GOP rivals using racial ‘code,’ critics say

Stirring the racial pot? Or telling blunt truths?

During the past week, not one, not two, but three Republican Party presidential candidates have tied either black people, in general, or President Barack Obama, in particular, to welfare or other forms of public assistance that, the candidates say, lead to dependency, out-of-control government spending and a culture of entitlement that is harming the nation.

Supporters say the candidates simply are telling blunt truths about a failed presidency marked by excessive spending.

Other political observers, however, say the candidates’ statements are deliberate — and effective — attempts to excite the conservative white voters who form the base of the GOP’s early-voting electorate in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, whose first-in-the-South primary is Jan. 21.

“Race-baiting is nothing new,” said Karen Kedrowski, chairwoman of Winthrop University’s political science department. “Poverty and welfare and crime, since the 1970s, have been code for black.”

It was 1976 when Ronald Reagan described a Chicago mother who received public assistance as a “welfare queen.”

South Carolina long has produced practitioners of racial politics.

Today, however, the GOP no longer is all-white. S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is of Indian ancestry, and a popular black Republican, U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, represents the coast in Congress.

But racially coded politics still is practiced here. In 2010, for example, then-Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer compared giving the poor public assistance to “feeding stray animals.”

Bauer, running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, was defended staunchly as simply saying what was true, even if politically incorrect. Others, however, thought Bauer was trying to draw the attention and support of white Republicans.

‘These are facts’

During the past week, the GOP’s nomination fight has featured:

• Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania telling an audience in Iowa that he “doesn’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.”

• Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich calling Obama the “food-stamp president” and saying he would tell black Americans to demand a paycheck, not food assistance.

• Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney saying Obama wants to turn the United States into a European-style “welfare state.” Romney said the president’s willingness to take from one group of people and give to another group is part of the reason for the nation’s economic woes.

Santorum’s remarks, made before he almost won the Iowa caucuses, drew immediate attention. Several days later, Santorum said he did not say “black” people. He said he was tongue-tied and said “blah” people.

Gingrich and Romney have offered no qualifications for their comments.

And they don’t need to, says Glenn McCall, a black South Carolinian who is on the Republican National Committee.

“Gingrich is right,” McCall said. “The president is the food-stamp president. There are now more people on food stamps than ever before. These are facts, and these are subjects that need to be discussed.”

‘We need jobs’

Food-stamp usage has increased each year of the Obama presidency and, with 44.7 million recipients in 2011, is at an all-time high, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the nation’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, the former food-stamp program.

About 35 percent of those who get SNAP assistance are white, according to a 2010 study using USDA figures. Black Americans accounted for 22 percent of those receiving SNAP assistance; the balance went to Hispanics, Asian Americans, native Americans and people who did not specify a race.

SNAP usage began to climb dramatically as the U.S. economy went into freefall before Obama became president.

In 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation that slightly increased the amount some poor families could receive through the program. Eligibility requirements have not been eased during Obama’s administration.

But Republicans argue Obama’s policies have made the nation’s economy worse, and thus are responsible for the increase in food aid.

“Black people are not the problem,” GOP committeeman McCall said. “We need jobs, and we need the president to be focused on jobs.”

Democrats respond Republicans in Congress have stymied Obama’s jobs-program plans, contending his proposals are too expensive at a time of escalating budget deficits.

Short-term gain, long-term harm?

Lonnie Randolph, president of the S.C. conference of the NAACP, said he expects more of what Romney, Gingrich and Santorum have dished out in the weeks to come.

“They made subtle statements, but the intensity of the bigotry increases as they come to South Carolina,” he said. “Why not assist those who are having challenges in life? And these same (candidates) will tell you about their religion and how much they love the Lord. It goes to show you the hypocrisy.”

Dick Harpootlian, chairman of the S.C. Democratic Party, said it’s more than hypocritical.

“It’s disgusting,” said Harpootlian, who argues the candidates have a simple goal in mind. “What they’ve got to do is remind their base that (Obama) is black.”

Harpootlian said the comments fit into a basic, if ugly, page of the political playbook – find a group to blame for your problems and blame them. “If you were running a race in Afghanistan, you’d be blaming everything on the Western white devil,” he said.

Winthrop’s Kedrowski said using racially coded language offers short-term gain. But it also carries a long-term risk of backfiring during the fall general election, she added.

“These messages do resonate with the Republican establishment,” Kedrowski said. “(But) they’ll make really wonderful (Democratic) attack ads in the general election.”

Reach senior writer Wayne Washington at 803-771-8385.