Wherein Peter "the Hitman" DiGaudio Helps Explain the World to Us All

Sometimes I read things that make no sense to me without the aide of some secondary context. For example, this little diddy:

The controversy surrounding a comedy CD distributed by Republican National Committee chairman candidate Chip Saltsman has not torpedoed his bid and might have inadvertently helped it.

[...]

The day after the story was first reported by The Hill, RNC Chairman Mike Duncan issued a statement expressing disgust over the song.

[...]

Duncan was joined by Michigan GOP Chair Saul Anuzis, another RNC chairmanship aspirant who chided Saltsman for sending out the CD.

[...]

Not everyone is so sure, with some RNC members contending that Anuzis and Duncan may have actually hurt their candidacies with their responses.

[...]

former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, who would be the party’s first black chairman, has drawn notice for his vigorous defense of Saltsman.

[...]

As a result of his position, a source close to the race said that at least 12 uncommitted committee members have contacted Blackwell to thank him for his support for Saltsman and have expressed anger toward Duncan and Anuzis “for throwing a good Republican under the bus.”

[...]

In calls to committee members in recent days, both Saltsman and Blackwell have been reminding Republicans of how both Duncan and Anuzis reacted to the story.

Yglasias has the most succinct description of the environment in which this kind of behavior, both by Saltsman and the GOP committee, is par for the course:

One of the distinguishing characteristics of modern American conservatism is that it believes in a curious concept of “color blindness.” In this view, racism is bad. But absent truly egregious behavior, it’s not something you’d really get all that upset about nor is it something you should be really attuned do. But so-called “political correctness” — meaning something like anti-racism that’s gone too far — is a really serious problem. Any hint of political correctness is worth getting upset about. And the views of actual members of racial minorities as to what is and isn’t racist should be completely discounted. Rather than saying that the prudent and decent white person will steer a mile clear of racist activity — sending out “Barack the Magic Negro” CDs, for example — the best course of action is to deliberately drive straight at the line and then get really upset at anyone who says you’ve crossed it.

[empahsis added]

For a perfect example of this, look no further than the blogger who apparently can not refer to the President-elect by any other name than "Chocolate Jesus":

Current RNC chair Mike Duncan, architect of successive Republican congressional disasters, has voiced his objections to reports in the Drive By Media of Saltsman’s gift to the RNC members.

“The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party,” Duncan said in a statement. “I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction.”

Spare me the faux outrage, Mr. Duncan. You’ve just got sand in your vagina. Nothing like the Rockefeller Bush wing of the GOP, those blueblood, countryclubber elitists who brought the party two successive landslide losses. Sounding like the perpetually outraged, offended PC Left isn’t going to rally your base.

Duncan is a loser with a capital “L” tattooed on his forehead. He needs to go away. Permanently.

Saltsman has been criticized in some circles simply for creating a diversion and wasting time and effort to defend his actions. Boo-freaking-hoo. There’s nothing wrong with what he did, or with Shanklin’s parody, and when unwarranted attacks are made, they need a response. When those attacks don’t generate a firm, decisive response, they tend to stick in the public eye.

I’m sick and tired of either the phony outrage from the likes of Duncan or the effeminate girlie man response from others, with the “We shouldn’t say that because someone might be offended,” or “We mustn’t do that because someone might be offended.” Both of these are part and parcel of the Democrat-lite wing of the Republican Party. These guys couldn’t win a one-man race for dog catcher. Losers, every last one of them. Losers in life, losers in politics.

[emphasis added]

What DiGaudio doesn't explain is how offending people -- then going and telling them they're pussies for taking offense -- wins votes.

I keep thinking that the GOP can't get any lower and then a few months later they do something to prove me wrong. By this point, I feel like I should make Bingo cards with different demographics and/or constituent groups to keep a running tally of who the GOP is alienating this week.

Here's the thing: the GOP is not losing any African Americans with this latest fiasco, but that's largely because they can't possibly lose any more. Instead, they'll lose moderate white Republicans who may be socially and fiscally conservative but can no longer look their black, Latino and gay friends, family and coworkers in the eye and say, "I'm a Republican." This incident won't be enough to start that exodus, but it's a good bet that it will hardly be the last of its kind. Eventually, that will start to erode the moderates.

When that happens, they'll just be a party of Peter DiGaudios without anyone to purge from the party because no one will want to belong to it any longer.