My view: Republicans are intimidated by people like Bond, for they are terrified of being branded "racist," and fear Bond and the NAACP have the power to burn that brand into their hides. They fear the NAACP can raise the decibel level on the race issue and marshal a vast black turnout, which will go 90-to-10 to the Democrats.

So, they meekly accept the abuse. On issues of racial equality for whites and blacks, Bush Republicans are born appeasers.

What might the GOP do? Exactly what Democrats would do, were they in power and a Christian Coalition leader unleashed such partisan bile on their president and party. Demand an IRS audit of its tax exemption. Red-line out from the budget all discretionary funding for its programs. Have the House speaker write to corporate contributors of the organization to tell them this is an unfriendly act.

Conservative groups should ferret out the big donors to the NAACP and publish their names, so stockholders can respond to Bond's slanders. Congress could act to break up big foundations like Ford, longtime financier of the NAACP, and require foundations to expend 7 percent of their assets yearly until they go out of business.

Play hardball with people who play hardball with you.

But if Republicans behave like battered wives, consider the conduct of the Democratic presidential candidates who turned down the NAACP's invitation to appear on the stage in Miami.

When Joe Lieberman, Dick Gephardt and Dennis Kucinich were no-shows, Mfume roared, "You have no legitimacy over the next nine months in our community. ... You have become persona non grata. Your political capital is the equivalent of Confederate dollars."

Within 48 hours, all three were crawling across the stage in Miami, begging forgiveness. Wailed Gephardt: "I'm sorry I was not here. ... I apologize to all of you for not being here, and I thank you for letting me be here."

Said Lieberman: "By not coming, Monday, I was wrong. I regret it, and I apologize." Said Kucinich: "I'm very sorry I wasn't able to be here. Amazing grace, how sweet it is, once was lost, now I'm found."

Wonder what old George Corley Wallace would have told Mr. Bond.