“If Conservatives rightly criticize liberals for always playing the “Race Card”, then we must not use it either. It’s a weak, vapid and totally ineffective contrivance anyway. People who play it are just admitting they’ve lost the debate.”
– H. Michael Hervey
The recent dust-up involving the alleged sexual harassment charges against Herman Cain provided a golden opportunity for Conservatives to show Americans why our message and temperament are superior to that of Republicans, Democrats and liberals.
Dropping that old, hackneyed, knee jerk “Race Card” on the body politic is what all those limp-wristed liberals do when they can’t develop a reasoned, rational point.
It’s not what Conservatives should do. It’s not what Cain should be doing either.
The media didn’t expose Newt Gingrich’s $250K Tiffany’s credit line because they think he’s a Georgia redneck. They did it because he’s a Conservative. The Washington Post didn’t run that silly hit piece about Marco Rubio’s parents because he’s Cuban. They did it because he’s a Conservative. The media didn’t vilify Sarah Palin because she’s a woman. They did it because she’s an attractive, articulate Conservative. The media didn’t highlight that offensive rock at Rick Perry’s hunting lodge because they think he’s a racist. They did it because he’s a Conservative.
And Politico isn’t running the Herman Cain story because he’s Black. They’re doing it because he’s a Conservative. End of story.
We conservatives must remain on sound intellectual footing if our legitimate criticisms of Obama and the liberal agenda are to be taken seriously. Liberals play the “Race Card” every time someone takes legitimate issue with Obama’s left-of-center policies. They play it – EVERY TIME – because they have no logical or substantive responses to those challenges.
If Conservatives now succumb to that same simple-minded temptation, we lose the moral and intellectual high ground by swimming that liberal swamp.
If Conservatives rightly criticize liberals for always playing the “Race Card”, then we must not use it either. It’s a weak, vapid and totally ineffective contrivance anyway. People who play it are just admitting they’ve lost the debate.
H. Michael Hervey
Chairman, CP-USA
hmhervey@cp-usa.org
