The people who are now strongly anti-Dean are taking him out of context.

He made a similar comment a few months ago (in San Fransisco?) where he said "And to all the white guys with Confederate flags and gun racks on their pick-ups, I want your vote, too, because you and your children need health care."

But no one made a big damn deal about that. Why? Maybe because he wasn't leading in New Hampshire and threatening in Iowa. But more likely, people didn't take him literally.

If you have a brain, and have at least a little pragmatism, what he said last week obivously doesn't translate into "I am a racist and I don't mind the Confederate flag." But that's how Kerry, Gephardt, Sharpton, et al. are treating it. He was taken out of context.

It is important that Kerry wins NH. Dean is leading there (in some polls, even by double digits!). Because of that. They're starting to get nasty and call him racist, candidate for the Confederate Flag, candidate for the NRA, etc. It's ridiculous.

With the comments he has made, remember when it comes to alot of the northern states there is a very big black vote.

"Democrats unite"...

Count the money! Dean is going to win the nomination.

Like Bushco supporters?

THIS is the gist of what Dean said (IMHO):

Southern voters who display the Confederate flag and southern black voters might be two groups that are percieved as diametrically opposed, but they share the same basic human needs; jobs, education and health care. The only way we can win is if we can get people of differing philosophies to stand together, realizing that their common needs and goals outweigh their differences. I want to be the candidate that speaks to these people.

How could you POSSIBLY have a problem with that?

The rebel flag = Hate. Do you need any more education?