NYT profile of Rand Paul highlights his association with apologists for the Old South

Rand Paul’s difficulty separating himself from harder-edge libertarianism was brought home last summer. The Washington Free Beacon, a website tied to hawkish conservatives, reported that one of his Senate aides, Jack Hunter, had a long trail of provocative statements — some made when he was a radio host calling himself “the Southern Avenger.”

A leader of the Charleston, S.C., chapter of the secessionist League of the South, Mr. Hunter had praised John Wilkes Booth. For two weeks, Mr. Paul stood by him amid news media attention, but finally let him go.

Why, some conservatives were asking, did the senator not act more swiftly? And why was Mr. Hunter — whose commentary Mr. Paul called “stupid” — even on his staff?