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Usually when politicians get into trouble for making racially insensitive or divisive comments, they rush to get minority pols to defend them. It is unclear whether Donald Trump even cares about his rapidly deteriorating image (from a pretty low starting point) on matters of racial justice after his recantation of a delayed and tinnily insincere-sounding condemnation of the white rioters of Charlottesville. We dont know if hes reached out to any black Republican pols or opinion leaders to get for some backup (though theres no sign of it so far). But we do know hes not getting much help from that quarter.

Tim Scott of South Carolina was the seventh African-American ever elected to the Senate, and the first from the South since Reconstruction. As a genuine conservative he is a precious resource for the GOP. And while he was not a red-hot MAGA man in 2016, Scott endorsed Trump before the GOP convention, didnt withdraw the endorsement when the Access Hollywood video broke (though he did call it disgusting), and has voted with the White House well over 90 percent of the time this year. So whats he saying right now?

In an interview with VICE News on Thursday, he condemned the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville and questioned the presidents moral authority following the tragedy. Im not going to defend the indefensible [Trumps] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong. What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. Theres no question about that.

And theres also this: Scott added thatthe president hasnt reached out to him to discuss Charlottesville.

Whatever else it represents, that is political malpractice.

How about the two African-American Republicans in the House? It doesnt get any better.

Now to be sure, Will Hurd of Texas un-endorsed Trump over the Access Hollywood remarks, and Mia Love of Utah (like many Utah Republicans) never even said shed vote for him. But they are bashing him now with abandon. Heres Hurd:

Rep. Will Hurd called on President Donald Trump to apologize for his latest remarks on recent violence sparked by a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Hurd, who is African-American, is also one of the most vulnerable House Republicans.

I dont think anybody should be looking at getting props from a grand dragon of the KKK as any kind of sign of success, Hurd said.

Love spoke at an anti-racism event in Salt Lake City where speakers definitely did not view both sides as responsible for what happened in Charlottesville.

Even on Fox News, an African-American Republican, Gianno Caldwell, who was called on specifically to defend the president, tearfully denounced him instead:

I come today with a very heavy heart. Last night I couldnt sleep at all because President Trump, our president, has literally betrayed the conscience of our country

Mr. President, good people dont pal around with Nazis and white supremacists. Maybe they dont consider themselves white supremacists and Nazis, certainly they hold those views. This has become very troubling for anyone to come on any network and defend what President Trump did and said at that press conference yesterday is completely lost and the potential to be morally bankrupt.

A quick look around medialand shows at least one prominent African-American conservative, syndicated columnist Star Parker, willing to go to the mats for Trump with respect to Charlottesville. But its unlikely she made many converts for her or Trumps cause with this argument:

Whatsreally interesting and reallyincredible irony here is thesame people that are demandingthat the Confederate flagcomes down are the same peoplethat are insisting that therainbow flag goes up.

These two flags represent theexact same thing: that certain people groups arenot welcome here.So if Nancy Pelosi wants tosay that were going to startshutting down first amendmentrights of a certain group ofpeople, then what what happens next timehomosexuals want to walkthrough an American city andprotest and counter-protesterscome out?

Yeah, white supremacists and LGBTQ folk, throw em in a bag like Skittles, shake em up, and dump em out, and you cant tell one from the other.

Perhaps Trump thinks he is his own best defender in this crisis. Lord knows what well see next from his Twitter account. But if hes going to go out of his way to defend the very fine people fighting for the neo-Confederate cause, the small but psychologically important set of African-American Republicans is crucial. Hes not giving them much to work with at the moment.

While Bannons rivals in the administration will be happy to see him go, he could cause the White House immense problems if he asserts independence.

President Trumps controversial senior strategist, one of the administrations most divisive figures, is gone.

A strategists one brilliant insight had become obsolete.

Under President Trump, infrastructure cant catch a break.

The 2012 GOP nominee unambiguously condemns Trumps remarks about Charlottesville and calls for an extremely unlikely retraction and apology.

The First Lady reportedly operates her Twitter account herself.

In 2017 alone, there have been at least nine such attacks around the world, resulting in nearly 40 deaths.

Its a pretty long list.

He is, if nothing else, a genius at playing to Americas most alarming tendencies.

The carbon tax actually stands a better chance of happening now than ever before.

Mattis and Tillerson tried to clean up after his gaffe. But despite Trumps bluster, opening fire would be catastrophic.

Attackers plowed into crowds in Barcelona and Cambrils in Spains worst attack in a more than a decade.

The 21st Century Fox CEO and son of Rupert Murdoch says Trumps reaction was concerning.

Republicans need the president to focus on their daunting fall agenda, not stirring up a new controversy.

With rare exceptions, African-American Republicans are giving the presidents comments on Charlottesville a wide berth, or condemning them.

By going soft on neo-Nazis, Trump is doing the Democrats job for them: highlighting an issue that splits the GOP base from the rest of America.

During the Jim Crow era, southern states sought recognition in the Capitol for ex-Confederates and other proud racists. That may finally be corrected.

Trumps response to breaking news of a possible terrorist attack in Spain is to endorse a false tale of U.S. torture and religious insults.

A democracy that retains monuments to men who committed treason in defense of slavery is one that has changed its history, not learned from it.

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Black Republicans Do Not Have Donald Trump's Back - New York Magazine