Black Republican? Like J. C. Watts, or Alan Keyes?
As for painting copper, it probably needs some sort of special primer, and/or may have had some sort of solvent left on it from the fabrication process. It may not have been scuffed up enough for the paint to bind to the metal. I never tried to paint copper, or called for it to be done, and unless you changed your mind about something, don't know why you would want to do so.
I know galvanized steel requires special primer and/or you have to wait a year or more before you paint it.
Ralph
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