"The G.O.P.'s Southern Strategy"

This is a follow-up to Paul Krugman's column today. A lot of people have been denying the existence of a Southern strategy. If it didn't exist, why apologize for it as Ken Mehlman did in 2005? The only real question is whether it still exists, and Bob Herbert and many others are convinced that the "G.O.P.'s Southern strategy, racist at its core, still lives":

An Empty Apology, by Bob Herbert, Commentary, NY Times, (July 18, 2005): One of President Bush's surrogates went before the N.A.A.C.P. last week and apologized for the Republican Party's reprehensible, decades-long Southern strategy.

The surrogate, Ken Mehlman, is chairman of the Republican National Committee. Perhaps he meant well. But his words were worse than meaningless. They were insulting. The G.O.P.'s Southern strategy, racist at its core, still lives.

"Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization," said Mr. Mehlman. "I am here today as the Republican chairman to tell you we were wrong." Read the rest of the column...

Update: Also see Bob Herbert's most recent column.