{"article":{"id":93045,"heading":"Dean Cloaks Himself in the Flag","author":"Trent Lott","created":"2003-11-06 00:21:19","modified":"2003-11-06 16:56:46","last_modified":"Thu, 06 Nov 2003 23:56:46","article":"

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A comment by Howard Dean about Confederate flags has embroiled the leading Democrats in Iowa's presidential caucuses in a donnybrook.

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

Dean said on Saturday that he was intending to encourage the return of Southern voters who have abandoned the Democrats for decades.

But his rivals competing in Iowa's leadoff Jan. 19 caucuses saw the comment differently.

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

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts contended that Dean's \"pandering\" to the National Rifle Association gave him an inroad to \"pander to lovers of the Confederate flag.\"

The flag comment was reported in a story about Kerry's criticism of Dean's record on guns. Kerry claimed that Dean was an NRA favorite who opposed a 1994 law that banned assault weapons to civilians.

In response to the criticism, Dean released a statement saying: \"I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic -- because the need for quality health care, jobs and a good education knows no racial boundaries.\"

Candidate and civil rights activist Al Sharpton -- who has accused Dean of having an \"antiblack agenda\" -- said he was \"surprised and disturbed\" by the Confederate flag remark. \"If I said I wanted to be the candidate for people that ride around with helmets and swastikas, I would be asked to leave.\"

The two Southerners in the race, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and retired Gen. Wesley Clark of Arkansas, also protested.

\"Some of the greatest civil rights leaders, white and black, have come from the South,\" Edwards said. \"To assume that Southerners who drive trucks would embrace this symbol is offensive.\"

Said Clark: \"Every Democratic candidate for president needs to condemn the divisiveness the Confederate flag represents.\"

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman's campaign weighed in as well. \"Governor Dean ought to be more careful about what he says,\" said campaign director Craig Smith. \"It is irresponsible and reckless to loosely talk about one of the most divisive, hurtful symbols in American history.\"

<\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"http:\/\/www.startribune.com\/stories\/484\/4187867.html","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Hell yeah! If he just had Strom Thurmond on his ticket to run as his vice President, Dean would have my vote! ","numcomment":3,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/11\/93045.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":93046,"heading":"Well...","article":"I imagine he could get Robert Byrd...","author":"Poor White Southerner","parent_id":93045,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-11-06 00:22:34","modified":"2003-11-06 00:22:34","fileurl":""},{"id":93080,"heading":"Byrd's too good fer'em","article":"Unless it's crow.\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n

The \r\n Howard Dean Video Ad Press Conference<\/a> <\/strong>   \r\n
\r\n Dennis Kucinich calmly called for Howard Dean to stop airing a television \r\n commercial that shows Howard Dean claiming to be the only candidate \r\n to speak against the war with Iraq before it became popular.  \r\n Apparently Howard Dean has taken a play straight out of the Republican \r\n hand book ... If you repeat a lie enough times people will believe \r\n it.  For those who don't know how strongly Dennis Kucinich \r\n challenged this uncalled for war... try this video on for size Kucinich \r\n @ F15 NY War Protest<\/a><\/strong> ... or this \r\n one from 9-3-02<\/a><\/strong>... better yet just go to the clip that \r\n caused thousands to request that Dennis run for President  A \r\n Prayer for America<\/strong><\/a> this speech was made in Feb. 2002.<\/font><\/p>\r\n

Kucinich was \r\n EXTREMELY active in denouncing this war BEFORE it started. Many \r\n more videos  and audios of Dennis railing Bush's administration \r\n about the war, and everything else, can be found from this site.   \r\n What, if anything, did Howard Dean DO to stop the war?   \r\n If Howard Dean was so outspoken, why didn't HE win the Gandhi Peace \r\n Award this year?     Howard \r\n Dean needs to look at  this page<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/font><\/p>\r\n

Howard Dean's \r\n Video Ad campaign needs to be held to the same truth in advertising \r\n standards as any corporate, commercial Product on the market.  \r\n Honesty, Integrity \r\n and Respect for the American people...<\/strong><\/a>
\r\n Howard Dean, you have none of these things.
\r\n If you agree... LET \r\n HIM KNOW<\/a><\/strong><\/font> <\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n