Sunday, January 20, 2008

Republican Presidential Candidates on the Confederate Flag or Why Mike Huckabee Gets My Vote

Mitt Romney

"That flag frankly, is divisive and shouldn't be shown. Right now with the kinds of issues we've got in this country, I'm not going to get involved with a flag like that."
"That's not a flag that I would recognize so that I would hold it up in my room."
"The people of our country have decided not to fly that flag. I think that's the right thing."

Mike Huckabee

"You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag," In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell 'em what to do with the pole, that's what we'd do."
"It is not an issue the president of the United States needs to weigh in on."
"I know what would happen if somebody comes to my state in Arkansas and tells us what to do, it doesn't matter what it is, tell us how to run our schools, tell us how to raise our kids, tell us what to do with our flag — you want to come tell us what to do with the flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole."

Fred Thompson

"For a great many Americans, it’s a symbol of racism."
"As far as a public place is concerned, I am glad that people have made the decision not to display it as a prominent flag, symbolic of something, at a state capital."
"As a part of a group of flags or something of that nature, you know, honoring various service people at different times in different parts of the country, I think that's different."


John McCain

"My answer, sir, is that I could not be more proud that the overwhelming majority of the people of this state joined together taking that flag off the top of the...." (end of comment drowned out by cheers of McCain's supporters)
"a symbol of racism"
"a symbol of heritage"
"I really don't think it's a good idea to fly the confederate Flag."
"I said it was strictly a state issue and clearly knowing it wasn't. I feared that if I answered honestly, I could not win the South Carolina primary. So I chose to compromise my principles."
"My answer to that is I can’t be more proud of the overwhelming majority of the people of this state who came together in taking that flag off the top of the Capitol."

Rudy Giuliani

"One of the great beauties of the kind of government we have, which is a national/federal government, is that we can make - on a broad range of issues - we can make different decisions in different parts of the country. We have different sensitivities, and at different times we are going to come to different decisions, and I think that is best left up to the states."
"That's a good thing to be left on a state-by-state basis."

Ron Paul

I could find no direct quotes by Ron Paul on the subject of the Confederate flag, despite extensive research online. However, given his strong defense of states' rights against federal coercion, it is reasonable to presume that he would not object to a state choosing to honor the Confederate flag. If anyone can cite any direct quotes on the subject by Ron Paul, please forward the URLs.

As a Florida voter, I’ve been fluctuating between voting for Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee. They are the candidates that most closely match my own positions on the issues. I cannot give either my unqualified endorsement. I have concerns about Huckabee's positions and past history in dealing with illegal immigrants. I like the fact that the Republican establishment opposes him since I do not like the neo-cons or economic conservatives/social liberals that currently control our party. Romney's support from them raises red flags as does his past support for abortion rights. One thing that does not cause me any hesitation is Romney's Mormonism. A Mormon approach to social welfare would be a great plus in the White House.

When I read what Mitt Romney said about the Confederate flag, I was sickened. Then, I heard Mike Huckabee say how Arkansans would tell outsiders (carpetbaggers) what to do with the flag pole if they came to take down their flag. Hallelujah! He won my vote. I get to vote for a real, authentic Southerner who understands states’ rights and Southern heritage. Yes!

If Huckabee does not win the Republican presidential nomination, who will I support in November? That is an easy answer for me. I can support any of the other Republican candidates except Rudy Giuliani. I have severe doubts on a couple (Paul on foreign policy and McCain on immigration), but I would prefer them to any the Democrats will nominate.

Rudy Giuliani, however, is nothing but a Democrat-in-drag. He will never get my vote because he is wrong on all the issues that matter most to me. He is wrong on abortion, the Second Amendment, and illegal immigration. Worse, he has the morals of a tomcat. Any candidate who cannot be faithful to his marriage vows to his wife cannot be trusted to be faithful to his inaugural vows to the people. Giuliani is a non-starter for me. If the Republican party makes the mistake of nominating him for President, then I will vote third party in protest even if it means the election of a Democrat.

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