Bullying Behind GOP "Racist" Win

[babylonsister]

X-post from eds.
So much class-too bad it's all so low.


Bullying Behind GOP "Racist" Win

by John Avlon

Audra Shay, accused of endorsing racial slurs and hate, was elected to lead the Young Republicans yesterday. More shocking, reveals John Avlon, were the tactics: sexual innuendos, voter intimidation, near-fisticuffs.


The Young Republicans faced a stark choice at their convention in Indianapolis yesterday as they chose their next leader: a center-right twentysomething interested in greater outreach, or a self-described “true conservative” who is almost 40 and spent last week dealing with Daily Beast reports about her beliefs, which are, at best, often hateful, and at worst, downright racist. The delegates, in a vote of 470-415, chose the latter.

Perhaps less remarkable than the outcome–new Young Republicans Chairman Audra Shay bragged on her Facebook page that she had pledges from the majority of delegate going in–was how the vote played out. Yesterday’s election was closed to members of the press, but The Daily Beast has pulled together an account of the vote, and the runup to it, and the details are shocking. Some highlights:

* Shay’s opponent, Rachel Hoff, was the subject of an ugly sexual innuendo whisper campaign that questioned her reasons for supporting civil unions.

* Shay’s electoral slate, dubbed Team Renewal, battled desperately–some likened it to intimidation–and, ultimately, successfully to block a motion that would have allowed delegates to cast their votes by secret ballot, for fear they’d lose.

* Near-fistfights on the floor, and finally something of a boycott, as some of Hoff’s slate of candidates lower on the ticket chose to remove their names from the ballot after her defeat.

“They just took a vote that may have set the party back 30 years,” said the co-founder of HipHopRepublican.com, Lenny McAllister, speaking from the floor of the Hyatt convention hall. “They just voted for a candidate who has a demonstrated tolerance for racial intolerance. She has joked about lynching and then claimed to be a victim. As a black man, I still don’t see what’s funny about that.”

more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-12/bullying-behind-gop-racist-win-5/full/

[tanyev]

1. "Near fistfights on the floor"

Awesome! Now if only The Daily Show got some footage... :rofl:

[rockymountaindem]

2. These campaigns to become head of the YR's and YD's always seem nasty

Is there some huge appeal to heading these groups? Do their leaders always go on to be "taken care of" by people higher up in terms of jobs, access or something else? I suppose if those jobs were well-known stepping stones to elected office or something, I'd understand why people take them so seriously. But since that doesn't seem to be the case, are we to assume that the Young Republicans just attract a bunch of super-competitive scrappers?

It sounds like Taiwanese parliament in there.

[Odin2005]

3. "HipHopRepublican.Com" ROFLMAO!!!

:rofl:

[babylonsister]

4. Takes all types, doesn't it.

:D