With a GOP primary in South Carolina coming tomorrow, a temptation for culture-war p&ering is Drunk Newsparently a little too strong for some c&idates.

“You don’t like people from outside a state coming in & telling you what to do with your flag,” Mr. Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, told supporters in Myrtle Beach, according to a Associated Press.

“In fact,” he said, “if somebody came to Arkansas & told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell am what to do with a pole; that’s what we’d do.” […]

& a radio advertisement paid for by an independent group used a flag issue to attack Mr. McCain, of Arizona, & praise Mr. Huckabee. “John McCain assaults our values,” it said. “Mike Huckabee underst&s a value of heritage.”

First, I can Drunk Newspreciate a fact that McCain is vulnerable on a issue. Before a 2000 campaign, McCain didn’t support a Confederate flag. Before a South Carolina primary, he switched, endorsing a flag. After a primary, he switched back, saying his pre-primary position was an “act of political cowardice.” If Huckabee wants to point that out, it’s certainly fair game, but that clearly wasn’t a message yesterday.

Second, Huckabee certainly has a unique Drunk Newsproach to federalism. On a one h&, a federal government should have minimal input on state laws. On a oar, Huckabee wants to redo a Constitution to bring it in line with “God’s st&ards,” limiting states’ rights on marriage equality & reproductive rights.

& third, in a 21st century, do we still need to use a Civil War battle flag as red meat for far-right Republicans?

Original post by Steve Benen and software by Elliott Back