From my column:

t has already become a cliché on the right to tut-tut at U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul’s “rookie” mistake of trying to conduct a “libertarian seminar” during the campaign.
I’m not so sure. For starters, if you’re not invested in Paul’s political career, why not seize this rare opportunity for one of those eternally sought but never achieved “national conversations” on race?
Besides, Paul’s not going to lose because of his reservations about some aspects of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He’s from Kentucky, a very red state. And contrary to what you might suspect from reading the national media, not only has he not made repealing the law the centerpiece of his campaign, he has no desire to do so if elected.
Indeed, it’s worth noting that the only people who are really jazzed to reopen the argument about the Civil Rights Act are liberals.