In the early 1980s, Lee Atwater had a recorded conversation ⏤ often incorrectly referred to as an ‘interview’ ⏤ in which he outlined the ‘Southern Strategy.’ The Southern Strategy involved saying things in the South that would be understood as being based on racism, in the hope of getting more votes in the South. Using the n-word, Atwater said, was no longer acceptable, so instead, the Southern Strategy involved talking about not wanting bussing, segregating schools, and things like that.