Coming in the wake of the Sotomayor hearings this development is especially confusing. Conservative media outlets have been emphatic that identity politics, especially when practiced by African-Americans and Hispanics, is abhorrent and should be avoided at all costs.

Yet when a pro-business African-American appeared before Congress and called a prominent Democrat a racist, The Weekly Standard, as well as the rest of the right-wing blogosphere, cheered. They seemed to want to see more identity politics like that.

Suddenly it's a good thing for a minority, when pressed with tough questions, to complain that his questioner is being “racial.” It's a good thing when Harry Alford, CEO of the pro-business National Black Chamber of Commerce, who was invited by Republicans to testify against environment legislation, exploded during a rather pedestrian give-and-take with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

Confusing times, indeed.

UPDATED: Did we mention how Bizarro World this sudden love of minority identity politics is from the right-wing during a week when we saw attacks on Sotomayor that didn't even try to mask ugly racial stereotypes?

Justice Malaprop? [Ed Whelan]

Judge Sotomayor says “eminent” when she means “imminent,” “providence” instead of “province,” “story of knowledge” instead of “store of knowledge,” and so on. Does the fact that she is a Latina immunize her from attention to that sort of (admittedly not uncommon) foible?

UPDATED: RedState, of all places, is suddenly deeply concerned about “racism” in politics. Who knew?

UPDATED: State classy Jawa Report, that bastion of racial sensitivity:

Senator Assmaggot Gets Bitchslapped