Slap my hand, black soul man

It seems like only yesterday when Barack Obama was doomed DOOMED, I TELLS YA to be lucky enough to carry California. But somewhere along the way (say Tuesday in Mississippi) Republicans looked in the mirror and realized that they don't like what they see so much.

The chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, Tom Cole, hasn’t tried to minimize the implications. In a statement Tuesday night, he noted that voters “remain pessimistic about the direction of the country and of the Republican party in general.” Fingers have been pointed at Cole, who hasn’t excelled at fundraising or candidate recruitment, while he’s feuded behind the scenes with Minority Leader John Boehner. But the problem is much larger than him, and even if House Republicans were of a mind to replace him, it’s not clear anyone would want his job.

What can Republicans do? First and foremost, develop a consequential domestic-reform agenda, from health care to energy to taxes. John McCain’s health-care plan, which would make insurance more affordable, is a promising start and Republicans should champion it at every opportunity. Second, give McCain plenty of running room to distance himself from President Bush and his party. There are more and less intelligent ways for him to do this, but it will have to be done if he’s going to prevail in an otherwise anti-Republican year. Third, don’t write off black voters. Both their turnout and the margin of their vote for Democrats will increase with Obama at the top of the ticket, but Republicans can cut their losses if they make their case to them.

So.... the Republicans are supposed to provide their candidate, John McCain, with "running room to distance" himself from them, I guess, based on the fact that many people don't watch the conventions and so a lot of Americans will think that he got where he is by winning American Idol or something.

Secondly: "don’t write off black voters"...

Oh yeah, this is the year to really go after the black vote. Brilliant. Totally outside of the box. Awesome. Killer advice. Sheesh...

That may be the first editorial written entirely in flop sweat. Whatever happened to the Republican Party that we have grown to love. The never-say-die Reagan Republicans?

I miss those guys.