GREAT BEND, Kan. - The only reason a state legislator would do an outlandish YouTube rap video is because he wants attention. And the only reason a sitting Congressman would shout "You Lie!" to a sitting U.S. President is because he wants attention.
And they want attention from people who can help them stay in office: their base. And nothing fires up the base more than the hated opposition lecturing the person. I suspect that Rep. Bill Otto, upon hearing that his redneck rap video was being publicly criticized by prominent Democrats thought to himself: "They took the bait. Fantastic."
And once Rep. Joe Wilson apologized to Rahm Immanuel for his "You Lie!" outburst, he saw nothing but upside from the incident among his base, especially after the opposition wanted to censure him.
Famed Republican consultant Lee Atwater famously said: "Never interfere with your opponent when he is in the process of self-destruction." Perhaps Democrats should consider letting the actions of oafs speak for themselves. Because once the opposition starts "moralizing" , the offender gets lionized by his base, with lots of private "attaboy's" at the barber shop, and lots of fresh campaign cash rolling in.
Racism and outlandish behavior should be rebuked. Bill Otto's hat that read: "Opossum: the other dark meat," was obviously out of bounds. First, nobody in Kansas - or even the Beverly Hillbillies - refers to possums as "opposums." The use of the letter "O" in front of possum by Otto must have been intended to sound like "Obama." By using alliteration, "Opossum and Obama" seem to go together. "Possum and Obama" don't. And the reference to "the other dark meat" is obviously not benign. Nor could any fair-minded person defend what Rep. Joe Wilson did to embarrass a sitting President. And yet here I am, moralizing, doing the very thing I suggest we not do.
The problem here is a political polarization unseen in American history. On the Internet and on cable TV, the division between Red America and Blue America is shown in what news, opinions and books each side chooses to read and watch. Red America not only chooses it's own opinions, but it's own facts. And the same is often said of Blue America, watching and hearing only it's own echo chamber.
Stated differently, Otto's "redneck rap" probably won't cost him a single vote next year in his district. The right-wing base loves his video and has quietly lionized him. And Joe Wilson has never been more popular with his right-wing base, raising money even faster than his opponent. So both Otto and Wilson benefit by being able to say: "Who are these elitist Democrats to tell me what good manners are?"
Latent or patent racism, and bad manners are never right. But in this polarized political world, sometimes we just help the opposition raise money and support when we moralize about these moments.
Dr. King had the right idea. Once Americans saw white law enforcement knocking down
African-Americans with fire hoses, and turning Dobermans and German Shepherds lose on them, the fight was won. The racists had shown their true colors. And Dr. King didn't need to say a thing.
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