MSNBC television host Rachel Maddow yesterday charged that Republicans and conservatives know only one way of trying to expand their political influence – by fomenting and exploiting racial fears and prejudices among their overwhelmingly white base of supporters. (Snip) Said Maddow: “This is chapter one of the art of Republican politics since Richard Nixon. When surrounded by a more popular opponent [i.e., Barack Obama] whose ideas you can’t necessarily counter or you don’t feel confident countering, steer as far clear as you can of ideas and policy, and instead stoke racial indignation among your base when you can.”