Another WaPo Attack on Rand Paul

WaPo's Michael Gerson writes:

To this point, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been the Republican flavor of the year. Events from the IRS scandal to NSA revelations to the Obamacare train wreck have corroborated libertarian suspicions of federal power. And Paul has shown serious populist skills in cultivating those fears for his political benefit. For a while, he succeeded in a difficult maneuver: accepting the inheritance of his father’s movement while distancing himself from the loonier aspects of his father’s ideology.

But now Paul has fallen spectacularly off the tightrope. It turns out that a senior member of his Senate staff, Jack Hunter, has a history of neo-Confederate radio rants. And Paul has come to the defense of his aide[...]

What does this mean for the GOP? It is a reminder that, however reassuring his manner, it is impossible for Rand Paul to join the Republican mainstream. The triumph of his ideas and movement would fundamentally shift the mainstream and demolish a century and a half of Republican political history. The GOP could no longer be the party of Reagan’s internationalism or of Lincoln’s belief in a strong union dedicated to civil rights.

And still not a tweet from Jack Hunter in over a week. He is one of the few who could respond and detail the dangers of  Reagan’s internationalism or of Lincoln’s belief in a strong union. Make no mistake, he has been muzzled. But this isn't anywhere near enough for the neocons, they want Hunter gone. Does Rand seriously think he can get away with just muzzling Hunter? Is Rand hungry enough for the presidency to do what has to be done? Does he really think he has a chance at the presidency with the neocons in his face?