Cliven Bundy's racist comments: campaign gift to Democrats?
| Washington
Rebellious Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, on the hot seat for suggesting blacks would be better off as slaves, has handed Democrats a gift right as midterm campaigns are gearing up.
Some Republicans had embraced Mr. Bundy鈥檚 longstanding refusal to pay federal grazing fees, but this week the rancher veered off into racist commentary 鈥� and now his GOP supporters are distancing themselves from him. Democrats are more than happy to fan the controversy, slamming some Republicans for not instantly denouncing Bundy鈥檚 race talk.
In an e-mail Friday with the subject line, 鈥淭hat time Republicans defended a racist,鈥� the Democratic National Committee compared the Bundy flap to 鈥淒uck Dynasty鈥� patriarch Phil Robertson鈥檚 about African Americans and gays last December. Some defended Mr. Robertson.
On his radio show Thursday, conservative talker Sean Hannity expressed concern that Democrats would associate Republicans with Bundy鈥檚 remarks. He pointed to comments April 13 by (D) of New York, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who said on CNN: "To a significant extent, the Republican base does have elements that are animated by racism. That's unfortunate."
The Bundy episode represents the latest setback to establishment Republicans seeking to improve their party鈥檚 image on matters of race and ethnicity. The nation鈥檚 growing diversity 鈥� and declining percentage of white voters 鈥� threatens the party鈥檚 viability in the long run, especially in presidential elections.
On CNN Friday, conservative African American blogger Crystal Wright said Republicans shouldn鈥檛 have embraced Bundy on the issue of federal grazing fees 鈥渨ithout doing their homework first鈥� on his racial views. She also criticized the way the party conducts outreach to minorities.
鈥淪top looking at us like we鈥檙e some weird animal,鈥� said Ms. Wright, publisher of the blog ConservativeBlackChick.com.
The Bundy situation has been building up for more than two decades. The federal government, backed by court rulings, says Bundy鈥檚 cattle have been grazing on government land improperly since 1993, and this month prepared to confiscate his herd. Bundy and his supporters, some of them armed, became a national cause c茅l猫bre via extensive coverage on Fox News, particularly on Mr. Hannity鈥檚 show. Politicians soon squared off on the issue: Republicans like libertarian Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada supported Bundy鈥檚 claim of federal overreach. Nevada鈥檚 other senator, Democratic majority leader Harry Reid, called Bundy supporters 鈥渄omestic terrorists.鈥�
The standoff took a turn Wednesday night, when The New York Times posted an article quoting Bundy suggesting that 鈥渢he Negro鈥� would be 鈥渂etter off as slaves.鈥� The full comments can be .
The Washington Post obtained a , made last Saturday, from a Bundy supporter.
Hannity and other high-profile Bundy supporters denounced his rhetoric.
鈥淗is comments are beyond repugnant to me,鈥� Hannity said. 鈥淭hey are beyond despicable to me. They are beyond ignorant to me."
Still, Hannity said he continues to disagree with how the federal government is handling the Bundy land dispute.
Senator Paul called Bundy鈥檚 remarks on race 鈥渙ffensive and I wholeheartedly disagree with them.鈥� A spokesperson for Senator Heller said he 鈥渄isagrees with Mr. Bundy鈥檚 appalling and racist statements, and condemns them in the most strenuous way.鈥�
On Friday morning, Mr. Bundy doubled down on the racist talk, in comments to CNN:
鈥淚f I say Negro or black boy or slave, if those people cannot take those kind of words and not be [offended], then Martin Luther King hasn't got his job done yet," he said, adding, "We need to get over this prejudice stuff."
The night before, also on CNN, Bundy defended himself on his racial commentary. 聽
"I don't think I'm wrong," he said. "I think I'm right."
