Maryland Politics -- Steele Poses Problem for Democrats

Gregory Kane warns Maryland Democrats not to try to demonize Michael Steele, but notes that they can't help themselves when it comes to race baiting:

If Maryland Democrats were smart, they'd listen to Wayne K. Curry.

That is, if they were smart. But they aren't, so they probably won't.

Curry is the former county executive of Prince George's County, Md., one of the richest counties in the state, if not the country. Curry is also black and a Democrat.

Two weeks ago, Curry warned his fellow party members not to demonize Maryland's Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.

"Democrats ought to be promoting what they're going to do that's positive," Curry said in a Washington Times story, "instead of trying to knock Steele down."

But Maryland Democrats have a history of trying to "knock down" Republican candidates with the race card. Steele is just their latest target. Surely Curry must remember that nasty business of 1998, when Republican Ellen Sauerbrey ran for governor against then-incumbent Gov. Parris Glendening.

In a classic case of race-based smear tactics gone amok, Democrats ran television ads saying that Sauerbrey opposed three civil rights bills. Each time the ads mentioned civil rights, a black face would appear on the screen.

The record shows that Sauerbrey voted against rewording an open housing law, a second statute requiring Maryland State Police to document crimes against gays and a third that favored more protection from sexual harassment. Most Democrats had no use for such facts.

Read the whole thing here.

We've already seen unscrupulous tactics directed against Steele. Rest assured there will be many more such instances. As presently constituted Maryland's Democratic establishment is not just despicable -- it is probably irredeemable. It's time for people such as Ben Cardin to stand up and to not only abjure from, but to actively work to suppress such disgusting tactics.