Cynical me.

The RNC has a PR problem on its hands over their overtly racist chairman candidates. What's the party to do? Why install a token black as chair, of course.

Since keeping likely Dem voters from voting would seem to be the GOP's best short-term strategy for winning elections, I'd say Blackwell's their best bet, since he's an experienced hand at that game.

Since this seems to be the closest thing they've got to a winning hand, I'm far more amused than worried.

Who is Joe the Plumber endorsing?

Blackwell is supported by the same Republicans who think Bobby Jindal would make a great Presidential candidate, for the same superficial reason. Benen to the contrary, his greatest accomplishment was stealing Ohio for Bush in 2004 by denying voting machines and workers to African-American precincts, the same ethnic group where rightwingers love to claim he's a leader. They hate him, with good reason, while white righteys in Ohio think he's great. Blackwell's elevation to head of the RNC, especially considering his legal troubles, would be just another strange consequence of Obama's victory.

As an Ohioan I can assure you that Blackwell is as reliably a self hating black man as the GOP's racist base could ask for.

As another Ohioan, I feel it my patriotic duty to second klyde's comment @ 11:26 AM, with the addendum that Blackwell is also a self-hating Ohioan, a self-hating American, and a self-hating occupant of the Universe.

At least Blackwell won't mind being called "the magic negro".

As still another Ohioan, one of my fondest dreams is to see Blackwell and Rove sentenced to long jail terms for criminal manipulation of the Ohio 2004 vote count.

However, that dream may have died in a back yard three miles east of the Akron/Canton Airport.

"all agreed that Ken Blackwell is the best choice."

Translation: "He's easily bought and we can use him as a free ride to seats at the table of real power which we never could have gotten otherwise."

And from yet another Ohioan...don't forget Rod Parsley, J. Kenneth Blackwell's own little Jerry Falwell.

I sincerely hope they elect him to the RNC chair. That party deserves him.

Hey, Blackwell will help the GOP bring in minority voters. Yup! Nothing like an Uncle Tom to get Black and Hispanics on the GOP train.

Blackwell was a fairly ridiculous Ohio Secretary of State, and his most notable accomplishment -- running as the state's Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2006 -- turned out to be a complete trainwreck.

I would say his most notable accomplishment was placing voting machines in 2004 such that Republican areas had virtually no wait times and many Democratic (mainly minority) areas still had people waiting in near endless lines hours after the polls were supposed to be closed. And that's assuming you don't think he was involved in fixing the results of that election, which would be an even bigger achievement if true.

I will happily contribute to any campaign to make Blackwell RNC chair. If any of the Ohio lawsuits and investigations still pending over the 2004 elections actually go anywhere then Blackwell will have lost of worries other than the 2010/2012 national elections.

He's a great choice. Go Blackwell!

Ah, once again, the GOP's chronic tokenism rears its ugly head. They think they need to look "inclusive" during Obama's administration and having a black man as RNC head will show, "See, we've got minorities too!." And since Michael Steele is considered too "moderate" or whatever, Blackwell, as a religious right nutter who willingly covers up for the party on racial matters (witness his support of the whole "Barack the Magic Negro" flap), fits the bill.

Hey, I'm cool with that. Blackwell's a nut, he was a lousy Secretary of State and his gubernatorial bid in 2006 was an utter disaster (he got what, 37% of the vote?). If this is the best the GOP has to offer, they're going to be out of power for a LOOOOOOOONG time.

An appropriate bête noire to despise, and we can hate him all the more for stealing the 2004 election in Ohio.

Democrats are too naive not to be thrilled. The RNC is looking for the one who is most dishonest and will go to any length to win elections. That's it. It's God's way...send in Katrina or just rain on Obama's acceptance speech. Lie cheat and steal and by all means continue to 'cage', jam phone lines, rig voting results and disenfranchise voters. Nothing is beneath Blackwell who will find new ways to corrupt elections despite "losing" Mike Connell (a necessary sacrifice).

Stay afloat by cultivating the ignorance and anger of it's base with operatives like Rush and Hannity. Blackwell has no integrity or morals and is well suited to be the RNC chairman having also been invaded by Paliens. His name is well suited to his intentions.

Lions and Tigers and Dopson! Oh, my!

Forbes and Toomey are two inbred losers, so their support counts for little. But the other two are scary in the loyalty of their moronic following.

But Steve is wrong:

...his most notable accomplishment -- running as the state's Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2006 -- turned out to be a complete trainwreck.

Not quite. His most notable accomplishment was channeling Ohio election returns through an out of state Republican run server, which should make anyone wonder how legitimate the numbers were. When Rolling Stone runs the story, people laugh. But when Wired and CBS pick it up, it's a different story.

Perhaps this is a payback for keeping Bush in the White House. If so, these idiots really deserve each other.