sorry i'm late to the debate.
I have viewed the Republican base for many years now as racist/bigots, because ... well I live among them. I know what they think.
The problem in discussing this issue is the conflation of the base and the elected officials. By and large the base near me in a non-scientific poll are bigots bordering on 80% - 90%. I see the elected class as less so in the public domain.
So what I concluded was in order for the elected class to assuage their base, they have been on a concerted campaign of denial of racism/bigotry for many years. Their campaign has worked. Almost no one in the base says or thinks they are racist or a bigot.
I thought in the 60's racism would be mitigated within 3 generations, but little did I know people with influence would continue to prop it up. Republicans at this point can not afford to correct the record, because the base now has extorted them with their vote.
It's easy to see any of them saying .... I'm not a racist but my supporters are.
What does that even mean??? I was the getaway driver ... not the bank robber.
