How puerile can progressives be? Childish enough to taunt someone over his name, and even ascribe ideological views to a person based on his moniker. And here we thought liberals prided themselves on never judging people on their superficial characteristics.

On Joy Reid’s MSNBC show this morning, Reid, and guest the Rev. Mark Thompson, a talk radio host and civil rights activist, made a point of mentioning AG nominee Jeff Sessions’ full name: Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. The presumption is that he was named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard. Thompson took things an ugly step further, calling Sessions “a Confederate Attorney General.”

Even if Thompson views naming a child after Confederate heroes a sin, would the Right Reverend really want to visit the sins of the parents upon the child?

JOY REID: Are you concerned about having Jefferson Sessions replace Loretta Lynch? MARK THOMPSON: Yes. REID: I mean, she’s leaving, the Eric Garner case is still open. You still have consent degrees in places like Cleveland, which who knows if he’ll continue them? THOMPSON: Right. REID: Are you worried? MARK THOMPSON: Very much so. Jefferson Sessions — I said it right this time. REID: Jefferson Beauregard. THOMPSON: I didn’t say Jefferson Davis. He’s a Confederate Attorney General. And as John Lewis said so aptly the other day, he can be nice and friendly, but we know what his policies have meant and what he’s been up to throughout his tenure, so I think we do have to be very concerned about that.



