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Mehlman Should Denounce Ugly Anti-Muslim Tirade

February 16, 2006

According to news reports, Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman took to the podium at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) minutes after conservative columnist Ann Coulter unleashed a vicious anti-Muslim attack but chose not to condemn Coulter's hate speech. Coulter reportedly said the Republican Party's "post 9-11 rule" should be, "rag-head talks tough, rag head faces consequences." [Editor & Publisher, 2/13/06]

While both Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman addressed the Republican faithful at CPAC after Coulter's angry tirade, neither saw fit to condemn her remarks or even to suggest that they did not reflect the Republican Party. James Zogby, Chair of the DNC's National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee, today issued the following statement demanding that Mehlman and Frist denounce Coulter's outlandish comments:

"That Republican leaders would go on stage after the sort of vile hate speech Ann Coulter unleashed last week and not condemn those remarks is an outrage. As the leaders of the Republican Party, Bill Frist and Ken Mehlman have a duty to denounce such conduct.

"America's Muslim and Arab-American communities have made invaluable contributions to our society. Muslims and Arab-Americans are serving in our armed forces, bravely fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Ann Coulter or anyone else makes such bigoted, hate-filled remarks, they dishonor their service and sacrifice to our country, and work only to divide Americans. No political party should condone such discourse.

"Together, America can do better. Ken Mehlman and Senator Frist should reject the politics of fear and division, and join the Democratic Party in restoring the sense of community that has been so dramatically undercut by the Bush Administration's failed leadership."