Hey, Republicans! How's that outreach to the black community working for ya?

Not too well, apparently. First, we had the rehabilitation of Trent Lott, a guy who thinks this country would be a better place had segregationist Strom Thurmond been elected in 1948. Now we have Mitt Romney, an A-list potential candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2008, hiring a race-baiting advertising consultant.

Alex Castellanos is that wonderful person who brought you the infamous "white hands" ad for fellow race-baiter Jesse Helms in 1990:

Widely considered one of the country's more influential Republican image-makers, Castellanos has produced television spots for President Bush, presidential candidate Bob Dole, and former senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina. Romney's move to recruit him sends a strong signal that the governor plans to mount a serious national campaign for 2008, political observers say.

"Alex is one of two or three people in the country who you don't run a presidential campaign without," said Dan Schnur, who was communication director for Senator John McCain of Arizona during McCain's run for president in 2000. Schnur added, "You don't hire Alex Castellanos unless you're committed to this."

Castellanos did not return calls seeking his comment yesterday. But in a 1998 PBS documentary on election ads, he made no apologies for his style, arguing that negative messages were the most effective messages in a campaign.

"The truest spots, most factual spots, are the negative and comparative," he said. "They inform the voters much more than a bunch of fluffy positives often do."

Republicans: Making a giant leap forward into the Jim Crow era.

(hat tip: Americablog)