Think Progress

Snow: With Black Candidates, ‘There Is Always An Attempt…To Attribute Something To The Race Card’

A recent ad by the Republican National Committee targeting Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) was criticized by various parties, including former Republican senator William Cohen, as a “very serious appeal to a racist sentiment.”

As Nitpicker noted, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked on Tuesday if he thought the ad was racist. Snow said no, then claimed:

I mean, maybe I’m just quaint in this day and age. But no, I think there is always an attempt when you have got an African-American candidate to try to attribute something to the race card.

Watch it:

[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2006/10/snowrace.320.240.flv]

The ad is still being shown. The Tennessean reported yesterday that the ad “will continue airing in the Chattanooga area, despite the head of the Republican National Committee’s statement today that the ad was off the air.”

Digg It!

Full transcript:

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Harold, call me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Harold, call me. There’s a cute–I would say sexy, most people would say that–white woman, naked–naked–on the screen setting up a date with Harold Ford who is an African-American. In American society–you went to school in North Carolina. So did I for a year. Do you think in any part of the country that is not playing on racial sensitivities?

SNOW: I don’t think so. I mean, maybe I’m just quaint in this day and age. But no, I think there is always an attempt when you have got an African-American candidate to try to attribute something to the race card. But no, I don’t.




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72 Responses to “Snow: With Black Candidates, ‘There Is Always An Attempt…To Attribute Something To The Race Card’”

  1. Think+Half+Ass+Progress Says:

    Boy I'll say! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
    What a bunch of idiots!


  2. Bingo! Says:

    CAPTION:

    "I'm not Frankenstein".


  3. barfly Says:

    Even a boy who is pure of heart,
    And says his prayers at night,
    Can vote GOP when the elections loom
    And the race card's played just right.


  4. verse18 Says:

    A recent ad by the Republican National Committee targeting Rep. Harold Ford (R-TN) was criticized by various parties, including former Republican senator William Cohen, as a “very serious appeal to a racist sentiment.”

    I know Ford votes like a repug, but there should be a D behind his name.


  5. Fools on the Hill Says:

    There is nothing quaint about a racist bigot, that pretends stupid. The oldest trick in the south.


  6. Clayton Says:

    uh, Ford is a Democrat!


  7. 'sconset Says:

    The RNC has planted these racist ads for years . Tony Snow is living in another world if he thinks these are not racist--this, from the party that "apologized " to black leaders for the way the party has treated and ?

    This from the party that does not want gays to have civil unions much less marriage--yet there are so many closet cases in the Republican party. All one has to do is look at events since the Foley matter began to unravel.

    The GOP loves big business and everyone else is a pawn to them. This is not a "big tent" party but one of exclusion until election day.


  8. Suzanne Says:

    These guys are scum.......Tony Snow is a real bad apple. Anyone that has gotten to that level of spin in his/her life is rotten to the core.


  9. Santorum+for+Prez Says:

    It doesn't matter what we say...we will win!

    We are kicking your butts in the minds of the people.


  10. Republicans are the fear and smear party Says:

    Tony, thank you for showing how racist and out of touch repugs are and for helping Democrats.


  11. JaneESchneider Says:

    #10, "Man on Dog" Santorum? Are you insane?


  12. Badmoodman Says:

    We are kicking your butts in the minds of the people. - - Comment by Santorum+for+Prez
    - - Yeah, you sure do have your head up your ass.


  13. Suzanne Says:

    And it can't be pointed out enough that people like Snow, and the people now in power GET A KICK OUT OF LYING AND PUTTING DOWN OTHERS. It's part of the thrill. It's all about the chase whether it be doves, other people's money, power, or winning the con.

    Had enough?


  14. DallasNE Says:

    Earth to Tony, when there is an unnecessary reference to race or racial differences it is by definition racist. My take is that when one defends racism one becomes a racist. Are you listening Tony.


  15. Mugsy Says:

    Snow seems to like that word: "quaint".

    Conservatives like to think that all of their "old fashioned" beliefs depict a more "innocent" time and society, not one of subtle or even overt racism.

    "What me? Pashaw!"


  16. Karim Says:

    Foxy the Snowman needs to get his head out of his ass. This ad was inexcusable and reprehensible.


  17. RUCerious Says:

    Tony, a little secret. Your granny wasn't Dutch!


  18. Jackie Says:

    I wonder what the Black soldiers serving our country think of Tony Snow's comment. Race has no place in this country as all are giving their lives for the United States. The word United means all. Well if no one knew before they know it now Tony Snow is a racist and an idiot. What a choice for Press Secretary for the White House. This shows that the GOP is losing bad so much that they have to dig in this countries darkest years and put it in our faces. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT RACIST WE ARE UNITED IN THE COURSE OF PEACE AND EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL. Tony and the rest of the rats can go back to the hole they crawled out of and take Katie Couric with you.


  19. Ronin_Tetsuro Says:

    Snow: "... [for instance] if I was to produce from one of my aides a jew baby and proceded to eat it on camera, would you accuse me of being anti-semetic? I mean really, all this 'racial bias' claptrap is just another election year ploy foisted upon the electorate by the liberal media. This really needs to stop."

    Snow keeps on spinnin, spinnin, spinnin.... into the future....


  20. RUCerious Says:

    I thought Sick Rantorum was kicking his mind inside his butt?


  21. Al+Gore Says:

    Or tony... because someone always does something rasist. Im african american, true story... My uncle is one of the people in the classic b&w footage of the Watts riots, that was being attacked by police dogs... He is still alive to tell you all about that race card Tony!


  22. Jay+Severin+has+a+small+pen1s Says:

    Why ask Tony Snow that question? There's no frickin' way he's gonna hug that TAR BABY!

    http://www.goNODL.com

    The truth about REPUBLICANS


  23. Grand+Moff+Texan Says:

    I think there is always an attempt when you have got an African-American candidate to try to attribute something to the race card.

    Which is why Republicans do it anyway.

    Which is why they are filth.
    .


  24. james+k.+sayre Says:

    Snow White Tony and the seventy neo-con Republican dwarfs. They will say anything, do anything to win and to hold power. The Republicans latched onto their "southern strategy" back in 1968 under Nixon and have had the corner on the white racism market ever since. Too bad that the GOP will be swept out to sea in November by a Democratic tsunami... Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch...
    Cheers.


  25. brandX Says:

    OK Tony.

    If the ad isn't intended to infer racial overtones then what was the actual point being put forth in the ad?

    {{{{{{silence}}}}}}}}

    Just as I thought. No point other than primal racial insinuation.


  26. Drew+Mackenzie Says:

    "I think there is always an attempt when you have got an African-American candidate to try to attribute something to the race card."

    =

    "I blame diversity for racism."


  27. TritoneSubstitution Says:

    Might stir up bigoted white voters, might not. One thing is for damn sure; Expect somewhere in the neighborhood of zero black votes.


  28. Jay Randal Says:

    Snow is a bigot himself, so shame on him!


  29. melior Says:

    I hope no one tells Tony Snow what an ass he looks like whenever he uses the word "quaint".


  30. TritoneSubstitution Says:

    What's particularly irritating to me is that if a Democrat doesn't support a minority appointee for issue reasons, they are labeled bigots. But when a Democrat bemoans clear racism they are playing the race card. Everyone everywhere should not only denounce the people who made and play the ad but anyone who says it's not racist as bigots. Especially that smarmy little bastard Snow. If you defend racism then you are racist. Seems perfectly obvious to me.


  31. wisedup Says:

    'As press sect. there is always an attempt to LIE to the public. I am living proof of this'......' the real tony snowjob.


  32. Mikey Says:

    Snow is an idiot for sure, and the ad probably was designed to get a rise out of the racist rednecks down there, but to say the blonde is 'naked' is quite a stretch. I think Matthews was sensationalizing just a little.


  33. bubba Says:

    Has CArdin resorted to race baiting tactics agains Steele in Maryland?


  34. hellinabucket Says:

    If Snow doesn't understand Tar Baby is a slur then he might not see the racial tensions trying to be raised. Remember Blazing Saddles "Where are all the White Women?"


  35. TritoneSubstitution Says:

    "What's a dazzling urbanite doing in such a rustic setting anyway?"


  36. Swordsbane Says:

    Playing the race card is an old trick by both parties. A black candidate will play it to link his opponent to racism and a white candidate will use it as a play towards racist voters.

    Tony Snow being right or wrong isn't worth a ticks butt hair. If you're too naive to think there's no racism in politics, I feel sorry for you. If you're naive enough to think that a politician (even a black politician) wont create racism where there isn't any to get votes I feel even sorrier for you.

    But don't ever think that because the Republicans pulled out the card first, the Democrats wouldn't do it if they could. It's very popular these days to infer things you can't say directly, because if you don't say them directly, you're innocent of anything unethical. Go on... tell me the Dems don't do that.

    It's all immaterial. This IS Tennessee we're talking about. Is anyone suprised at this? It's already gotten more air time than it warrants. If it's racist and you can prove it, then someone make a goddamned accusation and let it go. If the dems aren't going to do it... If Harry isn't going to do it, then stop gabbing about it. You can't help them, and they don't deserve your help.


  37. Douglas+G. Says:

    This is a stupid ploy, and even though I am a fairly conservative person, I hope this backfires. Elections should be based on issues, and representing the people, not on race.

    On this, I am very much opposed to the ad, It's racist, biased, bigoted, prejudicial, in bad taste, and just downright wrong.


  38. John+the+Elder Says:

    Let us not forget who Snowball worked for before he got his present job. I don't expect anything more than stupid from Faux News. My guess is that once it is in your blood you never lose it. Of course if Snowball had a conscience he could rise above it.


  39. Mark Says:

    Snow's comments remind me of my brother in law. He is a bush guy through and through. Bush can do no wrong, Rush is king, dems are criminals. A very extreme right wing guy, or as they call them in the press "The Base". Anyhow when survivor announced the four racially divided teams he gave his assessment of each. The blacks would be the first ones out because they can not swim and are used to people doing every thing for them and would not be smart enough to win. The Mexican team (not Hispanic, to him they are all the same) would work hard and be very loyal to one another, but not do well without the direction of a smarter group. The oriental team would do well at the thinking games, but poorly at the physical stuff, so they couldn't lose. The White Team would produce the winners because they know the value of education and hard work. SO they would win because they had the best combination of physical and intelligence. Then he tried to get me to agree with him on the blacks issue, when I would not agree he dropped it, but it seemed to bother him that I didn't think that all blacks are looking for a white person to carry them through everything. Very sad, but Snow's comments make me feel once again that this is a very strong republican point of view.


  40. The+Unknown+Democrat Says:

    Tony Snow is just repeating what the Republican party has been saying for years. It's ok for them to fight in our wars, but when it comes to high political office the sign is clear: Blacks need not apply! If you don't believe that, then how many black Republicans are there in Congress? That's right ZERO. Do you know why? Oh, they make good servants, but we can't let them run things. They might start an unneccessary war and get a bunch of our boys killed, spend billions of tax payer dollars and have absolutely nothing to show for it once its over.

    "I mean it's not like we haven't invited them to every Klan rally we've ever had. And have they showed up, of course not, that just goes to show how ungrateful they are. Give a black man a pot of beans and he's as happy as a N-gg-er can be. They don't need to serve in the government, why can't they be happy with the welfare we give them. As soon as you say the N Word to one of them, they get upset, I mean what's the fuss all about."

    The above is the unspoken quote from White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. They just can't say what they want without spinning it. Keep up the good work Tony, maybe you can become Grand Dragon of the KKK when you leave the WH, you're sure qualified for the job.


  41. Zimzone Says:

    Tony Snowhite & the 7 dwarves,
    Shooter, Scooter, Darth, Dumsfeld, Jackoff, Dukester & Dopey.
    Living in Disneyland, where the only thing black is a mouse.
    This is about a big a lie as the media saying Rush apologized.
    Tony, when you play jazz flute, do you exhale?


  42. ggibson Says:

    The only way I can see republicans not being ashamed of themselves and actually proud of thier party at this point is that they (the voter) are just as racist and corrupt as the people they keep electing as their leaders.

    What is this? The revenge of the Confederacy? 150 years later?


  43. Pete_Bogs Says:

    they don't have to be candidates... what's her name who scuffled with the Capitol Police also used it... and OJ... sometimes it's a legit claim, but the people who cry wolf make things worse for the real victims of discrimination...


  44. tom+baker Says:

    Republicans are all racists, though few of them have the balls to admit it, since they know it would be political suicide. Instead they keep it up with the wink and the nudge, which Snow apparently did in the press conference, by insinuating that Ford is trying to win an election using an "affirmative action" principle. In the meantime, Mehlman is lying to everyone about the ad being pulled, and Tennessee crackers are having all their idiotic mythologies validated by the gop's attack-ad machine. How sick is that?

    These Republicans (really, all of them, imho) are seriously deficient in every respect.....there is no lie they won't tell, no act of their own that they won't deny, no responsibility that they will take, and they've been that way my whole life. I'm going to take to flipping off every one of them I see, now and forever.


  45. Douglas+G. Says:

    tom+baker said, "Republicans are all racists,". This is absolutely incorrect. You can same some, or most, but do not ever lump an entire group into a single category.

    In fact there are MANY innaccuracies in your rant, especially your last paragraph. (Though truth be known I am more libertarian/constitutionalist than republican), I am listed as repuiblican for voting purposes because we only have 1 of 2 parties listed for selection. MANY states are like that, and there are many people signed up for one part or another, ONLY because those are the only choices available. I disagree less with the republicans than the democrats, but that doesn't mean I accept everything they spew, inasmuch as i don't disreguard everything a democrat spews.

    You can say many, or a lot, but not all. That's just not true.


  46. Douglas+G. Says:

    BTW, I meant to type "You can SAY some" sry


  47. pete Says:

    there seems to be no end to the republican sources of scum, snow is just one of many.


  48. The+Unknown+Democrat Says:

    Reply to #49, Douglas+G. Douglas you are right about one thing and that is that all Republicans aren't racist. But that's as far as am I willing to go. I think a great many, I would venture to say that as many as 75 percent or more are. They use the term conservative to describe themselves, and that word is a code word for racist. A high percentage of the same people who are conservative are also so called evangelicals. They are far from christian or at least what I was taught in my church from the time I was a boy. They are in fact authoritirians types who have no compassion for people who aren't like them, white church goers.

    They hate poor people and people of color, yet they claim to love Jesus Christ. The last time I checked Jesus didn't run away from the poor or sick, or gay people. The was questioned by some about why he as always around these less than desirable people. His answer was that in order to heal the sick, a physician had to be among the sick. These evangalical republicans hate the sick and less forturnate and they prove it by voting in lock step for Republicans. In turn the Republican party stands for cutting welfare, anti health care, gay bashing, and oppositing anything that help minorities.

    Douglas you need to wake up and admit if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it's probably a duck. It as sad day in America, when people have to defend racist views expressed by a White House Press Secretary.



  49. Yachts and Lattes Says:

    It really upsets me that Snow sees his job description not as Spokesperson for the President but as Spinmeister-in-Chief. Has any other press sec'y done so much media whoring?


  50. Eric Forat Says:

    Douglas+G:

    can you say most, maybe?


  51. NoMoreRepublicanTrash Says:

    The KKK must be so proud of their boys Snow and Bush, and their party, the Republicans.


  52. Wyatt_Earl Says:

    Know wonder they can't find Bin Laden: the RNC can't even find who's running rascist commercials that say "Run by the RNC."


  53. E.C. Says:

    I feel stupid. I had to have my white girlfriend explain to me how it was racist. I don't think I entirely understand how much this is an issue in other parts of the nation. I figured middle america harbored a C'est la vie mindset towards the matter of interracial relationships.

    What's the deal? What's so offensive about this? What is someone's argument against interracial relationships? I don't understand.


  54. zak822 Says:

    "Playing the race card is an old trick by both parties. A black candidate will play it to link his opponent to racism.. "

    Please trot out some examples of black candidates doing this in recent years. We have a great many examples of white candidates doing it, including the ad under discussion.

    Got any? Any that are backed up by our having found out that the black candidates opponent is not linked to racism? For example, in this case and in the case of the famed ad run by Jesse Helms a few years ago, racism was clearly in play.

    BTW, the anti-Ford ad has jungle drums playing in the background.


  55. E.C. Says:

    It doesn't have jungle drums. It's some type of wind based instrument. Maybe an organ-like instrument. Please don't make up stories about stupid "jungle drums".


  56. Anonymous Says:

    These guys are awful...

    --MD-Sen: Michael Steele
    --VA-Sen: George Allen
    --VA-10: Frank Wolf


  57. AngryOne Says:

    For more on the GOP's use of the race card, see:
    "The Amazing Race Card."


  58. Stuart Moore Says:

    I think it would be better for everyone if people weren't so quick to play the race card... of course there's a lot of actual racism and I think this ad was design to appeal to it in some way but it can be like crying wolf. Don't forget the Republicans were using the same card a week or so ago when Rep. Hoyer said Republican Senate candidate Michael Steele "slavishly" supports the GOP. I guess this knife cuts both ways... quaint, isn't it?


  59. Dog_named_Boo Says:

    Huh, it looks as if SnowBaals don't melt in sulferous smelling Hades


  60. BigCynic.com Says:

    Tony Snow is correct, but he left out one important detail: There's always an attempt by Republicans to play the race card.

    Read: The farce known as America's immigration debate


  61. Douglas+G. Says:

    Just attempting to converse in a manner you can Comprehend.


  62. root Says:

    I'm not quite sure how good you folks have it in the north, but down south, I'd have to say the race card gets around. It's bad when black americans agree huh?


  63. ipac Says:

    Rizzleweb.com also has something interesting about this

    check it out http://www.rizzleweb.com


  64. Chas Says:

    Tony is a brave and rare man for telling the truth.


  65. Strom Thurmond Says:

    Learn to spell FOX!
    Faux isn't even pronounced the same way.


  66. Dave Says:

    STINK PROCESS creates another scandal out a non-issue.

    How does pointing out that the democrats use the race card for political gain make Tony Snow into a racist? You guys are so left-wing biased and truth distorting it's pathetic.

    -1 digg for you!


  67. True Dat Says:

    Tony = Truth.


  68. TheThink Says:

    [...] You can watch the actual exchange over at Think Progress [...]


  69. RandyBastard Says:

    Hey everybody, I'm about as left-wing as it gets, but I think you're all giving Tony a bad rap on this one.

    When I see it and read the transcript, I believe he was saying that whenever there is an African-American candidate people are quick to ACCUSE SOMEONE (meaning the GOP) of playing the race card.

    He may be right, but it's a screwy statistic because in the case of white candidates there are NEVER accusations of playing the race card.

    Anyway, I think we gotta give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Sorry.


  70. pete Says:

    snow is a retard much like poster #77.


  71. Truthdetector Says:

    LOL, I saw the ad and there was nothing racial about it. It was a humorous look at Mr. Ford's record. Funny thing is Ford never denied anything in the ad! his goons had to accuse the GOP of racism in order to counter the ad. Pathetic.



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