This Just In—It’s a cliché for a reason … history may not repeat itself, but it rhymes.
The expression is often attributed to Mark Twain, not because he actually said it, but because it seems like something he would have said. Seems more like Will Rogers to me, but I digress.
In 1968, Richard Nixon ran for President using his so-called “Southern Strategy.” This was a campaign plan to turn out white voters using coded language to tell them that Nixon was with them. Without directly saying so, he effectively promised to slow down the civil rights movement by being “pro-States Rights.” He said he would clamp down on civil unrest (legitimate anti-war protests) with his “law and order” stance.
He won.
In 1980, immediately after securing the Republican nomination for President, Ronald Reagan’s first speech was in Philadelphia, Mississippi to talk about States Rights and local control of government. Reagan might be remembered for his sunny “Morning in America” ads when running for re-election, but how he got the job was a dark, murky promise to keep the federal government’s hands off of securing rights for minorities.
He won.
George H.W. Bush ran for President in 1988 to effectively give the Reagan administration a third term — rarely successful in American politics. That was before Lee Atwater and Roger Ailes worked with GOP candidates. They, at the behest of Bush, ran the so-called “Willie Horton” campaign ad attacking Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis for the release of prisoner William Horton, who went on to commit terrible crimes.
Horton (who never went by “Willie”) was released under a furlough plan similar to that conducted under then-California Governor Reagan. Though Dukakis was governor, he (like Reagan) had no case-by-case authority in the release of prisoners.
This was a television ad that aired only on cable television and was sponsored by a political action committee, not the Bush campaign. No “approval of message” from the candidate.
He won.
Jesse Helms ran in 1990 to keep his U.S. Senate seat against a very capable Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt. The good mayor was getting some traction in the race and Helms ran an ad featuring the hands of a white man, crumbling a job application. The voiceover said “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?”
This ad was so notorious it is referred to as “Hands” or “White Hands.” The ad has its own Wikipedia page. As for Helms?
He won.
So the GOP has this rather limerick-like pattern in its use of racism to win power. Only Dr. Seuss can produce language that is more predictable. It’s important to emphasize the many occurrences of this that have also led to these men winning elections.
That said, the GOP Hall of Shame will open a whole new wing for the recent gubernatorial campaign ad for Ohio candidate who I call Vividly Ramaswampy. He is running against the extremely capable and downright heroic Dr. Amy Acton.
Dr. Acton overcame a tragic, abusive childhood, with a well-documented rape (by her step-father) and her mother’s long pattern of abuse and neglect, which thankfully ended in 1978 with her mother losing custody of her daughter.
Ramaswampy has a SuperPAC-sponsored campaign ad, running only on the Internet (avoiding the “I approved this message” requirement) and now aired as part of news coverage on television (free media) that features Acton’s monster of a mother, who says her daughter is a liar.
Dr. Acton’s response was to articulate the facts of her case (which are supported by her brother and court documents) and condemning her opponent’s campaign for exploiting her mother — a person she generously described as mentally unwell.
The record is clear on this disgusting tactic, but the next steps need attention. Instead of holding up a stop sign and saying “I did NOT approve that message” the candidate is standing by it. The Vice President of the United States made an appearance on behalf of this candidate and refused to condemn this ad.
This turn of events has received a great deal of media attention. It is so far beyond the pale that the stink of desperation drips off anyone near it. I remain hopeful that the people of Ohio will express their displeasure in very high numbers to end the political career of Ramaswampy … one of the scummiest candidates the GOP has ever produced.
And THAT is really saying something. Early voting is underway. I got my sticker earlier this week. Please get out to the polls as soon as you can.
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
