First rate public relations blunders are hard to miss. Recently Presidential hopefuls Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence stepped in the political poo by advocating a return to the past. Both men want to remove the name “Fort Liberty” from an iconic Army base in North Carolina; they want to recycle the base’s former name, Fort Bragg.
Unfortunately, General Braxton Bragg was not above reproach: he directly benefited from the forced labor of the human beings who toiled under his watchful eye. Mr. Bragg lived well because anti-liberty policies in Louisiana attempted to legitimize the practice of slavery. And then as a Confederate general he fought, at least in part, to uphold the horrible system that provided him with an easy life.
Both Mr. Pence and Mr. DeSantis missed an enormous opportunity, and then stabbed their presidential hopes in the metaphorical chest. A presidential campaign must keep up with the times or risk failure. If the base needs a new name (Fort Liberty is a fine name), it should be named Fort Carney. A base named after William Carney would surely be memorable – if only because of the great lengths to which he went to protect the American flag.
Times change, but many politicians still struggle to understand a critical life lesson: watch where you step.
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