In the latest outrageous and fallacious Bush adminstration offense against war critics, Condoleeza Rice is quoted in Essence Magazine — the pre-eminent and widely read lifestyle magazine targeted at African-American women — saying:

“I’m sure there are people who thought it was a mistake to fight the Civil War to its end and to insist that the emancipation of slaves would hold,” Rice said in the new issue of Essence magazine.

“I know there were people who said, ‘Why don’t we get out of this now, take a peace with the South, but leave the South with slaves?'” Rice said.

The fact that this garbage appeared in a magazine shows how far ahead the Republicans have planned this messaging to strike back at their critics. The talking points include equating opponents of staying the course in Iraq to WW II-era fascists, Nazi sympathizers, Communist fellow-travelers and now, Confederate flag-wavers.

Hat tip to Carpetbagger Report for the story. You’re right that black columnist Eugene Robinson may have been too quick to praise Rice for her rhetorical self-restraint. You underestimate though the power and influence of this magazine and what this indicates about the planned outreach strategy to the African-American community from the Bush administration. These are the same people you’ll remember who have been telling Bush that he is like Lincoln. I’m sure they’ll find a way to draw comparisons between critics of their handing of Katrina relief/reconstruction and slavery supporters as well!

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