard that if you send out CD you endorse every track?

2) If Saltsman a racist for sending out, what about Rush Limbaugh for playing it over and over again.

3) The term "Magic Negro" was not an insult to Obama by Shanklin. Rather it began with this LA Times piece back in March 2007:



This led to Shanklin's parody, taking Ehrenstein's column and turn\ing it into a parody aimed not at Obama, but at Al Sharpton, who Shanklin imitates. The parody actually suggests little negative about Obama (other than the white guilt charge which Ehrenstein raised, not Shanklin) but alleged that Sharpton feared an Obama victory would leave him with nothing to say and out of the spotlight.

This is a ridiculous non-story, and I really can't believe how many posters here are getting bent out of shape about it. First of all the song is really taking a shot at Al Sharpton and the Media's coverage of Obama. The song mocks the use of the term coined by the L.A. Times: "the Magic Negro." It doesn't endorse the term.... It's making fun of it! There's nothing more offensive about it than anything you would see on SNL, but they get a pass on everything because they are liberal. Secondly, Paul Shanklin made it, and Rush played it repeatedly on his show. This is not new, the 'controversy' is contrived. You're letting the media change your opinion of Chip Saltsman, who is a good man. Thirdly, Chip included with the cd other parody songs. To me, it would be a great stocking stuffer for any conservative-minded political junkie, and a way to get members of the RNC to keep Saltsman in mind.

You can bet that a Huckabee opponent was the one who brought this phony controversy to the media.

I am familiar with the origin of the song. I was upset in 2007 when Rush stated playing it. I have heard it in its entirity and I am offended by the song. I have not called Chip or even Rush a racist but it offends me. I don't find it one bit funny. I think it is a case of bad taste and bad judgment. And how does this help the GOP grow? How does it help you escape the perception problem?

And yes, I am bent out of shape. You may not see anything wrong with the song but I do. I find it presumptuous to be told that I shouldn't be offended - in fact, allow me to make the decisions about what offends me.

I am being honest and not "manipulated by th media" when I say that this type of thing hurts the GOP brand. Ignore me, but I think you might one day realize how much just telling people they're being insensitive without seeing things from another point of view is hurting the conservative cause.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

I do understand how offensive this might be if I were a black (or "Negro," as the song says). Even that term is not used much because it now seems perjorative. If it were not for the fact that the Republican Party is so dismally failing the black community, as far as seating delegates, electing black leaders, and getting their vote, it would not be nearly the problem. While I think the song was probably trying to deflate Barack's "magic" persona, it is certainly unhelpful that Saltsman sent this CD out, and especially since he has made public comments trying to justify it.

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This is not about Chip the man - It is about the prospects of Chip the Chairman.

Playing around with "edgy" stuff, like parody and satire, has the obvious liability that most of it has two edges.

After everything we've gone through regarding race and politics over the past two years (not to mention two hundred plus), this was a bone head play. Race is the third rail of politics. Not recognizing this fact makes me really wonder about Chip's perception. I like Chip, but I'd prefer a Chair who has learned the lay of the political landscape we are on and will experience for some time.

For the folks that think this is unfair, that the nation is overly sensitive, that there are two or more standards applied, such arguments don't matter.

Rocks are hard, water is wet, your father is your father...you don't get to vote on reality.

The reality is that Chip has damaged himself, Mike, and the Republican party. And HE did it by his own actions. Waste! Simply waste!

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"As for us, our days of combat are over. Our swords are rust. Our guns will thunder no more. The vultures that once wheeled over our heads must be buried with their prey. Whatever of glory must be won in the council or the closet, never again in the field. I do not repine. We have shared the incommunicable experience of war; we have felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Chip probably meant no ill wil. But I do not understand why he thought this was funny - especially after people were offended when Rush aired it.

I don't like being told I'm being "too sensitive." Last year when Mike made the joke gone horribly bad about Obama, I was the one who spent four hours writing a widely read article defending him. But any of us can make a mistake and say something stupid. And when we have a long reputation of being fair and sensitive to others, we're more likely to get the benefit of the doubt when we screw up, as all of us eventually will.

But the GOP doesn't get the benefit of the doubt with issues of race. It hasn't built up much goodwill in that area. It's almost like clockwork that someone will say something stupid and then everyone else around then will blame the media or those offended for the controversy that follows the stupidity. And then they wonder why people don't respond well to the party.

If someone says something offends them, trust their word that they are actually offended. Who would know better than them? Just apologize. And then learn so that you don't do the same thing again. Or else, don't complain, act surprised and blame the media when the exit polls show that the party is contracting and not expanding.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

Chip why, Why Chip Why!!!!!! You just had to tip toe for a few more weeks man! He should of known this could blow up on him. I have a very open sense of humor., Very Very Open sense of humor. But realize that in this PC world you cant send stuff like that to people. Thats like something a teenager would put on his myspace page. GEeeeezzzz Chip.

Just think if we are this dissapointed in chip how people who dont even know him must be feeling. I could over look it. However those who dont know Chip and this is their first exsposure to him are going to be appaulled.

How could he of ran Huckabees campaign so well and do so poorly on his own. Maybe he does not really want the job. Maybe He intentionally done this. I just cant figure out why someone as politically brilliant as him would do this. Maybe he did it to sabogate himself intentionally.

You shouldn't be offended TVV. The song isn't making fun of any racial stereotypes, but is making fun of the idiots inside the Democratic Party who use them.

These are the same people who mock Bill Cosby for not being "black enough", the same people who throw Oreos at Michael Steele, and call Condi Rice "Aunt Jamima" and Colin Powell a "house negro". It's making fun of people like CNN's Roland Martin who call Fox's Juan Williams "the eternal happy negro".

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Donate To HuckPAC: R23593

"Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the man before the dollar."
- Abraham Lincoln

Has this story gotten any play beyond CNN?

Fox doesn't have it headlined, and as of last night even Hotair had it linked, but had not given its own post. Maybe the right realizes that they can't take advantage of this to hurt mike or even chip without giving the whole party a black eye.. has it been blogged at huffpo?

This lack of judgement has probably cost chip that job, but I want the collateral damaged to be minimized for Mike and the GOP as much as possible.

I'm with TVV.. I don't care about the actual words of the song, the title is enough to make me gag as a black person.

And I also noticed other title tracks in the screen shots.. The star spanglish banner? Come on.. even as an anti amnesty supporter I'd be upset as a hispanic person.

The CD just plays to the typecasting of conservatives and republicans as cultural bigots. I'm dissapointed it even exists.. and devasted that Chip thought it was harmless enough to distribute.

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His maiden, singing a victory song for faith, family and freedom
http://maidensong.wordpress.com/

After reading this forum about what happened with Chip and the Obama song, I went to read Huckabee's new book and came upon a paragraph that I thought would apply for a comment.

On page 100, Huckabee writes

Sounds like Chip did not think through his plan. After watching the republicans do poorly with the war in Iraq after the finely executed shock and awe, Katrina, the mismagement of the McCain campaign, and the bailout, etc, the RNC is desperately in need of someone who can listen to all the ideas, run through the likely scenarios and the consequences of them, and execute those ideas that will result in inclusiveness.

Chip instead, imho, would be a great ideas guy for the RNC-shooting out ideas from the hip, brainstorming, creating new ads, programs to present, but then leaving the decision up to someone else who is more methodical, wiser, and aware of how it will affect everyone.

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ConservTexan

http://ilikemikehuckabee2012.blogspot.com/

I agree that this is in bad taste. I am wondering why this has not been posted on HuckPac, and neither have I heard anything on Fox News. Maybe it could be good that most of the reporters and commentators are still on Christmas break.

I wanted to post this on HuckPac, but just did not want to interupt the dialogue on any of the blog posts. I was so hoping that Gov. Huckabee would get plenty of rest week, so maybe it would be best that he doesn't hear about it yet. Thankfully, we have alot of prayer warriors on this site as well as the HuckPac.

This is disappointing. Poor judgment on Chip's part.

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Ken

Say it ain't so, Chip! This is just dumb, dumb, dumb! I can't even believe it. What was he thinking?!!!! I think it is totally offensive, just from the title itself, no matter what the content is. Debbie, I think you may have found something there. Unfortunately, Chip may be a great guy and did an awesome job on Mike's campaign, but if he thought this was a good idea, then his judgment is in question. The RNC needs someone who will think things through before he acts/talks/sends out offensive gifts.

It's up on Foxnews.com's homepage.

And every time I've read an article about this, I've read Mike Huckabee's name and his association with Chip, listed prominently. Not publicity I'd like, if I were Mike.

And - since MIke has endorsed Chip for this position, I think it would be a display of leadership for him (Mike) to address this.

I also find that whole 'silence' thing (by the Republican party) disturbing. If a Congressman or Senator or GOP higher-up thinks the CD is in the vein of past parodies, and that it was done with humor and should be seen as such, then stand up and say so, publicly and clearly. If, on the other hand, a GOP elected official thinks it's in bad taste, stupid, and/or offensive, then stand up and say so.

It appears - by the silence - that the entire party is a) busy celebrating Christmas and New Year's with friends and family, or (more likely) b) scared to death of offending El Rushbo, the Maha whatever he's called, the Grand Pooh-bah of the Party That Lost. That would bother me more than taking a stand either way - the thought that they're scared to say anything that is not in line with Rush. It's as if they're awaiting their talking points from him, and they can't get those until at least Monday at noon, or later, if Rush is on vacation.

When Rush played this, it bugged me. I realized the history behind the song, where it originated, and all that. But I also knew that not everyone would know that, and that there were far better ways (for Rush and for Paul Shanklin) to get across what he was trying to say than that way.

But 'even if' - even if - Chip is so deep into political-world-thinking that he forgets that the rest of the population wouldn't see/hear it that way, and even if he figured that, as track 41 (as has been said by adamelijah), it wasn't the main point of this, and even if he didn't realize that it would/could offend people on the Republican side -

even if all that is true, that does not speak well of him, as a potential leader of the party. Even if he meant it as parody, it shows a serious lack of discernment at worst, and a lack of secretarial assistants (who should have been paying attention to such details) at best. Not good.

If he is running to have his own late night political comedy TV show, he's doing great. If he is running to be someone who uses the power of words to communicate that we have a better message, one that reaches all people, and that is the best for the American people -

then he failed that test, big-time.

How could anyone think "Magic Negro" is not hugely offensive? Huckabee has to come out against this. I am hoping for Michael Steele as RNC chairman now.

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You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. Psalm 61:3
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Psalm 122:6

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“The central message is that the Republican Party has a great future, if we get back to being the party of principle, clarity and conviction. And we’re going to do that.” --Mike Huckabee

I see that the subject line says 'Newt comments!' -

I think I missed that, where do we have that in this thread?