You ask "Is it because the race-card argument suffers once we understand that ultraconservatives hate Big Democrats regardless of their color? " Gee, I thought I was pretty clear at expressing that I hate democrats (big or small, black or white). Did you guys not get that? Pay attention!

I've before made the argument that the GOP is using exactly the same strategy against Obama as it did against Clinton. To de-legitimize his presidency. The tactic they used on Clinton was to attack his character - Slick Willy, White-Water, Vince Foster, Travel-gate, Haircut-gate, etc. until finally Clinton himself handed the right Monica Lewinski.

With Obama, the tactic has been to attack his "Americaness". He's a Kenyan, a Muslim, a Marxist, a Terrorist, - he's black! The tactics are different from what they tried with Clinton, but the strategy is exactly the same. However, just because the objective of the right is the same for Obama as it was for Clinton doesn't mean that there isn't genuine bigotry behind the anger and irrationality.

It seems obvious that the tactics of the GOP leadership has been purposely designed to stoke the latent bigotry among it's base and exploit such stupidity to for political purposes. You, no doubt, will plausibly deny that such is the case. You will, no doubt, ask for proof while those who have been victim to bigotry know it when they see it.

The problem with your isolated examples against Bush is just that, they are isolated examples. Surely, you don't deny that there has been a orchestrated widespread campaign to "otherize" Obama - he's a Marxist, he's a Terrorist sympathizer, and that was just from the McCain/Palin campaign. I don't recall any similarly widespread and, indeed, coordinated personal attacks on Bush.

The problem with any form of bigotry is that unless someone is outright called a nigger, or a faggot, or a wetback there is always plausible deniability for those who wish to deny such ugly thoughts occupy many minds. But, for those who have been called those names before, they know. Smart bigots also know, and usually are careful not to make such blatant name-calling slip-ups. They still hide behind hoods, only now, they are more metaphorical.

If you have never been a victim of bigotry, great, but that really isn't an acceptable excuse for failing to perceive the bigoted aspects partially motivating the right. Deductive reasoning and other critical thinking skills guide us when we don't have clear hard evidence. Just open your eyes and your mind and use your intelligence.