The Whitest Time Ever

The Washington Post reported that with only 36 black delegates out of 2,380 total delegates on the floor of the 2008 Republican Convention, this was the whitest political convention in 40 years. Hmm, does anyone think this wasn't by design? It was exactly as much so as Sarah Palin (thanks, but no thanks!), Rudy Giuliani, and others making their veiled or not-so-veiled racist attacks on "uppity" "community organizers," etc. This was the whitest time ever, because the Republicans realize that they have to appeal to the racist streak in the numerically dwindling white American electorate in order to win this election. That's the agenda, and Palin embodies it; McCain is simply along for the ride at this point. This may be the last time this particular appeal is demographically possible; the GOP is trying to make the most of it. This is probably the final great white rally.

The Democrats were very polite, almost courtly, about McCain at their convention; quite obviously, the favor was not returned. So I think they need to stop being so nice, and give Joe "Attack Dog" Biden free rein to do what he does so well. The notion that the Dems have to treat Palin with kid gloves because she's a woman went out the window with her speech; she is clearly not some sensitive soul (which we all should have realized in advance -- I mean she's the governor of Alaska, our last frontier state, for goodness sake). Let her have it!

If by great misfortune McCain should win this election -- and I rule out no possibility -- then I console myself with the thought of the extended Palin clan descending on Washington like the Beverly Hillbillies; the town would never be the same. As for the ones who would be left behind in Alaska, I am sure the mainstream and tabloid media both would oblige our fascination by setting up permanent reporting outposts there. One never knows when a maniac relative might emerge from the woods.

If this scenario comes to pass, I especially hope that "fuckin redneck"-in-chief Levi Johnston becomes a fixture on the D.C. scene. As we saw at the Convention and was widely noted in the blogosphere, Levi cleans up quite nicely (although I don't know about that "Bristol" ring finger tattoo; and have we heard him speak yet?). As a result of Levi's completely unexpected national exposure, this burning hunk of teenage love should experience a copious bounty of sexual opportunity over the coming years, which doesn't bode well for his upcoming marriage to Bristol.

UPDATE (5/21/2009): Watching the continuing GOP implosion since the election leaves me speechless. Rahm Emanuel, Tim Kaine, and others are probably crossing their fingers that the Republicans keep on doing exactly what they are doing. And the incredible whiteness of it all has merely been underlined by the horribly token-ish tenure of Michael Steele as party chair -- I mean, the man is a clown.