Dubbed “The Gang of 500” by ABC’s The Note, the permanent power brokers (media, money and the occasional politician) in Washington don’t understand why this whole Imus thing is a big deal. So what if he said a silly little thing about a women’s college basketball team? Why can’t everyone just take a joke?

Let’s just assume that most of the heads in this gang couldn’t accurately be referred to as “nappy.” Imus has lost credibility, advertisers and two weeks of air time but it doesn’t appear he’s lost his core audience: the dinosaurs (predominantly old, white and male) who still pine for the days when you could smoke wherever you want, harass whichever secretary you want, and the only interaction you ever had with a person of a different race was when you had your shoes shined.

For a group of people renowned for sticking to focus-group vetted talking points, the “Gang” seems to have missed the memo that casual racism isn’t acceptable to most Americans anymore. Their “good ole’ days” mentality puts them on the same road to extinction already traveled by former Senator George “Macaca” Allen.

Mike Segar/Reuters

The Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team