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Article published Nov 3, 2003
Clark takes political stand against Confederate
flag
Associated Press
COLUMBIA --
Presidential candidate Wesley Clark thinks all of his fellow Democrats should
take a stand against the Confederate flag."The Confederate flag undermines the
values that Americans care deeply about -- equality, diversity and inclusion,"
Matt Bennett, the retired general's campaign spokesman, said Sunday. "The
general strongly believes that every Democratic candidate needs to condemn the
divisiveness represented by the Confederate flag."The statement came after
comments by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, also a Democratic presidential
hopeful, that he wanted "to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in
their pickup trucks."In a telephone interview quoted in Saturday's Des Moines
Register, Dean said, "We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad
cross-section of Democrats."Dean said Saturday that he was intending to
encourage the return of Southern voters who have abandoned the Democrats for
decades but are disaffected with Republicans.The Confederate flag is a hot issue
in South Carolina, where it flies on Statehouse grounds. In 2000, under pressure
from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other
groups, the state Legislature removed the flag from the Capitol dome and House
and Senate chambers.The compromise that put the banner at the Confederate
Soldier Monument satisfied some protesters, but the NAACP continues its boycott
of the state because of the flag's prominent display.