coruscating
The author of the OP argues that political historians as well as historians tend to be liberal. That is code for the common liberal allegation that conservatives shun academic studies. In truth, academia shuns conservatives and hires liberals.
He further argues that such historians are prone to “politesse” and says, “It’s no surprise that we are attracted to polite subjects like “colorblind conservatism” or William F. Buckley.”
If one can overlook the OP’s astounding assertion that liberal historians fail to understand conservatives because the historians are prone to formality and polite inquiry, one can easily run into numerous false and self-serving assertions in the article which demonstrate increasing rations of intellectual dishonesty.
Oh, and he also commandeers the KKK as a confusing element of conservatism!!! Yet the KKK was born and fostered among the Democrats!
I found the article disturbing ... but considered the source.