Dean wants votes from "guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks."

[SOS]

NYPOST (http://nypost.com/news/nationalnews/9786.htm)


DEMS UNCIVIL OVER DEAN'S DIXIE GAFFE

By VINCENT MORRIS

November 3, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - Democrats yesterday dumped on presidential wannabe Howard Dean, after the former Vermont governor claimed he wanted votes from "guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks."
They said Dean is either aiming to attract votes from Americans who treasure the old racist South or that he lacks awareness of today's South.

"I don't want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks," said Rep. Richard Gephardt (Mo.).

Candidate Al Sharpton 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," he said.

Sen. Zell Miller (Ga.), speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," said yesterday that Dean "knows about as much about the South as a hog knows about Sunday."

[fcuknu]

And Shaprton wants the votes of KKK members, oh wait, thats the same thing.

[FoundryMusicScott]

Maybe Howard Dean said that because he finally realized no one else will vote for him, even if he becomes the Democratic nominee? Although it is certain that Dean didn't really mean what spat out of his mouth, shouldn't political candidates know how to speak?

[Sinn Fein]

Originally posted by fcuknu
And Shaprton wants the votes of KKK members, oh wait, thats the same thing.

No it isn't.

[FoundryMusicScott]

Now that I have read Dean's actual statement and follow-up response, I now know why he said it. However, his statement was made out of his ignorance of political history, rather than a hope for "Confederate flag-bearing truck-owner" support.

Very simply, in antebellum and post Civil War America, the Democratic party was the one of conservatives, but primarily, southerners. Unfortunately, Howard Dean failed to realize that the parties switched in the 20th century, formalized during F.D.R.'s presidency. Now, the Republican party is the one of Conservatism and the Democratic party is associated with Liberalism. To be more accurate, he should have said "I want 19th century Democrats, who are still Democrats, to show their support of their party." But even if this had been said, Dean still would have been wrong, due to the party switch. He would have been better off by saying "Southern Democrats should not be fearful of Southern Republicans and show their Democratic support at the polls," completely bypassing the party analogy since 19th century Democrats are now Republicans, and vice-versa. Furthermore, he would have avoided telling everyone he has no idea what party is which and encouraged Southern Democrats to not be scared of the large Southern Republican base. But for some, he has already shot himself in the foot, and the other foot bullets have to move over for the others.