Today we learn that Mike Huckabee is the latest Republican candidate to pander to treason-nostalgists, er, "lovers of Southern heritage." He supports South Carolinians who want the state to fly the Confederate flag over state property. Huckabee offered some of his trademark wit:
“In fact,” he said, “if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell them what to do with the pole; that’s what we’d do.”
Then this:
"It is not an issue the president of the United States needs to weigh in on.”
But Huck weighed in on it anyway. Regardless, I'd say that a state legislature showing its affinity for a traitorous army that waged war upon the federal government in order to protect and expand a society that enslaved people is indeed something that should concern our Commander-in-Chief. By taking the pro-Confederate position, Huckabee, (and any other candidate who agrees with him), is de facto unqualified to be president of the United States.
Matt Yglesias mocks those who insist that the flag is really about nothing more than southern "heritage," which is all good and fun, but mockery lets these crypto-white supremacists off easy. I wonder what paleo-conservative all-star and League of the South-member Daniel Larison has to say (and again wonder why he's part of respectable conversation).
--James Kirchick