Republicans still bungling GOP rebranding

You can't make this stuff up. One day after being instructed to "stop talking about rape," House Republicans attending their caucus' secret conclave will listen to a panel on Friday titled, "Discussion on Successful Communication with Minorities and Women." Unfortunately, that session will be held in the Kingsmill Resort's "Burwell Plantation" room, named after a prominent Virginia slaveholding family. As it turns out, confusing literal branding with "rebranding" is only the latest in the continuing comedy of errors that is the GOP's extremist makeover.

After the party's latest mauling among women, Hispanics and African-American voters, GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway was dispatched to the House retreat to provide some quick diversity training. Noting that GOP candidates like Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock were legitimately crushed for lecturing about "legitimate rape," Conway told the assembled House Republicans to shut that whole thing down:

Conway said rape is a "four-letter word," and Republicans simply need to stop talking about it in their races for office.

But if Conway's quixotic mission sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Because back in February 2008, the Republican National Committee launched an effort to "protect the GOP from charges of racism or sexism in the general election, as they prepare for a presidential campaign against the first ever African-American or female Democratic nominee." Helping prepare the GOP for it more politically correct campaign against either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama was the very same Kellyanne Conway:

The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate, according to people involved. The secretive effort underscores the enormous risk senior GOP operatives see for a party often criticized for its insensitivity to minorities in campaigns dating back to the 1960s...

..."Republicans will need to exercise less deafness and more deftness in dealing with a different looking candidate, whether it is a woman or a black man," Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway said. "But at the same time, really charge back at any insinuation or accusation of sexism or racism.

"You can't allow the party to be Macaca-ed," she continued, referring to a much-publicized remark made by former GOP Sen. George Allen that played a significant role in his 2006 defeat. "I think the standards are higher and the bar is lower for the Republican Party."

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