Rebel flag flap shows media failure

[drfemoe]

By John Nichols
November 4, 2003
http://www.madison.com/captimes/opinion/column/nichols/60451.php

If you want to understand just about everything that is wrong with the way American politics is practiced these days - and especially with the malpractice of the media - consider the absurd controversy about Howard Dean's comment that "I want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks."

For years, Democrats have been talking about how to reclaim "the Bubba vote." That's a reference to white working-class men who, among other things, attach Confederate flag stickers to the back windows of their pickup trucks. The flags are usually situated next to the image of a little Calvin urinating on another brand of truck.

Perhaps Dean would have been better off if he'd said, "I want to be the candidate for Chevy drivers who are amused by the idea of taking a leak on Fords." But that would have started a whole different conversation. So he used a conventional shorthand in the political world.

To hear his opponents and much of the media tell it, however, he might as well have said he wanted to be Strom Thurmond's running mate on the Dixiecrat ticket. Richard Gephardt claimed Dean was reaching out to voters "who disagree with us on bedrock Democratic values like civil rights." Joe Lieberman labeled it "irresponsible and reckless." John Kerry said Dean was attempting to "pander to lovers of the Confederate flag." Wesley Clark said all candidates should "condemn the divisiveness the Confederate flag represents." And John Edwards, who made a big deal about going after the Bubba vote early in his campaign, grumbled that "to assume that Southerners who drive trucks would embrace this symbol is offensive."

--snip-- continued @ http://www.madison.com/captimes/opinion/column/nichols/60451.php

[Padraig18]

1. Great article!

Thanks for posting it! :thumbsup:

[Padraig18]

2. Kick

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. 'the Bubba vote'

no, that's not condescending...

[Padraig18]

4. LOL!

That's the funniest thing I've read here in a while. :eyes:

[LuminousX]

5. Kick

:kick:

[DrFunkenstein]

6. Grumbling From Madison

Nichols gives Dean a free ride at The Nation, too. He explains what Dean really meant to say.

[Egnever]

7. thats the funny thing

Even though damn near everyone agrees with what he was trying to say including you. All you want to do is condem him for the way he said it.

The fact that this is a beef over a choice of words and not with the meaning of the statement is what makes this so petty.

[KittyWampus]

8. When You Choose Words Poorly And They Are Offensive

One should have the good grace to apologise and move foward.

It's really that simple.

[LuminousX]

9. Why wasn't he called on this in February when he spoke in front of the DNC

[DemBones DemBones]

13. Probably because in February he qualified the remark with a

disclaimer about how poor whites need health care, too, and the remark was part of a speech. The recent comment just said he still wanted to get the votes of guys with Confederate flags on their pick-up trucks, and this time there was no disclaimer and those words weren't embedded in a lot of other verbiage.

There's certainly nothing wrong with saying he wants the votes of whites who have been voting Republican but bringing the Confederate flag into it shows very poor judgement. He screwed up again tonight by talking about Jesse Jackson going to South Carolina and talking to people in trailer parks, most of them whites making under $26,000. You can call it a trailer park if you live there, but others had best refer to mobile home communities. Southerners, whether poor or not, know and resent the stereotypes of Southerners all living in trailer parks and driving pick-up trucks, as if there were no trailer parks or pick-up trucks outside the South!

Dean's unwillingness to apologize to those he offended (blacks and Southerners) and his stubborn refusal to admit that he has been wrong to continue using this phrase remind me and others entirely too much of a certain other former governor, now a squatter in the White House. He should listen to Al Sharpton and John Edwards on this. Even though they're scoring points off him, they're also telling him how to save his political ass. (I'm referring only to what Sharpton and Edwards said at tonight's debate, not anything they or Kerry said at any other time since I haven't read all their comments.)

[a_lil_wall_fly]

17. DemBones

Your man has taken a good portion of my support from Dean to him. For simple and clear statements.

After tonight, for me:

Braun, Edwards, Sharpton, Kunnich, Clark, Dean

before:

Dean, Edwards, Braun, Sharpton, Clark

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

18. Because they were too busy giving him

a standing ovation for his comment. My, times sure have changed in a few months. :)

[drfemoe]

10. should we expect

apologies from those candidates who voted for res's war agenda? That's what I would apologize for.

I don't understand what Dean supposedly has to apologize for in this case. The spin that the other runners put on his remarks?
.. he isn't responsible for their spin.

I'm from the south and 'good 'ole boys' don't just put stickers on their trucks, they wear the symbol on their hats, t-shirts, boxer shorts or use that flag as a curtain in the front room.

While bigotry does exist, and not just in the south, this symbol is affectionately called the "rebel flag". The folks who cling to this image are basically anti-establishment types. They define "establishment" in their own way, and very often identify it with 'liberals' who they believe want to change their cherished way of life. "Rebel" is an oxymoron in this case because we usually associate that word with someone who is trying to bring about change. In this case, however, they want to preserve the status quo, so they are really rebelling against 'change'.

One of the main draws I find in Dean is his genuine and constant effort to include everyone with his encouragement and belief that we have the power to take back our country. I don't think he needs to apologize for that effort.

[roguewolf5]

11. So its okay to give Dean a free ride?

yeah okay thanks for playing.

One of the main draws I find in Dean is his genuine and constant effort to include everyone with his encouragement and belief that we have the power to take back our country. I don't think he needs to apologize for that effort.

?
How is he genuine when he includes only internet users in on his decisions? Oh since thats where he gets his money from. How is that different than oil buddies and Enron?

Atleast the other 8 candidates are inclusive, not exclusive.

[drfemoe]

14. um er um

I don't even know how to respond ... I don't know what "includes only internet users in on his decisions?" means .. Gov Dean spends very little time on the internet. He has a full schedule of live events.

And if you can't tell the difference between a corrupt mega-corporation (Enron), and ordinary American citizens who give a damn (many of whom use the internet), there is no way for us to intelligently communicate because our perceptions are so very different.

Welcome to DU. If you really are satisfied with oil buddies and Enron, a challenge awaits ...
cheers

[blm]

12. WSJ, NYPost, Washington Times and FOX stood up for Dean.

Aren't they part of the media?

[genius]

15. Any Republican who made a remark like that would have been

forced to resign. Trent Lott didn't even resort to that kind of extremism. We can only guess at why he liked his fellow Republican Senator. The racism inherent in Dean's comment is so much worse and we should react with as much wisdom as the Republican Party did in asking Trent Lott to step down. This is a sad day for the Democratic Party.

[a_lil_wall_fly]

16. drfemoe

Great article.

This should give more positive light to a negative statement from the frontrunner.