Herman Cain said Social Security was racist in 2008 radio ad

Presidential candidate Herman Cain served as the spokesman and donated at least $1 million to a radio ad campaign that Republicans condemned as racist. He even starred in an ad himself.

Since 2002, the organization America's PAC has run radio ads in hopes of convincing African-American and Hispanic voters to support the Republican Party. The group claims to have directed more than 200 TV and radio spots for conservative candidates.

In a 2008 radio ad for the group, Cain alleged that Social Security discriminated against African-Americans.

"Democrats oppose Social Security reform," he said. "But here’s what they don’t tell you: Social Security is the most discriminatory government program we have."

"The average retirement age is now 66 years," Cain explained. "But the average life expectancy of a black man is now 68, and the life expectancy of a white man is 74. Black men get two years of retirement benefits, and white men get eight years, after we pay into Social Security our entire working lives."

"The current Social Security structure is bad for everybody, but it is worse for black people."

Cain added that the Republicans proposal would allow people to put money from their payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts.

"If the Republican plan becomes law, we can insure a secure retirement, where your retirement savings go to you, not to the government," he concluded. "The Republicans understand this."

In 2006, radio ads produced by America's PAC were denounced by George W. Bush's campaign as "inappropriate." The Republican National Committee called the ads "racist or race-baiting in intent."

At the time, Cain said the group was challenging the belief that the Republican Party could not attract minority voters. He claimed radio ads run in 2004 helped Bush gain more support among African-Americans in Ohio, up 16 percent from 9 percent in 2000.

"Now, I understand why a former Ku Klux Klanner favors the terrorists," a man in one 2006 ad said. "But what I want to know is why so many of the Democrat politicians I helped elect are on the same side of the Iraq war as David Duke?"

In another ad, a man said that he didn't vote Republican because if he "made a little mistake" with one of his "ho's" he could "dispose of that problem."

"That's too cold," another man replies. "I don't snuff my own seed."

"Maybe you do have a reason to vote Republican," the first man said.

Listen to the radio ad, courtesy of Right Wing Watch, below:

Photo credit: John Trainor