Posted on 06/22/2015 5:47:15 PM PDT by nickcarraway
When Jeb Bush was governor, Florida was roiled with the kind of debate that happens only in Deep South states with long histories of Civil War strife and segregation. As activists pushed for Florida to stop flying the Confederate flag — a symbol of racism to many African-Americans — Bush found a middle ground: He ordered the flag flown only at museums.
After a massacre in Charleston last week at the hands of a white supremacist, that same debate has now gone national. And unlike his fellow presidential contender, Marco Rubio hasn't been able to find a middle ground. In fact, he's all but refused to answer what he'd do about the Confederate flag still flying over South Carolina's capitol.
"I think it's important to let the people of South Carolina to move forward on it," Rubio told reporters in Miami this past Saturday.
Asked what he thought they should decide, Rubio hemmed and hawed like a pro. He supported Jeb's move in Florida, he said — even though he cosponsored a bill to protect Confederate flags in public places — but said he'd never be such a bully as to demand that South Carolina do the same.
"I have confidence in their ability to deal with the issue," was the most he could muster.
Other Republicans haven't been so wishy-washy. Mitt Romney said over the weekend that the Confederate flags should come down. Jeb Bush, leaning on his move as governor, said the same:
But here's Rubio's full transcript on the Confederate question. Not even Rick Scott could dodge a question with this kind of verve:
Aside from being a Grade-A, textbook example of political dodging, Rubio's slippery answers hit at a deeper problem for his party.
The GOP could win a national election next year only by broadening its base to include America's growing minority population. But the Republicans have spent decades pandering to exactly the type of far-right-base voters who might abandon a candidate who comes out strongly against Confederate flags at state capitols.
Rubio has clearly decided — along with fellow hemmers-and-hawers Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz — that the safest path lies in taking no stance at all.
Just stay above the Mason Dixon line and vote RINO ahole. :-)
I’d pin the reporter to the wall with it and make *them* justify how it has anything to do with anything, and why are you wasting the American people’s time with this nonsense? No weasely answers, no ‘some people say’ type Clintonian BS.
Is it a Presidential issue covered by Article 2 section 2?
Glad he isn't falling for this nonsense
It is getting ridiculous. I’d tell the press to F off and I’d probably use the word. He is not Governor.
I’d bet he’d run the flag of Mexico on the dome of the capitol, that womanish Jeb...
As the government started sticking its nose into our tents and lives the use of the Confederate Battle Flag was simply used as a popularized emblem of defiance and protest. To many that display it that was never considered to be because one supported racism although some displaying it do. But those that do so also probably would deny supporting slavery of people of any form including people with black skin.
Mike Huckabee likely had ancestors who fought for the South. One hopes he will not dishonor them.
Mike Huckabee isn’t the governor of anything anymore.
good idea
But the Republicans have spent decades pandering to exactly the type of far-right-base voters who might abandon a candidate who comes out strongly against Confederate flags at state capitols.
Reality Democrats put up that Confederate emblem of state flags and they spent years pandering to the KKK far left base.
Where’s the fun in that? LOL
Even worse to allow them to set the false issue and then step into their traps. The flag is not the issue - it's the Constitution vs. mob rule and whether one supports the Confederate flag or not has zero relevance.
We let ourselves get distracted so easily then wonder how we got so lost.
my answers would have been, “I can’t answer your question. Since I am very busy, I have not been briefed by my staff on stupid questions”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.