What's that sound? Don't you hear it? You don't? Lean further right and listen harder.
It's the sound of crickets - the awkward chirping of the GOP with its members' heads locked tightly between their legs.
Never mind that their president has branded himself as a racist with his base pronouncement that four Democratic freshmen congresswomen of color should "go back" to the countries they came from. And never mind that the congresswomen's destinations, should they comply, would be New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Michigan.
And never mind that every moment of GOP silence to the president's sad and destructive comments also further tars the GOP. But, clearly, the Republicans lack the will to stand up to Donald Trump's vileness.
Not a peep have we heard - nor will we - from Tennessee Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander or Marsha Blackburn.
As a matter of fact, Alexander, caught on tape by a questioning CNN reporter, was flatly evasive:
"I'm working as hard as I can on reducing health care costs. I'm not giving a daily commentary on the president's tweets," Alexander said.
The reporter pursued him, asking, "But these are, you know, racist tweets. I mean do you have any concerns about it?"
Alexander smiled and waved as the Capitol elevator doors closed.
Have Tennessee Reps. Chuck Fleischmann or Scott DesJarlais even blinked? Not. Zip. Nada. Nor have Reps. Mark Green, Tim Burchett, David Kustoff, Phil Roe or John Rose.
It's also seemed like the dead of night in Georgia, where as of Tuesday afternoon, GOP Sen. David Perdue hadn't peeled his tongue from the roof of his mouth. Similarly, there is silence from U.S. Reps. Tom Graves, Rick Allen, Drew Ferguson, Earl "Buddy" Carter, Barry Loudermilk and Austin Scott.
Finally on Day 2 after the debacle and before the House vote along party lines to condemn the president, there came a squeak from Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson and Reps. Rob Woodall, Doug Collins and Jody Hice. Woodall and Isakson bravely said Tuesday that Trump's comments were not appropriate or acceptable." Predictably, however, Collins and Hice took a both-sides-are-wrong tack.
Collins, of Gainesville, tweeted: "This Congress is off to a rough start. Politicians throw verbal bombs that hurt people and fail to legislate to help people. ICE facilities are being attacked with weapons, and, a few days ago, we saw a foreign flag raised over an American facility. The president is frustrated that Congress has not acted to solve the crisis at our border, and he expressed his frustrations in a way that didn't promote reconciliation across the aisle and across our country. This country is wide open to everyone who respects our laws and wants to share in our freedoms. It is my hope we can have productive dialogue to replace frustration with understanding and actually do what the people sent us here to do: solve problems like the border crisis."
Hice, of Greensboro, Ga., wrapped himself - and his president - in religion. "I firmly believe that all people are made in the image of God and are equal in his eyes. I don't believe the president is a racist, and although I wish he had been more diplomatic, I share his frustrations in regard to Members of Congress making repeated derogatory statements about the Nation we love, serve, and defend," he tweeted.
A fellow Twitter user responded, in part: " So when people look back in history they will know you Supported and Enabled Racism..Do Better.. Jesus Would"
Then there's Alabama.
Sen. Richard Shelby of Birmingham told the same dogged CNN reporter staking out the Capitol elevator: "I hadn't read that [about the president telling four congresswomen they should 'go back' to their counties], but I'll go check it out."
He didn't wave as the elevator doors slid shut. He just looked down.
Although the cat had a firm hold on the tongues of Alabama Reps. Mo Brooks, Robert Aderholt, Gary Palmer, Martha Roby and Mike D. Rogers, wild horses couldn't quiet Rep. Bradley Byrne, of Fairhope.
Byrne, about 32 hours after Trump's Sunday morning tweets, shared his own outrage on Twitter: "I agree with @realDonaldTrump. America is an exceptional country and I'm proud to live here. If @AOC and the crew of Socialist Democrats are so angry with our country, I'm offering to pay for their ticket to Venezuela so they can enjoy their failed Socialist Paradise."
On the whole, of the 249 Republicans in the House and Senate, only 14 condemned Trump's remarks, according to an accounting by The Washington Post. Only one is from Tennessee, Georgia or Alabama - and only three are from the South. Rep. Will Hurd and Rep. Pete Olson are from Texas, and Sen. Marco Rubio is from Florida.
According to the Post's count, another 14 Republicans made statements supporting Trump, while 32 Republicans criticized both Democrats and Trump.
The great majority - 189 Republicans in national elected positions - have not commented, were unclear or - like Alexander and Shelby, flat out dodged the opportunity to weigh in.
Working hard? More like dodging hard.