Wapo's Shameful Follow-Up on Perry and Race

Seth Mandel at Commentary:

If you were wondering whether the Washington Post would double-down on or retreat in shame from its blockbuster story alleging that Rick Perry lives in the same state as a formerly offensive rock, the paper has answered that question in style today.

Here is the blaring headline: “Perry built complicated record on matters of race.” What would normally follow such a headline is a story backing up that vague allegation. What readers are treated to instead is a story about how yesterday the Post ran a story calling Perry a racist. This paragraph has to be read to be believed:

The governor’s record on matters of race is attracting new scrutiny after The Washington Post’s account of a secluded West Texas hunting property that Perry and his father leased that has long been known by a name containing a racial epithet.

A classic of the genre, as they say. The governor’s record on race, as the article goes on to show, happens to be stellar. We learn that Perry appointed the first African American state Supreme Court justice-one of his many such appointments.

He’s hired minorities to top positions in his administration. As one would expect, Perry “enjoys warm associations with many black leaders.” But then the clouds roll in:

But many of those minority legislators say Perry has a long history — dating to his first race for statewide office more than 20 years ago — of engaging in what they see as racially tinged tactics and rhetoric to gain political advantage.

The list of such “racially tinged tactics” that the Post provides us with has exactly one item on it.

Read the full piece here.