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Sen. Edwards: "The Confederate flag is an offensive symbol to people all across the country."
Charlotte Observer ^ | 7 February 2003 | Mark Johnson

Posted on 02/07/2003 2:52:13 PM PST by Rebeleye

Matthews challenged Edwards for criticizing South Carolina's flying the Confederate flag but saying New York City's ban on smoking in restaurants is for them to decide. "Why is one a local issue and the other not?" Matthews asked.

Edwards shot back that "the Confederate flag is an offensive symbol to people all across the country."

(Excerpt) Read more at charlotte.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: confederate; dixielist; johnedwards; northcarolina; politics
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DURHAM - One of the most rapid-fire political talk shows came to North Carolina on Thursday night, with U.S. Sen. John Edwards trying to better his on-camera performance record.

MSNBC's "Hardball" featured Edwards in a live broadcast from N.C. Central University in Durham with host Chris Matthews peppering Edwards on issues from Iraq to smoking in restaurants.

Edwards, who has stumbled on a couple of national political talk shows over the past year, offered a few unpopular positions for a Democrat: refusing to call Bill Clinton a "good president"; opposing gay marriage; and -- after being asked three times -- saying George Bush was "legitimately elected."

He gave more party-line positions, though, in opposing both private school vouchers and limits on malpractice awards. He also endorsed the University of Michigan's affirmative action program, which awarded bonus points to minorities and has resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court challenge.

Matthews challenged Edwards for criticizing South Carolina's flying the Confederate flag but saying New York City's ban on smoking in restaurants is for them to decide. "Why is one a local issue and the other not?" Matthews asked.

Edwards shot back that "the Confederate flag is an offensive symbol to people all across the country."

The "Hardball" visit to N.C. Central was the 15th of 30 stops on the program's "college tour."

1 posted on 02/07/2003 2:52:13 PM PST by Rebeleye
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To: Rebeleye
So, the DNC's Ken doll speaks out.
2 posted on 02/07/2003 2:57:14 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: Rebeleye
Well, he can kiss the Southern vote goodbye. Dweeb.
3 posted on 02/07/2003 2:59:50 PM PST by Inspectorette
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To: Inspectorette
And the 'hardballer' Chris Matthews was all it took to do him in. I hope that the Republicans can prevail in these next elections. Then we can start to move the Republicans to a principled and conservative position. Damn RHINOs and squishes!
4 posted on 02/07/2003 3:04:18 PM PST by dhuffman@awod.com (The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.)
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: Inspectorette
LOL!! The entire nation is caught up in war talk and Edwards considers the Confederate flag the most pressing issue.
6 posted on 02/07/2003 3:08:14 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: Inspectorette
Funny, I live in California and the Confederate flag is not offensive to me. Edwards is a nerd for thinking he can speak for all Americans.
7 posted on 02/07/2003 3:08:28 PM PST by Lady Johanna
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To: rabidone
I wonder if he'll denounce Robert Tyrd as an offensive symbol to people all across the country.
8 posted on 02/07/2003 3:09:15 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: Rebeleye
A number of quotes that will come back to haunt him. He might as well drop out of the race now.
9 posted on 02/07/2003 3:09:25 PM PST by connectthedots
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To: Lady Johanna
NAACP contains the phrase "Colored People." Isn't that phrase considered racist?
10 posted on 02/07/2003 3:10:07 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: connectthedots
He has slime written all over him. The last thing we need is another slick Southern lawyer in the White House.
11 posted on 02/07/2003 3:11:31 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: Rebeleye
It's only offensive to biggots.
12 posted on 02/07/2003 3:13:27 PM PST by TheBattman
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To: Paul Atreides
Yes: I've been wondering when they were going to change it to the National Association for the Advancement of People of Color - the NAAPC. This could also be used for a satellite organization: The National Association for the Advancement of Political Correctness.

Saying "Colored People" is almost as bad a slur as the "N" word, but "People of Color" is OK. But I've gotten so sensitive to it that when my sister-in-law uses the term "Colored People", I wince. I guess I don't understand...

13 posted on 02/07/2003 3:14:45 PM PST by Inspectorette
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To: Rebeleye
Sen. Edwards: "The Confederate flag is an offensive symbol to people all across the country."

Why? It's just a flag.

14 posted on 02/07/2003 3:16:01 PM PST by montag813
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To: Rebeleye
I find Kalifornia's restriction of 2nd Ammendment rights "offensive."

I find Kalifornia's gay rights agenda offensive.

I can go on and on. It's amazing that a trial lawyer of some accomplishment like Edwards would use this specious logic.
15 posted on 02/07/2003 3:20:22 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
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To: Paul Atreides
bump for later
16 posted on 02/07/2003 3:22:21 PM PST by holdmuhbeer
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To: Rebeleye
Edwards shot back that "the Confederate flag is an offensive symbol to people all across the country."

It is my understanding that the Confederate Flag was not flown at South Carolina's Statehouse until the late 50's / early 60's (1960's, that is). It's a touchy subject down there, because some know that the State began to fly it as a protest to the Civil Rights movement. I have this info from a relative who lives in South Carolina, and I just spent two months there myself.

In my view (as a Yankee-born sympathizer with the South over States' Rights), the Confederate Flag is a part of the heritage and history of the South, and those who find it offensive need to learn to be a little less sensitive to their own prejudices, and a little more sensitive to the rights of others to hold a different view than their own. All this PC crap is just prejudice taken to another level, and re-named to sugar-coat it and hide its real intent.

In the Old South, Edwards would be branded as a Yankee sympathizer or Carpetbagger, and dealt with accordingly...

17 posted on 02/07/2003 3:39:55 PM PST by nobdysfool (Space flight is not for wimps....)
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To: Paul Atreides
You said it!We just got RID of a slimey southern lawyer,name of Belezabubba
18 posted on 02/07/2003 3:42:20 PM PST by skinny old man
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To: nobdysfool
The Confederate naval jack was raised over the South Carolina Statehouse in 1962 by an act of the legislature to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Recent Unpleasantness. It was signed into law by the Governor.

Governor Ernest "Fritz" Hollings. Democrat.

Funny how nobody in the media ever brings that up to Senator Leghorn when the flag issue comes up, eh?

BTW, Edwards is toast down here even though he's a homeboy (born in Seneca, SC). The hardcore fanatics in the NAACP are busting him on "breaking the boycott" by paying for gas, food, and lodging for his staff here. Most all the whites except the guilty liberals and some Yankee transplants have written off the Democrats anyhow. Sharpton will carve off enough of the black vote that Edwards has no chance.

I honestly have no idea who would win if they held the Dem primary today. I can't see most of the candidates appealing to South Carolina Democrats at all.

}:-)4
19 posted on 02/07/2003 3:52:34 PM PST by Moose4 (The game is over.)
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To: nobdysfool
some know that the State began to fly it as a protest to the Civil Rights movement. I have this info from a relative who lives in South Carolina, and I just spent two months there myself.

I live here all the time, all my life. I know that it was raised for the 100th anniversary of the War of Northern Agression. While there was a provision to put it up, there was no provision to take it down. So it stayed there until July 2000.

20 posted on 02/07/2003 3:54:04 PM PST by PistolPaknMama (kaboom!)
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