[Rick_Michael]

By the way, I’m not insulting you, I’m just saying this isn’t a big issue...

[Hunterite]

“What does the dixie flag mean to you?”

To me it means cheap-labor, open-borders, free-traitors.

[Coldwater Creek]

It is a big issue to the people of Tennessee!!

[WFTR]

A more accurate statement may be that the flag shouldn't be a big issue. You are completely correct when you say that the flag means different things to different people. Unfortunately for the candidates, many of those people will be voting. I like both Mr. Romney and Mr. Thompson. I prefer Mr. Romney as a presidential candidate, but he will sustain the greater damage from his answer. His tone was just a bit too sanctimonious when he answered the question, and that tone will be taken as an insult. If he didn't already have problems in the South because he's from the North and supports the "assault weapons" ban, he might not have hurt himself. As it is, a few people who might have been on the fence will swing towards Mr. Thompson or Mr. Huckabee or may even swing to Mr. Giuliani.

The original poster's point is good. The whole question seems to have the flavor of a setup by CNN to cause trouble for the Republican Party.

Bill