As South Carolina's Republican primary election draws nearer, Mike Huckabee has ratcheted up his appeals to the racial nationalism of white evangelicals. "You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag," the former Arkansas governor told a Myrtle Beach crowd on January 17, referring to the Confederate flag. "If somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole. That's what we'd do."

Making coded appeals to white racism is nothing new for Huckabee. Indeed, well before he was a nationally known political star, Huckabee nurtured a relationship with America's largest white supremacist group, the Council of Conservative Citizens. The extent of Huckabee's interaction with the racist group is unclear, but this much is known: he accepted an invitation to speak at the group's annual conference in 1993 and ultimately delivered a videotaped address that was "extremely well received by the audience."

Descended from the White Citizens Councils that battled integration in the Jim Crow South, including at Arkansas' Little Rock High School, the Council (or CofCC) has been designated a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In its "Statement of Principles," the CofCC declares, "We also oppose all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called "affirmative action" and similar measures, to destroy or denigrate the European-American heritage, including the heritage of the Southern people, and to force the integration of the races."

The CofCC has hosted several conservative Republican legislators at its conferences, including former Representative Bob Barr of Georgia and Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi. But mostly it has been a source of embarrassment to Republicans hoping to move their party beyond its race-baiting image. Former Reagan speechwriter and conservative pundit Peggy Noonan pithily declared that anyone involved with the CofCC "does not deserve to be in a leadership position in America."

During a lengthy phone conversation in 2006, CofCC founder and former White Citizens Council organizer Gordon Lee Baum detailed for me Huckabee's dalliances with his group. Baum told me that Huckabee eagerly accepted his invitation to speak at the CofCC's 1993 national convention in Memphis, Tennessee.

Huckabee's plan was complicated, however, when Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker journeyed out of state and appointed a state senator to preside over the governorship. The Arkansas state legislature passed a resolution forbidding the lieutenant governor from leaving Arkansas until Tucker returned, thus preventing Huckabee from attending the CofCC's conference.

In lieu of his appearance, according to Baum, Huckabee "sent an audio/video presentation saying 'I can't be with you but I'd like to be speaker next time.'" (The CofCC promptly replaced Huckabee with Michael Ramirez, a right-wing cartoonist whose work is currently syndicated to 400 newspapers by the Copley News Service.)

Baum's account of Huckabee's videotaped message was confirmed by a CofCC newsletter obtained by Edward Sebesta, a veteran observer of the neo-Confederate movement. "Ark. Lt. Governor Mike Huckabee, unable to leave Arkansas by law because the Governor was absent from the state, sent a terrific videotape speech, which was viewed and extremely well received by the audience," the 1993 newsletter (Vol. 24, No. 3) reported.

The following year, in 1994, the CofCC held its national conference in Little Rock, Arkansas to accommodate Huckabee. According to Baum, Huckabee initially agreed to speak before his group, but became apprehensive when the Arkansas media reported that he would be joined on the CofCC's podium by Kirk Lyons, a white nationalist legal activist who has hailed Hitler as "probably the most misunderstood man in German history."

"He didn't know anything about Kirk Lyons or anyone else," Baum said of Huckabee. "He said he would show up if we took Lyons off."

But Baum refused to remove his friend Lyons from the bill. Huckabee, who was more concerned about receiving bad publicity than by the racist underpinnings of the CofCC, withdrew his promise to speak. The CofCC replaced him this time with former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Jim Johnson, a White Citizens Council founder who organized the mob that rioted against the integration of Little Rock High School and later served as the star narrator of Rev. Jerry Falwell's discredited film, "The Clinton Chronicles."

In the end, Huckabee's aborted relationship with the CofCC benefited the group. "We had the biggest crowd in our history because of the publicity" surrounding Huckabee's planned appearance, Baum said of his 1994 conference.

The CofCC has since rebuked Huckabee for his insufficiently intolerant political behavior. Unfortunately, Huckabee has never rebuked the CofCC. Instead he embraced the group, ignoring its well known legacy of promoting racism and only severing ties when his political ambitions were threatened by bad publicity.

Now here is a question for the Huckabee campaign: Will you release the full transcript of Huckabee's "extremely well received" videotaped address to the CofCC?

Comments (14)

1. Former Reagan speechwriter and conservative pundit Peggy Noonan pithily declared that anyone involved with the CCC "does not deserve to be in a leadership position in America."

   Well at least one Reagan official got it right on this issue - any supporter of hate groups cannot be taken seriously as a national candidate.

   Posted by Metteyya at 01/18/2008 @ 6:39pm

2. If Mosse comes here and tries to defend Huckabee's pandering to a bunch of racists I will have an conniption.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 01/18/2008 @ 7:24pm

3. In other words Max, you really have no story to tell. I would like to know what MH has to say about your conversation with Mr. Baum.

   Posted by ACook at 01/18/2008 @ 7:25pm

4. Yeah, gradually adding upto the GOP Higher-Ups saying "Nuh-huh, Preacher-man...we got enough troubles this year without a guy who's cozy with Klansman and thinks the world is 10,000 years old!"....

   and crushing the Incredible Huck!

   Posted by Mask at 01/18/2008 @ 7:25pm

5. --Searching for the video--

   Posted by V at 01/18/2008 @ 7:38pm

6. wow. these guys are popular.

   Giuliani Should Condemn Ravenel's Racist Comments

   July 6, 2007

   Appointment of Racially Divisive Figure Raises Questions about His Mayoral Record on Race Relations

   Rudy Giuliani will face tough questions today about whether or not he condones the racist comments of Arthur Ravenel, Jr., the new co-chair of his campaign in South Carolina.

   When Arthur Ravenel Jr. was a member of Congress, he talked about "a white committee chairmen who operated on 'black time,' which he said meant fashionably late." And in 1993, Ravenel proudly addressed the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC), the country's largest white nationalist organization which opposes "all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called 'affirmative action.'" [The Post and Courier, 10/18/06, CofCC's Citizens Informer, Vol. 24 No. 3 1993, page 5]

   http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/07/giuliani_should.php

   Posted by frosty zoom at 01/18/2008 @ 9:27pm

7. Mike Huckabee, who has pandered and groveled to the the NAACP like no other, has a commercial attacking Romney over the Confederate flag. Huckabee's ad tells SC not to vote for a candidate from Massachusetts who is opposed to the flag. It says vote for Huckabee who is a "southerner who believes it is a local issue." Notice this phony baloney leftist-in-sheep's clothing Huckabee does not say he supports the Confederate flag. He says he believes it is a local issue.

   This is a recent quote from the CofCC concerning Mike Huckabee. You'd think if Mike Huckabee was so much in line with this group that they would treat him a little better--wouldn't ya?? Huckabee must really be moving up in the polls if he warrants such a baseless attack as Bluementhal's

   Posted by Len Mosse at 01/18/2008 @ 10:18pm

8. Posted by LEN MOSSE 01/18/2008 @ 10:18pm

   And you're supporting... WHO for the GOP nomination?

   Posted by Mask at 01/18/2008 @ 10:27pm

9. Hey CCC---do you think you could video tape your conniption and put it on Youtube---would love to see it.

   So far Bluementhal accuses Huckabee of not showing up at a CofCC meeting twice---wow--now that is a powerful link.

   Posted by Len Mosse at 01/18/2008 @ 10:34pm

10. And you're supporting... WHO for the GOP nomination?

    Posted by MASK 01/18/2008 @ 10:27pm | ignore this person

    I can go to the polls and vote enthusiastically for Huckabee or McCain---in fact I would really love a McCain/Huckabee ticket. If you have noticed they have refrained from attacking one another and seem to have a real friendship. If Romney or Giuliani would get the nomination I would vote for them while holding my nose, but I would still vote for them.

    Posted by Len Mosse at 01/18/2008 @ 10:39pm

11. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/action/ignore.mhtml?who=Len%20Mosse

    hey I have to hold my nose just reading your posts.

    Posted by johannesrolf1 at 01/18/2008 @ 11:16pm

12. Posted by RIO BRAVO 01/19/2008 @ 12:02am | ignore this person

    The Jewish faith comprises of approx. 2% of the total population, is the existance of a pro-Judaism/pro-Israel group as insidious and offensive to you? The NAACP was started in the early 1900's as an organization to advance the rights of colored people in a blatantly racist and segregated society. That is in no way the same as the White Supremacist movement that looks to cleanse society of the impure races, any race that is not white. Please let your inner racist out so that we can all know you for what you truly are.

    "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake./ Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23)."

    WWJD Rio? hehehehehe

    Posted by BizarroRio at 01/19/2008 @ 12:58am

13. hey I have to hold my nose just reading your posts.

    Posted by JOHANNESROLF1 01/18/2008 @ 11:16pm

    Well since I have been "farting in your general direction" for a long time I am glad that my efforts have finally succeeded.

    Posted by Len Mosse at 01/19/2008 @ 10:39am

14. Dear Mr. Blumenthal:

    You wrote:

    "The following year, in 1994, the CofCC held its national conference in Little Rock, Arkansas to accommodate Huckabee. According to Baum, Huckabee initially agreed to speak before his group, but became apprehensive when the Arkansas media reported that he would be joined on the CofCC's podium by Kirk Lyons, a white nationalist legal activist who has hailed Hitler as "probably the most misunderstood man in German history."

    "He didn't know anything about Kirk Lyons or anyone else," Baum said of Huckabee. "He said he would show up if we took Lyons off."

    But Baum refused to remove his friend Lyons from the bill. Huckabee, who was more concerned about receiving bad publicity than by the racist underpinnings of the CofCC, withdrew his promise to speak."

    This is untrue, quite untrue. I was invited to the CoCC meeting to speak on a federal lawsuit filed by me against Janet Reno regarding the Davidian standoff. Baum called me and asked if I would stand down, so that Huckabee would appear. I agreed and actually got a call from someone in Huckabee's office to confirm I was not coming. Baum told me shortly after that Huckabee was going to speak and thanked me for being a gentleman about Huckabee's demand. When Huckabee eventually backed out, Baum reinstated me as a speaker.

    BTW Your cutesy way of trashing Huckabee through me by your use of my 1989 quote about Hitler is typical of left of center journalism. My talk in 1994 was purely about the moral and constitutionl travesty of Federal law enforcement's handling of the Branch Davidian standoff and had nothing to do with Hitler or white nationalism, as most of my Waco clients were black.

    The completely out of context "Hitler" quote referred to the anecdotal and historical innaccuracies that surround Hitler historiography, nothing more.

    Kirk D. Lyons

    Posted by kirkdlyons at 01/19/2008 @ 5:24pm