Confederate Flag Flap

[forgethell]

I saw this and was shocked; I wonder what the reaction of other DUers is?

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA8XQ54IMD.html

[IndianaGreen]

1. Here is the actual quote

Thanks to fellow DUer hedda_foil:

Re Confederate flag:

Here is what he said - how can you disagree with that?

"I intend to talk about race in this election in the south because the Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us. And I'm going to bring us together, because you know what? White folks in the south who drive pickups trucks with confederate flags decals in the back ought to be voting with us and not them, because their kids don't have health insurance either and their kids need better schools too." (big applause)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=195077#195101

[blm]

3. That wasn't the current quote, was it?

That looks like an old quote that hedda used to illustrate what Dean had said in the past. I could be wrong, but that's how I understood it.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. No, it's not the current quote

Kerry was responding to this Des Moines Register article:

"I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," Dean said Friday in a telephone interview from New Hampshire. "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross-section of Democrats."
http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22649906.html

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Idiotic campaign pandering...

on the part of the Kerry and Gephardt people.

Please note: I have come to believe that Gep's people have been creating a lot of the tension here. Camoflaged as supporters of other candidates. Just my hunch.

On edit: Lieberman's people too. Both are cashed up sufficiently to afford professional astroturfers.

[Dagaz]

4. Major Gaffe

I see what he's trying to do but implying that flying the Confederate flag is ok was a Bushspeak level mistake. Maybe use gun racks or something instead.

[IndianaGreen]

5. If Dean had mentioned gun racks, he would have been savaged by

the gun grabbers, and their panderers.

[Dagaz]

10. No because Dean is on record

That he has a VERY moderate position on guns. I just don't see how taking a moderate position on the Confederate flag has a big plus. In fact I see making that a major DIFFERENCE a better strategery.

[wryter2000]

11. As a Deanie

I agree. Major gaffe. I think the intent was good, but it was a major mistake. I think he should issue a retraction and an explanation and learn from this experience. The Confederate Flag is a symbol of some terrible things, and I don't want my party associated with it.

[bluestateguy]

6. It's about winning that conservative white vote

I.m talkin' about conservative white men who fear and despise black people. I'm talking about white men who partake in Civil War reenactments and wear gray uniforms. I'm talking about white men who want the Middle East turned into a parking lot. I'm talking about white men who long for the days when they called all the shots and women and minorities "knew their place". These are the kinds of voters we want to feel comfortable in the Democratic Party.

[IndianaGreen]

8. You better keep the Civil War reenacters out of your statement, bud

I happen to know a couple of them that do wear the gray of the Confederacy, but they are both Northern Yanks, and they voted for Gore.

Watch for that broad brush!

[genius]

7. Maybe the blacks will come out to vote just to oppose him

Personally I find it offensive that anyone would support the use of a symbol of slavery. It's an insult to every decent person in America.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Did you ever answer the question about the 4, 5, 8, amendments?

that you posted in another thread in which you bashed Dean?

[Design8edGrouch]

12. Maybe Dean is right.

First, you get them used to nice leberal ideals like universal health coverage and schools that actually reflect the importance of a good education. Who knows they may actually come to accept the fact that it was only the Wingnuts who have benefitted from the "Us vs Thems" attitude that has kept the confederate flag waving all of these years. We may never know, if we fail to reach them with something they can stand on.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party"

Can you imagine Paul Wellstone trying to appeal to racists in this cynical way?

[JackSwift]

15. As long as we don't criticize GWBush

I'll know we are democrats. Keep up the good work folks.

[VolcanoJen]

16. Locking... LBN Rules, and Dupe

The rules of the LBN Forum require a poster to use the exact published title of the linked-to article in their subject line. In this case, the subject line should read "Dean's Comment on Confederate Flags and Pickup Trucks Sparks Iowa Dust-Up," or a semi-shortened version thereof.

ON EDIT: As it turns out, this is a duplicate LBN thread. Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=195077

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator

[paulk]

17. the quote isn't guite so bad when you put it in context

Still, it seems an incredibly ill considered thing to say. Attack ads run in minority communities by the GOP won't have it in context.

Wasn't Iowa a union state? How will this help him there?