The NAACP opened a new leaf of controversy last week, after it passed a resolution at national convention, denouncing racism within the tea party movement. As expected, the issue was main topic of discussion on the Sunday talk shows.
On CBS' "Face the Nation," NAACP President Ben Jealous locked horns with David Webb of the National Tea Party Federation. Webb said that Mark Williams, the former chairman and spokesman of Tea Party Express, who drew sharp criticism last week for writing a satirical letter in which he described the slavery a "great gig," and his group had been sacked from the National Tea Party Federation. Webb lashed out at the NAACP's "selective condemnation of racism," which he attributed to "fringe elements" within the tea party. He also called on Jealous to condemn the members of the New Black Panther Party for saying they want to "kill cracker babies."
"We absolutely denounce the New Black Panther Party," Jealous said, adding that the NBPP is a very small organization. "But they aren't in our group. These folks are in your groups." Webb and Jealous , however, reached agreement to make joint appearances to discuss race relations and other issues.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden said on ABCs "This Week" that the tea party "is not a racist organization," but added that "the truth is that at least elements that were involved in some of the Tea Party folks expressed racist views." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) even declined to refer to the issue e discussion on CNN's "State of the Union." "I am not interested in getting into that debate ... I have got better things to do than to wade in to all of these disputes and discussions that are going on out in the country," McConnell said.
"Slanderous" was the term used by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to brand the NAACP's resolution on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I think it's slanderous to suggest the vast movement of citizens who have gotten off the couch and showed up at town hall meetings and tea party events, somehow to smear them with this label, there's just no basis for it," Cornyn said.
