Clark says all Democrats should condemn Confederate banner

The State ^ | 11/2/03 | Associated Press

[shuckmaster]

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Presidential candidate Wesley Clark thinks all of his fellow Democrats should take a stand against the Confederate flag.

"The Confederate flag undermines the values that Americans care deeply about - equality, diversity and inclusion," Matt Bennett, the retired general's campaign spokesman, said Sunday. "The general strongly believes that every Democratic candidate needs to condemn the divisiveness represented by the Confederate flag."

The statement came after comments by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, also a Democratic presidential hopeful, that he wanted "to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks."

In a telephone interview quoted in Saturday's Des Moines Register, Dean said, "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross-section of Democrats."

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

The Confederate flag is a hot issue in South Carolina, where it flies on Statehouse grounds. In 2000, under pressure from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other groups, the state Legislature removed the flag from the Capitol dome and House and Senate chambers.

The compromise that put the banner at the Confederate Soldier Monument satisfied some protesters, but the NAACP continues its boycott of the state because of the flag's prominent display.

[shuckmaster]

Aw, Shucks!

[shuckmaster]

ping!

[Leroy S. Mort]

Gee , wasn't he leading in SC?

[UB355]

These clowns just tripping over each other. I'm waiting for them to blame Gearge Bush for the confederate flag.

[neverdem]

Nice catch. I hope Clark personally and in pubic tells that to Senator Hollings. BTW, what has Hollings said in regards to re-election?

[pierrem15]

Those immortal words of Thomas Jefferson--

We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are "equality, diversity and inclusion."

Clark is Clinton without the malevolent intelligence, the first time it's a tragedy, the second time a farce.

[Age of Reason]

"The Confederate flag undermines the values that Americans care deeply about - equality, diversity . . . .

When did diversity suddenly become a traditional American value?

Did the founding fathers write something like "pursuit of diversity" into any documents?

[ChadGore]

DNC to south: Drop Dead

[OpusatFR]

Well that's just going to make the many who have bumper stickers that are half battle flag and half statement that says, "We don't care how you did it up North!" vote democrat fer sure. ( ;

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

All democrats condemn ALL THINGS WHITE!! I condemn ALL DEMOCRATS as they are totally UNAMERICAN!

[Hugin]

Hollings is retiring.

[demkicker]

DNC to south: Drop Dead

Yep, and Zell Miller 2nd's that notion!

[Prime Choice]

Maybe all we need to do to resolve this whole problem is to refer to the Confederate Flag as a "Banner of Peace."

Why not? We're always being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace" and that the f---wits running around doing awful things under the banner of Islam are a "very small minority." So why can't that be said for the Confederate flag?

Been a long time since I've seen Confederates kill anyone, so it's fair to say. And they sure seem a lot more peaceful than the Muslims these days...

[RJS1950]

Funny statement! It is one of the flags and part of the (dismal) heritage of his party. I truly believe that he is too self-centered, prone to lies and ignorant of history to grasp that concept.

[Squantos]

All this from the man who said he'd be a republican if Karl Rove had just answered his calls..........:o)

Boy did the GOP dodge a bullet there.

Wasn't Weasal Clark the one who said..... "If I knew then what I know now I'd have picked my own damn cotton".......?

thats my lie and I'm sticking too it

Stay Safe !

[thinktwice]

the values that Americans care deeply about - equality, diversity and inclusionM

The term "value" has significance at the individual level. Values might be shared, but cultures and societies are non-breathing entities without the ability to value. There is no such thing as a collective value .

At West Point, for instance, the best of American values are taught using the individualized words ... "Duty, Honor, Country."

[rs79bm]

This is a worthless attempt from the Dem candidates to gain southern support. It will never work. It just isn't that big of an issue in the South. The Dems and Black leaders would like to think it is, but it isn't.

[neverdem]

Thank you

[Clemenza]

The Confederate Flag is the flag of SEDITION!!!

[RGVTx]

Of course they'll condemn a flag, but never condemn evil people like Saddam or Bin Laden.