Right wing fringe is now the mainstream

News stories circulated about the mailing of 'Barack The Magic Negro', a fairly un-funny political parody song (sung to the tune of 'Puff The Magic Dragon') originally peddled by a typically guffawing Rush Limbaugh, on CD to RNC members by one of the RNC's successor-aspirants, a guy in Virginia named Chip Saltsman. Saltsman ran Huckabee's distinctly underwhleming campaign

The current (and presumable outgoing) RNC Chairman, Mike Duncan, went public with a rather dispirited condemnation of the song...or the mailing of it...or, something.

"The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party," RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan said in a statement. "I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."

What strikes us about this episode is that the leadershiup of the party is now within reach of the the fling-whatever, drag 'em down, bait-the-racists, belittle first/offer alternative second crowd. This, of course, would most assuredly please Limbaugh himself, Saltsman will undoubtedly be cast as a hero by ol Rushbo himself, and it may well succeed. The thinkers, the technocrats, the policy wonks, the moderates - none of them have a voice anymore in the Republican party. The eraser-throwers are this close to running the classroom.

One wonders, in the face of the challenges this society and body politic faces, how successfully the Republicans can cast themselves as serious participants in the rebuilding of the American system if guys like this are running the propaganda.

Personally, I like the wilderness, but I'm not sure if the Republicans are going to enjoy it there. If they keep this bullshit up, they might as well start getting their mail forwarded. Fine with me.