Why Are Mainstream Republicans Acting Shocked?

[louis c]

After more than a decade of campaigning by using racist "dog whistles" to energize their base, why are so called "Mainstream Republicans" acting shocked that the dogs are barking?

[Wounded Bear]

1. Self awareness is not strong in those folks...

and no, that's not sarcasm. I'm serious. They seem to have no concept that their actions and words can have negative connotations among their listeners. Applies to RW talk/hate radio, TV, politicians. All of them.

[0rganism]

2. i think some of them are surprised that there are so many dogs

by now, a lot of the "mainstream" Republicans have forgotten about Nixon's "Southern Strategy" (or never bothered to learn about it in the first place). well, Trump is messing up decades of careful maneuvering that's been going on for decades to keep the racists quiet, pacified and ready to vote for bankers' puppets, without delivering anything of substance. and the racists are responding, loudly. and there sure are an awful lot of them.

[RKP5637]

3. Yeah, republicans LOVE this kind of stuff! I'm surprised they're not celebrating big time!

Any republican today not getting what the republican party is about today is either really really stupid, or celebrating. There is NO in between, like DUH, I didn't know the party stood for this.

[w4rma]

4. Their neoconservatives are shocked for the same reason that our neoliberals are shocked.

They live in gated community bubbles, apparently, and thought that their propaganda could last forever without repercussion. The aristocratic class is *always* out of touch with everyone else.

[maxsolomon]

5. That's not what a "Neoliberal" is

Think PNAC, not "Wealthy Mainstream Centrist Democrats", if that's what you're saying.

And I don't know of anyone who's "schocked" that Sanders is popular. Most Democrats know that the party has a very vocal and passionate left.