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."

I imagine he could get Robert Byrd...

Unless it's crow.

Kucinich sux!

He won't get the nomination.

He'll be lucky to register higher that 2% or 3% of the primary votes.

He's a loser.

Just like You.