Another Republican Nod To The Confederacy?

Ben Smith flags an interesting moment from Rep. Thad McCotter's (R-MI) recent speech to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference:

Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter gave a shout-out to the old South in his address to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans earlier this month.

"It's been a pleasure to be in your presence, of the Republicans of the South, who will help us all rise again," McCotter said, concluding his speech. "Build the party, trust the people, save the country."

"The South Will Rise Again" is a slogan associated with the Lost Cause of the Confederacy, controversial enough to have led the University of Mississippi last year to discourage sports fans from chanting it.

Now, it's a subtle reference -- one could reasonably dispute whether McCotter even meant to recall the contentious slogan.  But as anyone familiar with McCotter would know, the congressman is a history buff with an impressive collection of obscure references in his repertoire.  The chances that he didn't know what he was saying are small. 

What's more, McCotter spoke to the conference on April 10, just days after Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) declared Confederate History Month in Virginia.  McConnell was under a lot of heat at the time, particularly for saying slavery wasn't "significant" enough to mention in his proclamation.  While McConnell apologized for that wrongheaded sentiment, other conservative leaders were jumping to his defense.  Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) said the controversy didn't amount to "diddly."        

Obviously, Republicans can't win without strong support in the South. But the party's insistence on acknowledging those who fought a war against the United States over the right to own other people is troubling.