Isn't this debate in South Carolina?

Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:53 PM by Rob Merrill

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Was Obama not ready for the Confederate Flag question? It seemed that way to this observer.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

First Gaffe?

Janice Patrick, Knoxville, TN (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:57 PM)

I think he did the best he could being put on the spot.

Anon, San Diego, California (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:57 PM)

Who cares about a flag? Wow, are you guys scared of Kuchinich and Gravel?

Judy Brown (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:59 PM)

On the other hand, he could of just said, "Remove the flag."

Anon, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:59 PM)

Like most politicians, I think he is under the impression that racism is over and forgot it might be brought up.

CRW, Burlington, VT (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:59 PM)

priceless answer! the flag belongs in a museum!

Deborah Denson, Nashville, TN (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 7:59 PM)

I think the FORMER Senator from Alaska needs to be in a museum. But I did like Obamma's answer.

Scott M., Suffolk, VA (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:03 PM)

He had a great answer, considering the absurdity of the question. Race should not be brought into this debate.

Haley, Birmingham, AL (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:09 PM)

THE FLAG - heritage (lie). The flag belongs in a museum along with the flags ideologue and ideas.

Dorothy Kincaid, Alcoa, TN (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:12 PM)

excellent answer!next question?

wmc,jonesboro,ga (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:15 PM)

I agree with Obama. The flag is historical and should be put in a museum.

Lee Reese, Lanark, IL (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:20 PM)

It's a part of ""our" national history, it does belong in a museum.

K. Simelaro (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:27 PM)

Regardless of the spot he was placed on. He answered the question as it should be answered. There are way bigger issues going on in South Carolina it's self not to mention the rest of the country and/or the world, to stand there and talk about the flag. I'm willing to bet if the flag were removed and put away, by the end of that year no one but museum tour guides would actually be talking about it.

Gary Antigua, Lancaster, CA (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:29 PM)

Obama had the right answer. The stars and bars belong in a museum. But the fact that it's at the state house shouldn't exclude the democratic party from debating issues in SC. Obama by far looked the most presidential.

Mordecai, San Anselmo CA (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:36 PM)

He answered the question appropriately. The flag does belong in a museum. It was an absurd question in an era where so many other pressing issues need to be addressed.

Bill Clemens, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:36 PM)

I think after watching this it is clear that Obama is running for Vice President. His experience is incredibly inadequate and that came out tonight. I lvoe when he speaks about his experience as a state senator like we are supposed to be impressed.

jon stuart, arlington, va (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:43 PM)

His answer was fine, appropriate. Don't have to like our history, but we can't erase it either. Museum is good. In the greater scheme of things, it was an inappropriate question.

Anna Sophie (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:53 PM)

The Flag is a non issue in todays society, it is ancient and not the direction of America. Race is surely an issue, but old props need to be retired in its proper place, museum of old outdated ideals.

G Ballard Vista, California (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:55 PM)

I think the "Stars and Bars" flag is a state issue and does not belong in a national debate such as this.

Barak Alexander, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:00 PM)

I applaud Barack Obama for being the candidate of color that chose NOT to make race an issue. The Civil War, while a very unfortunate part of our past, is part of the American history, thusly the Confederate flag is a historical artifact. The unfortunate aspects of THAT war will, in the future, pale in comparison to the inhumane and unjust decisions being made in this war...

Janie Romine (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:01 PM)

I agree with Anon, Barak should have just said, "It should be removed."

G. Walker, Fort Washington, MD (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:02 PM)

You know I have to point out that you southerners are just too obsessed with the rebel flag. I am from the west, and never did get your undying support for this losing cause. The flag does belong in a meuseum, I think it is okay for individuals to carry on with the absurd notion of your "flag", but the state and local governments should not fly it. Here is a news flash for southerners, nobody outside the south gives a crap about your flag, how about flying the american flag for a start and join the rest of the free thinking world and put that thing to bed. No offense intended, but the world does not revolve around the south anymore, with that kind of thinking y'all belong in a meuseum, along with the other dinosaur bones.

beverdambob (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:04 PM)

I think he was definately taken aback, but he regathered nicely and gave a sufficient answer.

Destry Downs, Cedar City Utah (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:05 PM)

Do monuments belong in museums and not on the grounds of state house buildings? Because that is where the flag is. Do not believe the media. The flag is not flying above the state house anymore...the flag is flying at the Confederate War Monument which is on the state house grounds. There is also a statue of Strom Thurmond, one of the biggest segregationists in our nation's history, and a statue of Ben Tillman, one of the South's biggest racists (an early 20th century SC Gov) and a monument to African Americans. So do you move those to a museum also, or does history remain history. I'm not even a fan of the flag, but I just get tired of Senators from Illinois telling citizens of SC how to recognize their history.

W.D., Columbia, SC (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 10:47 PM)

I think his answer was perfect. He made a necessary point without getting drawn into a debate about racism in South Carolina. Historical artifacts belong in a museum. Potentially divisive symbols, especially, should not be displayed to generate further conflict.

P.E. Orangeburg South Carolina (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 11:10 PM)

I don't think the Confederate flag should be flown in ANY state capital or any other city of the United States because it creates divisiveness now. It SHOULD be in a museum, as it is part of our history. Obama's answer was a good one. To some, I think it stands more for the ancestors who died in the War, than it stands for their desire for a separate nation. No offense intended, but beaverdambob, I wonder if the Native Americans of the West feel the same way about the Stars and Stripes as you do about the Stars and Bars?

Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent Thursday, April 26, 2007 11:26 PM)

W.D., the civil war and its emblems are part of every American's history, not just the people of South Carolina. Since the question was posed to the senator of Illinois, he was honest to give a straight answer. He could have said he would put the flag in a trash can, but instead he said he would honor your heritage by putting the flag in a museum. Fair enough.

Alice J. (Sent Friday, April 27, 2007 3:00 AM)

I thought his answer was correct. He didn't pander to either American color on the opposing sides of this issue. History is where the flag, and the ideals of the Confederacy, belong. Museum is a fitting answer, where it can be visited or ignored, as each American sees fit.

jtb (Sent Friday, April 27, 2007 10:08 AM)

Made-up wedge issues irrelevant to running the country should not be used as questions by any responsible journalist. What next -- asking them about the war on Christmas? Evolution?

Russell in Maryland (Sent Friday, April 27, 2007 11:13 AM)

Russel: is it finally dawning on you that there ARE no responsible journalists left, at least not in the mainstrem media? Guess who picked the questioners?: Can't blame the quality (or lack of) of the journalists picked on the RNC, or Cheney, or Bush, or Halliburton. Welcome to the real world of 21st century American journalism, where "reponsible" and "journalist" shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

jtb (Sent Friday, April 27, 2007 12:23 PM)

"A Night at the Museum"--A movie

Dorothy (Sent Friday, April 27, 2007 3:32 PM)

I second what Russell in Maryland said about "made-up wedge issues." I'm surprised the candidates weren't also asked about Anna Nicole Smith and Don Imus. Questions about truly important, substantive issues such as Katrina recovery should instead have been asked.

Olivia (Sent Saturday, April 28, 2007 1:58 PM)

Its seems to me that flag is a such a simple tribute to those in South Carolina who died for that state. You people are far too insensitive to your own rather unique regions to allow them true freedom to decide to even fly a flag. Think about Ireland, Scotland and Wales on the matter of flags. So much for examples from America on freedom. Why not leave that state alone and its people define themselves? Perhaps a bit of civility is needed... not your state, your dead or historic flag... simply bugger off. Those people seem to be rather unique so let them be different. Must you force all America to look behave and be a Walmart city?

John Smith, London, England (Sent Wednesday, May 16, 2007 5:04 AM)

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=170295