It's bad enough that the GOP is using boxing promoter Don King and "ex-gay" gospel singer Donnie McClurkin to appeal to black voters. It's bad that they're using anti-black Zell Miller as they're token Democrat to give a keynote address. And it's even worse that they've come to New York City, of all places, to exploit the 9/11 tragedy.

All that is bad enough by itself. But now comes word that the Republicans are actually paying black people to come to their convention and stand around as props in the audience. Yes, I'm not making this up. I heard from a reliable media source yesterday that the Republicans are actually calling up suitable black people to get them to stand in the audience at Madison Square Garden this week.

I would say that I'm shocked, but at this point I'm not. This president is just plain low.

This is the same guy who dodged the draft in Vietnam and is now making an issue out of John Kerry's distinguished war record. This is the same guy who wants to talk about family values but can't keep his own daughters out of jail or rehab. This is the same guy who supports a war on drugs that, if applied fairly, would have locked him up for cocaine use years ago.

Thank goodness for the 400,000 people who took to the streets yesterday to say "Enough!"