Politics

Garofalo: GOP using Herman Cain ‘to keep the racism very covert’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is a first-tier candidate in two separate polls in the race for the nomination, but comedian Janeane Garofalo says it’s just cover to hide the GOP’s racism.

In an appearance on Wednesday night’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” on Current TV, Garofalo explained her theory.

“Herman Cain is probably well-liked by some of the Republicans because it hides the racist elements of the Republican Party, conservative movement and tea party movement,” Garofalo said.

“People like Karl Rove like to keep the racism very covert and so Herman Cain provides this great opportunity so he can say, ‘Look: This is not a racist anti-immigrant, anti-female, anti-gay movement. Look: We have a black man.’ And look he’s polling well and he won a straw poll.”

In August, Garofalo said he was just a “paid prop” used to deflect racism.

Olbermann then asked Garofalo for her thoughts on what the left’s activism, the “Occupy Wall Street” protests. According to the comedian, that is the real grassroots movement, complainging that “the mainstream media tends to ignore any kind of outside the establishment-box movements, especially if they’re considered to be on the left.”

Garofalo said that protest was different than the much larger tea party movement because the tea party had an “establishment message” and was supported with “corporate money.”

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