Rand Paul Defends ‘Embarrassed’ Aide With Neo-Confederate Past

ABC ^ | July 11 2013 | Arlette Saenz

[WilliamIII]

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., defended a Senate aide who once espoused pro-secession and neo-Confederate views, calling him “incredibly talented” during an interview with the Huffington Post. The Washington Free Beacon Tuesday reported that Jack Hunter, who serves as social media director for Paul, once worked as a radio shock jock for two different stations in Charleston, S.C., advocating for secession and the Confederacy. Hunter, who helped write Paul’s book “The Tea Party Goes to Washington,” called himself the “Southern Avenger” and wore a Confederate flag mask at public appearances. “People are calling him a white supremacist,” Paul said in an interview with the Huffington Post. “If I thought he was a white supremacist, he would be fired immediately. If I thought he would treat anybody on the color of their skin different that others, I’d fire him immediately. “All I can say is, we have a zero tolerance policy for anybody who displays discriminatory behavior or belief in discriminating against people based on the color of their skin, their religion, their sexual orientation, anything like that,” Paul, 50, said. “We won’t tolerate any of that, and I’ve seen no evidence of that.”

[TomGuy]

called himself the “Southern Avenger” and wore a Confederate flag mask

O the horrors!

Move over Paula Deen! The Libs have found a new person to kick around for violating PC.

[neal1960]

He should have worn a hoodie. He would be a hero.

[VRW Conspirator]

Rand Paul, pssssst, just say the name Robert Byrd.

[0.E.O]

bump

[Dead Corpse]

There are times when liberal journalists need a ass kicking.

This is one of those times.

[montag813]

Glad to see Paul defend him. Remember when Trent Lott was forced out for his trivial comments about Strom Thurmond - while Democrats had a former KKK wizard as their elder statesman, with no consequences. Black Democrats make horrid racist remarks almost weekly, with zero repercussions.

[Kid Shelleen]

Dear Mr. Saenz,
Have you ever heard of Reverend Jeremiah Wright?

[skeeter]

Targets of this kind of press bullying need to have a stock response that will immediately shut the hyenas up.

There's so much material from the current societal double standards, it cannot be that hard.

[101stAirborneVet]

Black Democrats make horrid racist remarks almost weekly, with zero repercussions.

White Democrats, too - and are given a full pass.

BJ Clinton: Obama ‘Would Have Been Carrying Our Bags’ a ‘Few Years Ago’

[arthurus]

“People are calling him a white supremacist,”

Anyone who is not a certified Liberal who has anything at all nonderogatory to say about any Southern state is ipso facto and prima facie a White Supremacist.

[Irenic]

Agree...

[SunkenCiv]

• ---

  I, for one, am for immigration reform. … That being said, I’m worried that the bill before us won’t pass.... [Rand Paul: I hate to say it, but the immigration bill is a little bit like ObamaCare right now ]

• ---

  [Paul open to voting for Senate immigration bill]

• ---

  [Rand Paul: I'm Open to Voting for Immigration Bill]

• ---

  Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers... [Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform]

  ---

• ...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... "We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party," Paul said. [Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance]

• ---

  One day after announcing on his radio show that he is "truly considering" running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, Rivera amped up his message today in a television interview and a column on the Fox News Latino website... a moderate Republican who is fiscally conservative but also supports gay marriage and Roe v. Wade... [Geraldo Rivera declares himself a 'moderate Republican' as he eyes U.S. Senate run]

  ---

[RginTN]

I don’t trust what the media says about a Republican.

And I don’t care since Robert Byrd was a member of the KKK.

[publius911]

“People are calling him a white supremacist,”

Only people with IQs under 60 cannot distinguish between secession and white supremacy.

I have never been in the south, but support secession and the confederacy both philosophically.
I would not waste time arguing with people who play this particular version of the race card.

[freedomfiter2]

What is a neo Confederate? Someone that believes in the declaration of independence?

[rockrr]

What, you mean they can’t be both? LOL

[publius911]

What, you mean they can’t be both? LOL

Certainly, but I view askance the weak liberal minds that insist that it must always be both.

[struggle]

Neo-Confederate? Is that what “Neo-Con” means? Lol.