Bob McDonnell, the Republican governor of Virginia, is bringing back a long-running right wing tradition by declaring April 2010 “Confederate History Month” — at the request of the neo-Confederate group “Sons of Confederate Veterans,” described by Civil War historian James M. McPherson as a white supremacist organization.

The two previous governors of Virginia (Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine) refused to issue similar proclamations, but the Sons of Confederate Veterans knew they only had to wait until a Republican was in office.

This year’s proclamation was requested by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. A representative of the group said the group has known since it interviewed McDonnell when he was running for attorney general in 2005 that he was likely to respond differently than Warner or Kaine.

“We’ve known for quite some time we had a good opportunity should he ascend the governorship,” Brandon Dorsey said. “We basically decided to bide our time and wait until we had more favorable politicians in Richmond.”

McDonnell’s proclamation praises the sacrifices and courage of the Confederacy and describes the Civil War as “a war for independence,” but makes no mention at all of that pesky little distraction — slavery. Disgusting.

Republicans like McDonnell are reveling in their racism, and pandering to the most vile segments of US society. And then they whine and complain when African Americans want nothing to do with them.