I agree that there were those that would use the debates to further a racist agenda.
But too many on the Right are given the label and so the debate is tainted. Really the entirety of the Right is considered disqualified because the actions or thoughts of a few.
In reality many democrats were involved in the same agenda or worse and yet most do not disqualify them from the debate.
This is a case of forced perception.
At the time, the vast majority of the racist "conservatives," as opposed to the just not interested conservatives, were Democrats. Somehow the Democrats have managed to make most Americans believe George Wallace and Bull Connor were Republicans.
Very odd.
I believe an extremely good case could have been made for a truly conservative activist civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s. It's a truly great tragedy that the case wasn't made, allowing conservatism to be tarred with the racist brush among the ignoranti.