From Huffington Post and Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) after Obama's speech:
Abusive, derogatory and even racist behavior directed at House Democrats by Tea Party protesters on Saturday left several lawmakers in shock.
James Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.
"It was absolutely shocking to me," Clyburn said, in response to a question from the Huffington Post. "Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where fifty years ago as of last Monday... I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins... And quite frankly I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus."
In 1992, Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke ran for President. He did so as a republican. While some in the party repudiated his run (and a later run for Senate and a successful earlier one for the Louisiana state house), he was still reluctantly welcomed into the fold.
Democrats, modern democrats, while completely useless when it comes to public relations and marketing, would still have managed to run this guy out of the party had he run with them as a candidate.
And they'd do so for one reason: There is no place - and no gray space - in the democratic party for people like him.
Republicans view the world differently - the politicians anyway. They look at their constituents in terms of numbers. Moral certainty comes second. If they can sway the bigoted masses with subtle racist comments toward Obama and others as a way to say, "That's right. I'm one of you", they'll do it. They have.
Those who don't recognize this in the party - or tell others that "that's not the type of Republican I am" - have their head in the sand. Personally, if the democratic party supported - or tolerated - someone like Duke, I would abandon them for life. There's no gray area there. Republicans, instead, do what they do best. They lie to themselves or ignore facts. How else have they been sold such bullshit over the last ten to twenty years.
The Tea-Partiers are the direct decendants of Duke, except in visible masses. They are an extension of the Klan, which gained numbers directly after slaves earned their freedom. They are racist, homophobic, ignorant trash trying to masquerade as responsible citizens. Some of them might feel this is a valid "movement." I don't think it's valid, but I will agree it's a movement alright. A bowel movement.
Characterize it any way you want, republicans. Try to recruit as much as you want, John Boehner and Michelle Bachmann. The smarter of us know exactly what you are doing. You're race bating for political gain. Is there anything more ugly and grotesque than that?