Republicans take a pass on Confederate flag

[LiberalElite]

Source: cnn.com

Washington (CNN)Republicans on Sunday demurred when asked whether South Carolina should remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the state capitol, attempting to avoid a potential landmine in the first-in-the-south presidential contest.

Both presidential hopefuls and South Carolina leaders have been asked whether they believe the flag should be removed from the grounds in Columbia after a man inspired by racial hatred admitted to killing nine parishioners of an African-American church in Charleston earlier this week.

Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, two Republican presidential candidates courting the vote of social conservatives who play an outsized role in South Carolina, declined to voice their personal opinion on whether the flag should fly in Columbia, pegging it as a states' rights issues that doesn't rise to the Oval Office.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/21/politics/republicans-confederate-flag-charleston-shootings/

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Well, that's a shock.

[yuiyoshida]

1. WTF....

Ben Carson, the sole African-American presidential candidate, said the flag wouldn't have "made a difference" when it comes to preventing future tragedies, though he recognized "some things are inflammatory."

"The Confederate flag causes a lot of people angst and they are not able to see beyond that," Carson said on Fox News. "I think the people of South Carolina should sit down and have an intelligent discussion about what can they use that captures their heritage, captures the heritage of America and allows them to coexist in peace."

[truthisfreedom]

7. Well I guess he came close to having an opinion.

But I think his "sit down" is dog whistle for "shut up."

[Rosa Luxemburg]

25. They are not presidential material

why bother even asking them. You can smell the racism on them.

[daleanime]

2. A great example....

of real republican leadership.






Just in case.

[Enthusiast]

3. They seem nice.

[durablend]

4. So what it still comes down to...

"This all happened because the president is black"

Amiright?

[DemoTex]

5. Gutless, every one.

Especially the "Reverend" Mike Huckabee.

[paleotn]

6. Oh, states rights.....

....except when it comes to gay marriage, gun control, pot legalization and the right to choose. Slimy bastards.

Now where have I heard the concept of states rights before?.....hmmmmmm....Oh, I know! Espoused by the evil, traitorous bastards who created that evil banner over a century and a half ago.

[restorefreedom]

15. indeed. they only want state rights

when it fits their agenda. sadly it's the same argument 160 years later. except this time, they want the slavery to be economic rather than physical, and they don't exclude based on race. they will be happy to have slaves of any race. and the tpp will virtually guarantee that for them.

[oberliner]

8. "States Rights" issue

Where have we heard that before?

[alterfurz]

9. ..."because none of them can afford to alienate a single racist voter"

They need every one they can get.

[C Moon]

12. +1

[abakan]

26. My thoughts exactly.

They also don't want to get on the bad side of their gun toting, knuckle dragging, redneck supporters. Things could get real ugly and they know it.

[Duppers]

30. If they were to alienate racists, their party would lose

every election.

[Martin Eden]

10. Cowards, or Racists?

Probably both.

[A Simple Game]

11. Thank you Mike and Rick, we now know you both think this issue doesn't rise to

the Oval Office and is a states' rights issue. And you may be right.

But the question was, do you believe the flag should be removed? You, not the President, not the state, YOU.

How can you as candidates for President, who are asking the people of South Carolina and all of America to support you in seeking to become their leader, expect the people's support if you aren't man enough to answer one simple question?

We need a new panel show for Sundays. I propose we have a show with a moderator who is only there to keep things moving and orderly, not to ask questions. The panel which will ask questions will consist of 5 to 7 random people picked from the phone book, randomly from the street, any which way that will randomly pick the panel. The panelist(s) can be hidden by a screen and ask someone else to speak their questions if they wish. This panel will question two people, preferably a Republican and a Democrat. Questions can not be personal unless pertinent to the position and must pertain to politics and government only. In other words if the candidate hasn't publicly claimed to be probed by aliens they shouldn't be asked if they have, keep the questions pertinent. Running for office and your spouse is a lobbyist? That is pertinent. The moderator can only remove any panelist that is rude, only asks non-pertinent questions, etc. and can remove any politician that will not answer a question. If the question is to be answered by a simple yes or no, then any other answer or non-answer could be a reason for removal from the show. A yes or no answer with a short explanation after would be allowed. We need a show with real questions about issues that we are concerned about and are not just fluff.

[willbee]

13. boycott that flag

It would be more effective to refuse to support any business that manufacturers, sells or displays that flag.
Americans don't act until it becomes more expensive not to act.
Money is God in America, and the gun is its Right Hand Man.

[SoapBox]

14. "social Conservatives" + Conferderate Flag = Racists, Bigots, White Supremists...

Looks like that is what they are say'n...and that we have that COMPLETELY clarified...

Vote Bernie.

[Beauregard]

32. Actually, they are trolls.

They are trying to piss you off, and they have succeeded.

[forest444]

16. Of course they do.

Their base would lynch them if they didn't.

[Joe Chi Minh]

17. The politicians should be asked if they think it reflects well on the US to celebrate

coming second in a two-horse race. And do they think it would be a good idea for public buildings to run up a white flag, or a contemporary Union flag with the smaller number of stars in a circle, next to the Confederacy flag? If not, how about requiring it; insisting on it?

[En Garde]

18. Hillary Clinton has not commented at all

Guess she is still angling for those white hard-working voters...

[Hekate]

28. Nothing like lying by omission. HRC has talked about race and violence in no uncertain terms...

.... If that doesn't alienate those who will never vote for her anyway, how do you think she is concerned about the white racist vote?

I have a suggestion for you: contact her campaign and ask.

By the way, welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[En Garde]

31. Nothing like attacking the messenger.

It happens to be a fact that Hillary has not weighed in on the issue addressed in the OP. Any omission is on her part.

Your "welcome" is phony at best, considering your thin-skinned offensive personal attack.

[calimary]

19. "States' rights" My ASS.

That's straight outta lee atwater. "States rights" is code for It's OK To Be Racist. Just obscure the language used. In that video clip of him that's been circulating here lately, he even SAYS so.

It's how the bad guys can go stealth and communicate in code and he SPECIFICALLY stated "states' rights" as a way to communicate and validate and signal about how it's okay to feel that way and "govern" that way and legislate that way.

"States' rights." Just the CONfederacy mindset rising again. "States' rights" are SPECIFICALLY that. THAT phrase is the verbal stars 'n' bars. It's the verbal version of the Dixie Swastika. "States' rights" is a war cry for "fuck you, yankees" and "fuck you Federal government" and "fuck you, Washington DC". And meanwhile they see no irony in wanting to be part of that construct (otherwise why run for ANY national or Washington DC-based office?). AND they see no irony in the many people already IN the federal government (hello marco rubio. Hello ted cruz. Hello rand paul.) who are running for President.

Watch for it. Listen carefully and closely for it. They'll be talking that way in campaign oppurtunities in the months ahead. And when they do, and tgat "states' rights" crap starts coming up afain, it's as sure a sure thing as a call to secede and plant that beloved almighty Dixie Swastika as THE banner of record.

[Rose Siding]

20. Those must be the "neutral" voices Chuck Todd was trying to find

On Meet the Press, this morning, the Washington bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal, Gerald Seib, said:

the President carries his own background into race and he's not seen as a neutral observer . . ."

Chuck Todd nodded knowingly, and moved along.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/21/1395204/-On-race-there-are-no-neutral-observers

[rickford66]

22. So, only black people have to be neutral?

I didn't watch any Sunday entertainment shows and haven't for a number of years. And if the Confederate flag is a symbol of historical importance, display it in a museum, not on a flag pole on public property. On another note, a friend of mine moved from PA to FLA back in the early 70's. Before driving down, he put a Confederate flag plate on his car. He said he didn't want to get shot down there.

[Novara]

21. fucking cowards

[Bonhomme Richard]

23. "States Rights" is why that flag in South Carolina was put up in 1962.....

as a reply to segregation being forced on them by the federal government.

[struggle4progress]

24. You can't flip-flop if you never take a stand

[JohnnyRingo]

27. I agree that it doesn't rise to Oval Office decree.

Don't get me wrong, I'm vehemently opposed to that symbol. My Uncle Henry Canfield fought for the Ohio Militia and would be appalled to see it flying from a state house building, but I believe it's up to the citizens of South Carolina to put their racist past to rest and step into the 21st century with the rest of us. I think this atrocity is the beginning of the end for that banner. Any tragic copycats now will only hasten the process.

Having said that, It's also true that these would-be candidates are shamelessly pandering by dodging the issue. An honest statement of how I suspect they really feel about the flag would help move things along. Cowards.

[valerief]

29. Because in South Carolina apparently black lives DON'T matter.

[samsingh]

33. any black person who every supports repugs is clearly voting against their own interests

and i find it absolutely abhorrent. people like thomas are watching major crimes being committed against their community and cosying up to people like scalia who seem to make it possible.