Republicans and treason in defense of slavery

On the 150th anniversary of the shelling of Fort Sumter, Jamelle Bouie isn't surprised that a new CNN poll shows that majorities in the party of Lincoln sympathize more with the Confederates than the Union and don't believe slavery was the cause of the war.

From voters to elected officials, the Republican Party is dominated by white Southerners, particularly those from the Deep South. What's more, and for incredibly obvious reasons, white Southerners are most likely to sympathize with the Confederacy and its decision to secede from the Union. When considered together, it's no real surprise to learn that Republicans are most likely to disagree with the notion that slavery drove the Southern states to split from the North.

Relatedly, a little while ago, I took a some heat for praising Haley Barbour's willingness to state -- unambiguously -- that slavery was the main cause of the Civil War. After all, why should Barbour be praised for stating the plain truth? Well, if this survey is any indication, you have your answer. Not only does Barbour work within a party that denies the truth of the historical consensus but he relies on an electorate that is hostile to things as basic and (mostly) uncontroversial as interracial marriage. With this in mind, it's not exactly the soft bigotry of low expectations to commend Barbour for challenging the historical conceits of his fellow travelers.