Charlie Black's History of Dirty Politics

[babylonsister]

Charlie Black's History of Dirty Politics
posted by Ari Berman on 06/25/2008 @ 12:39pm


Charlie Black, senior advisor to John McCain, has caused an uproar in political circles by claiming that another terrorist attack on US soil "would be a big advantage" for McCain.

For those who've followed Black's career, this latest "gaffe" should hardly be surprising. Black has a long history of rough-and-tumble politics, on behalf of some of the most controversial figures in this country and abroad.

Black was a protege of the late GOP operative Lee Atwater, who coldly implemented the Republican Party's racially divisive "Southern strategy." Both Atwater and Black were longtime advisors to former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms. In 1990, with Black as his senior advisor (the same position he now holds for McCain), Helms ran this ad against his African-American opponent, Harvey Gantt.

Here's the script: "You needed that job and you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to a minority, because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Gantt says it is. Gantt supports Ted Kennedy's racial quota law, that makes the color of your skin more important than your qualifications. You'll vote on this issue next Tuesday. For racial quotas: Harvey Gantt. Against racial quotas: Jesse Helms."

Another Helms ad accused Gantt of running a "secret campaign" aimed at black radio. Here's how that one went, according to the New York Times: "Why doesn't Harvey Gantt run his ad on all radio stations, so everyone can hear it, instead of just on black radio stations? Doesn't Harvey Gantt want everyone to vote?"

Time magazine's Michael Kinsley wrote that the purpose of the ads were to "promote simple racism against Gantt." Emory political scientist Merle Black said Helms "has demonstrated a consistent willingness to use race as a campaign theme."

more...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/332544