A simple point

[womzilla]

The Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol not only of virulent racism, but of anti-Americanism, of aggressive ignorance, and of pathetic loserdom.

Using it as metonymic for a class of people is insulting to those people. If Dean can't think of a better term for "people in the South who get shafted by screw-the-poor policy" than "guys with Confederate flags in their trucks", he doesn't deserve to be my elected representative.

Comments

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

I think there's a point you aren't considering, though, and it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. If by "serious politician" you mean a long-term political insider sort of a guy, like the rest of the front runners, yeah sure, they would know not to say anything that hadn't been run by about 60 focus groups first, and which they didn't mean anyway, and they would be expecting the people listening to know they didn't mean it.

I think Dean is in the unenviable position of (at least) learning as he goes; a real do or die on the job training situation. I know for sure I could not do what he's doing without making some mistakes. And being human, I'm not real big on having my mistakes brought to my attention. Maybe there are some people who don't mind this...I know I haven't met too many, but no doubt there are some. I think Dean didn't like it, but he got over it, and did the right thing in the end.

Anyway, the thing I LIKE about Dean is that he isn't just another cardboard piece pulled out of the Dem game box. I have been sick to death of pretty near all politicians of every flavor for a long time now, and the ONLY thing that has pulled me back in is the chance that a total new bee and outsider like Dean, who is running almost totally on the support of a grassroots coalition of regular folks, CAN win with that help. And THEN still be effective in office because the same grassroots, well and truly stirred up, will put the pressure on their congresspeeps to get in and play ball instead of sucking up to the big boys and fat cats behind the scenes.

OK, so I'm a crazy dreamer. :)