...or racist. Take your pick.

The Seattle Times today ran E.J. Dionne's column, continuing the coverage of the RNC ad against Harold Ford that has had the chattering class in a tizy the last week. The Real Clear Politics blog has an excellent response from a Tennessee native to the charges that have been levied by liberals and sympathetic members of the national press corps:

We hicks in Tennessee see a man who has conducted most of his campaign from a church pew and, for some reason, had trouble explaining why he went to a Playboy party. Gosh darn, we have running water down here, and even flush toilets. Oh, but thanks for reminding me: I have to wash my sheets for the big Klan rally Saturday night. Who is indulging in stereotypes here? Who is obsessed with the notion of a black man and white woman getting together? None of the Tennessee hicks that I know, but apparently most of the enlightened members of the fourth estate in Washington and New York...

This gentlemen, in direct terms, has hit all the themes that first jumped out to many conservatives regarding this whole affair. Anyone who isn't going to vote for Harold Ford because he's African-American already made that decision a long time ago. The infatuation of assorted liberal pundits, Democrats, and interest groups with the racism charge only proves that they assume conservative leaning voters, especially in the South, are racist jerks. Republicans see a funny ad. Liberals assume Republicans are playing a race card, when there is none to play. The only bigots involved are the liberals who presume conservatives are racist.

Moreover, Ford is the one who first made this all an issue by shooting an ad in a church (which was abstractly pretty good by the way), but then couldn't clearly explain at first whether he was or was not at a Playboy party. I don't think lots of people care about the party in general, but it was his inconsistency that kept the issue alive. Accordingly, if that inconsistency is to be highlighted in an ad, what stereotype of an actress is supposed to be used to be the Playboy bunny other than a blond, white woman? Seriously, what other stereotype are people going to identify with? If anything Harold Ford should have been insulted that the actress isn't very attractive!

Conservatives do owe these outraged liberals some thanks though. The ongoing repetition of such charges, and liberal disdain over supposedly negative campaigning by Republicans (as opposed to the charming and sweet pro-Bush ads being run across the country by Democrats), only serves to remind Republicans of one of the things they hate the most: being told they're dumb, or worse, by people in the MSM.

Between E.J. Dionne and company, and John Kerry, the gift who keeps on giving, the Republican base has gotten quite an energy boost in the last week (for an excellent analysis of Kerry's stumble, read Jonah Goldberg's take at NRO's The Corner, as well as coverage of the gaffe's impact at the Real Clear Politics blog here and here). October surprise? It may already have been provided in unexpected terms.

Those interested in other recent coverage on the Harold Ford ad and related media follies see posts here, here, and here.