(CNN) -- In beating a hasty retreat from Cliven Bundy, their onetime Lonesome Cowboy icon, Republicans have resorted to a familiar tactic: divert, deny, distract. Divert attention by claiming the "media" made a story out of Cliven Bundy. The "media" plucked him out of obscurity, baited him with questions about race, and then blew the story out of proportion. Deny having defended, supported and promoted Bundy -- despite the recorded evidence -- with faux outrage and feigned offense. Divert by talking about how much the only racism left in America is the talk about racism. That's one of the points Tara Wall makes in her op-ed attacking CNN for its coverage of Bundy and his self-declared "Range War."
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Donna Brazile says when it comes to race, the GOP has a simple game plan
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Divert, deny, distract, says Brazile, are the tactics they use most frequently
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Their reaction to comments made by rancher Cliven Bundy are another example, she says
Bundy felt comfortable lecturing a reporter about race and slavery because for weeks he'd been puffed up by right-leaning media outlets, potential @placeholder presidential candidates, and current GOP officeholders.