Meanwhile, in Virginia

Governor Bob McDonnell, under attack over his Confederate History Month proclamation, spent yesterday issuing clarifications and apologizing to anyone who would listen. "McDonnell," says the Washington Post, "revived a controversy that had been dormant for years." Good move, Bob. Clever politics, Bob.

To the original proclamation, which included passages like:

WHEREAS, April is the month in which the people of Virginia joined the Confederate States of America in a four year war between the states for independence that concluded at Appomattox Courthouse; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has long recognized her Confederate history, the numerous civil war battlefields that mark every region of the state, the leaders and individuals in the Army, Navy and at home who fought for their homes and communities and Commonwealth in a time very different than ours today; and

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to reflect upon our Commonwealth’s shared history, to understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War, and to recognize how our history has led to our present;

McDonnell has added:

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history;

Which may quiet the criticism from the press, but will certainly not win him any black votes and will likely piss off some of his white supporters who pressed for this in the first place. McDonnell would probably do best to just shut up about this now.