I think it's a sorry attempt at humor.

Strangely, Republicans of 1865 deserved to win the original civil war. Republicunts of 2012 sadly would not. At some point in the 20th Century, RP switched from its progressive origins into the right-wing conservatism they seem to espouse today and also gained their notorious popularity with evangelical Christians. I can't help but wonder, what motivated this switch, this sharp right-turn as I'd like to call it (as opposed to "sharp left turn", often interpreted as a radical change). Because that certainly has influenced the political climate of USA today.

labhead was referring to the senator's wife (the link below his comment, not the obvious satire of the list. Jodie Brunstetter indeed was caught in a racist comment that she tried to weasel out of later, caught on video, which I viewed a few days ago.

It happened during the progessive era. In 1912 Teddy Roosevelt bolted the GOP and ran as an independent, taking many of the progressive republicans with him. They objected to the pro-corporate policies of the Taft administration. Ever since then the GOP has been the party of corporations and conservatives. There are many other factors that played out during the 20th century to swing the GOP that way, but that was the main turning point. 1912.

It's nice to know a history teacher! :)

Well all that history is still in your brain though!