(AP) Howard Dean's Comment Sparks Iowa Dust-Up

[DJcairo]

What Dean said was poorly phrased and while I don't think he is a rascist, he ought to be more sensitive to the feelings surrounding the confederate flag. Would you want a Presdient Dean who seemed to want to reach out to southern white rascists?

By WILLIAM C. MANN, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON — A comment by Howard Dean about Confederate flags and pickup trucks has embroiled the leading Democrats in Iowa's presidential caucuses in a name-calling donnybrook.

"I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," the former Vermont governor was quoted as saying in Saturday's Des Moines Register. "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross-section of Democrats."

Dean's campaign said Saturday that Dean was intending to encourage the return of Southern voters who have abandoned the Democrats for decades but are disaffected with the Republicans.

Two Democrat rivals competing against Dean in Iowa's leadoff Jan. 19 caucuses saw the comment differently.

Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, who shares the lead in Iowa with Dean, accused Dean of making a blatant move to win the votes of people "who disagree with us on bedrock Democratic values like civil rights."

"I don't want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," Gephardt said in a statement. "I will win the Democratic nomination because I will be the candidate for guys with American flags in their pickup trucks."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-democrats-2004,1,7432336.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[La_Serpiente]

1. I'd expect you'd come around sometime

anyhow, I wonder what Jesse Jackson Jr. is going to do?

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Jessie's hopped a plane

He's probably ready to land any minute. :lol

The only problem with Gephardt's statement is that state candidates have lost for their position to get rid of the Confederate flag. It seems the majority feel strongly about keeping it; if that's the case, then Dean would be saying what they want to hear. *shrug*

[michaelbmoore]

8. Will Jackson Jr. Endorse Dean Now?!?

Hmmm. . .maybe.

[hedda_foil]

2. Goodness, DJ. Who would have imagined you'd find two ways to post this?

Kerry is trying to Willie Hortonize Dean which is one hell of a creepy tactic for one Democrat to use on another.

Re Confederate flag:
Here is what Dean said and what he always says in his stump speech on this - 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)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

24. MAYBE IF DEAN WOULD STOP SAYING STUPID SHIT!!!

HE JUST PERPETUATED A STEREOTYPE!!!

[dsc]

4. Why didn't you provide this link in the other thread

and intead make me and another poster hunt for it?

[DJcairo]

6. The other was from the kerry blog which you deanites are spamming like mad

right now in an attempt to rationalize these stupid remarks.

[dsc]

25. We both know I was asking for an original source

and you didn't even link the blog until after you were asked twice.

[DJcairo]

5. Dean said something stupid-can't you just admit it?

No you can't because you are so brain washed by Dean's fundraising prowess that you can't realize the guy a) isn't liberal at all (his, "I'm from the Democratic Wing of teh Democratic Party" is a lie) and b) is tacitly supporting the brandishment of the confederate flag. Something that most African-Americans would not feel so great about.
Further, since you all live in an all white internet world, few of you find this offensive.

[madaboutharry]

14. DJ, I think a lot of us here

think this is offensive. I would venture to say that a lot of Dean supporters do also. At the very least, it was really stupid of him to say something like this. I find it depressing.

[w4rma]

16. I fully and totally support what Dean said. I also find *nothing* wrong.

Dean said the men with Confederate flag decals in their pickup trucks represented lucrative prospects for the party "because their kids don't have health insurance, either, and their kids need better schools, too.

[mandyky]

29. I don''t see how it is stupid to attract swing voters

Dean did not say he'd get a pick up and put a confederate flag decal on it it, he said people with pickups with confederate flag decals want good schools and health insurance too - this goes back to his DNC winter meeting speech.

[arcos]

30. oh, but then Dean is the unelectable!

and Kerry the most likely to beat Bush... yeah right!

:puke:

[michaelbmoore]

7. Please just admit. . .

That Dr. Dean said something stupid that was racial in nature. It's not the first time, won't be the last. Just admit it, you'll feel better.

[DJcairo]

10. I know, whats wrong with these folks. Dean's response to this is lame

This is a bunch of pandering. First he wants guys with confed flags to like him now he wants them to "put down their flags". He's trying to cover his ass and quick.

"I want people with confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic--because the need for quality healthcare, jobs, and a good education knows no racial boundaries. We have working white families in the south voting for tax cuts for the richest 1% while their children remain with no health care. The dividing of working people by race has been a cornerstone of Republican politics for the last three decades--starting with Richard Nixon. For my fellow Democratic opponents to sink to this level is really tragic. The only way we're going to beat George Bush is if southern white working families and African American working families come together under the Democratic tent, as they did under FDR.

"In his historic 'I have a dream speech,' Martin Luther King, Jr., said: 'I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.' I believe Dr. King's vision still represents the future of America. And that is what our campaign is about."

[GBD4]

34. Agree

First he wants those with Confederate flags in their back windows to support him, now he wants those same people to stop displaying such flags. Well, either you want the support of Confederate flag-waving people, or you don't!

[Cha]

21. Sounds like you need to get a clue..

[arcos]

31. more than one, actually. n/t

[pasadenaboy]

9. Enough ideological purity tests!

Geez, people sound like the Trotsky union in college.

Of course you should want to appeal to southerners with confederate stickers. As Dean has said before, their economic issues are with us democrats, and we have to get them to vote on those rather than cultural issues. Do not write these people off.

[DJcairo]

12. It's not the idea it's what he said and how he said it.

“I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks." Howard Dean

[Toucano]

26. You're right. We shouldn't write them off.

But we don't need to (and he shouldn't) identify them by their use of a hateful and divisive symbol. Raising the spector of the Confederate flag is simply STOO-PID!

Instead, he should continue to illustrate how the Republican government has betrayed these people, sold them a pack of lies (which include their racist outlook and fundy religion), and continue to thrive on the misery of the underclass.

We'd get further if he appealed to the pot smokers! Now that would be a unity creating issue with appeal to people of all colors.

[Mairead]

28. "We'd get further if he appealed to the pot smokers!"

I wouldn't hold my breath. He's clearly a conservative drug warrior with genuinely pathetic excuses for it.

[Toucano]

11. Fastest labotomy in history?

I don't think Dean is racist either, but it was a incredibly stupid thing to say.

I think Edwards just took your number 2 spot on my list, doc!

[Pez]

32. dean is a novice...

...and this is icing on the cake. courting confederate flag wavers, licking the NRA's boots, saying affirmative action should be based on "class not race"...

i didn't factor in his being in vermont, which is almost entirely white and has fewer people than rhode island, as a negative... but his numerous campaign trail statements prove that his lack of experience with racial, social and economic diversity; not having to deal with inner cities and the problems they face; and total lack of international diplomacy and trade issues make him less than ideal as a candidate to lead our nation, especially now.

and since we have such a broad field of candidates who firmly represent core democratic values, with a veritable plethora of choices, why choose the guy who has the weakest platform, no foreign policy experience, is an obvious panderer, and can't articulate his position or deflect criticism effectively in a debate.

[surfermaw]

13. You don't understand the south

Many southern rednecks who carry the flag around, aren't reciest, they are proud of the confederacy and the south,and that is their way of express their feelings for the south..And is right on another acccount they were once a part of the democrat party,but the republican party has made the confederate flag and issue,just as they have religion and abortion. And yes I think many of them who have lost their jobs, their health care will return to the democrat party, I think it was a very intelligent thing for Dean to invite these men back to the party.

[DJcairo]

19. Write by bringing up the confed flag-what about black voters?

Ever thought about those. You just don't even mention the goddamn fconfed flag unless you intend to criticize it flying above capitol domes which Dean refuses to do.

[blm]

23. They'll come back when you give them a candidate that appeals

to their gut instincts. One who is fairer to them financially, but also sees them in a heroic light. Dean doesn't do that. The GOP will make sure they only hear how he dodged the draft and then went skiing. 250 million dollars will assure that happens.

Some of you scoff at that, but, it's something these people can fully understand. Most people who vote down here do so because they DON'T really understand financial details and cannot grasp economic formulas the way we wish they could.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

15. Earth to Dean: First use brain, then mouth.

Not the other way around. Just imagine this guy conducting diplomacy for our country.

[w4rma]

17. Kerry and Gephardt are liars. (n/t)

[DJcairo]

20. and you stand with Dean who has just said something really dumb?

[w4rma]

22. Kerry is a liar.

Dean said the men with Confederate flag decals in their pickup trucks represented lucrative prospects for the party "because their kids don't have health insurance, either, and their kids need better schools, too.

"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)

[Cha]

18. This is a quote from a Clark supporter...

"Jeeze talking about twisting a guy's word. This Clark supporter says..

Dean is right on the money. "A racist attitude" - give me a break."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=195077#195116

[polpilot]

33. FearofDean advises Dean campaign as Kerry Kampaign Kollapses!!!

Dean '04...Up...Up...Up...

[cindyw]

27. I don't think Dean is a racist and I don't think Kerry and Gephardt were

calling him one. This is an honest discussion. On the one hand I understand where Dean is coming from. He recognizes the need to bring people in the South, who would benefit more from Democratic values, back into the fold. He obviously knew his earlier phrasing was wrong or he would have not changed his wording to be more racial sensitive. I just think it is wrong to assume that people who fly the flag for reasons other than their ancestors fought in the civil war, would be comfortable in our party. Flying that flag represents a severe misunderstanding or lack of care about how that flag represents a sad time in the country's history. I don't care if they will care about health issues. We should not welcome intolerant people into our fold. Imagine bringing in more people like Zell Miller.

Now I do think there is a solid block of tolerant people in the South who could be brought into the fold. Let us go after them.

[Punkingal]

35. I'm locking this thread.

Please see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=73163

punkingal, DU moderator