Saying No to Lee Atwater

Just weeks after George Bush was elected President, his campaign manager and newly named Republican Chairman Lee Atwater launched an effort to lure black voters into the G.O.P. Calling for an end to blacks' "blind allegiance" to the Democrats, Atwater talked about providing minorities with leadership positions in the Republican National Committee. He even promoted his love of black music, strumming a guitar and warbling at Washington rhythm-and-blues clubs. At the same time, Atwater -- who cut his political teeth as a protege of South Carolina's once segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond -- downplayed his role in devising the crypto-racist Willie Horton...