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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Romney, the flag and SC

Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 10:05 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Erin McPike
A Romney spokesman addressed the flag issue in April: From a NY Sun article, April 12, 2007: "A former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, has rarely faced the flag question on the campaign trail so far, but a campaign spokesman confirmed yesterday that Mr. Romney believes it is a state issue."

Romney just said the flag "should not be shown," certainly a much more forceful rebuke.

How will that play in South Carolina?

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The Confederate flag is a part of our history. Many
thousands of AMERICANS died under that flag for what they believed in- mainly States Rights! Now it is OK
to fly the MEXICAN flag at rallys held by ILLEGAL
immigrants, or the GAY flag that should be used as toilet paper!!!
We won't ask names and we won't ask questions, it's truely "confidential"..come on you know you want to. -- hillaryclinton.com
Exactly.  When I saw that, my first thought was that Mitt Romney is about to spiral down in South Carolina.
Romney just lost all the vote in south carolina to Fred Thompson.
Ooooops ! wrong web site. hillaryclinton.com
All Mexicans are not illigal, and gays dont fly there flag EVERYWHERE, so why do people in SC have to? It is offensive.
If America really wants 'Equal Justice Under The Law", then States Rights should be seen for what it is, Antiquated Apartheidism, and all State Laws, eliminated. One Law To Rule Us All.  End the Duplicity. Just an Independent observation.
Your a moron, Ralph.  Use whatever you want as toilet paper, no one cares. Not ALL people in Texas think like this idiot
Why is this matter an isue to anyone that lives outside the state of SC? It's a flag people,it does not represent hate just heritage.If those little threads that are sewn together offends you it's because you want to be offended....
I have to disagree with you that this flag doesn't represent hate.  The heritage of this flag well lets just say you should be ashamed of. States rights for what to continue slavery that is crazy.  I hope people would not display that flag it is insulting.  By the way what is the difference between the NAZI Flag or armband compared to the Confederate Flag? They are both bad.
I don't know about those in SC, but I am proud to be south of the Blue Ridge in the seat of Jackson County. (And I am proud of my Tigers EATING those Jayhawkers for dinner at ARROWHEAD stadium, 11/24/07)

States rights!

Southern pride!

The South is rising again in the spirit of self-government and liberty for all. We will fight again if necessary to protect our homes and our families as our ancestors did when the Federal troops swarmed them.
The South needs to come to terms with this issue, as Americans we are in the fight of our lives right now, we have terrorists trying to raise an Islam flag over us.  A divided house will fall. I am thankful I didn't grow up under a swastika or the rising sun flags. All Americans regret the Civil War, but it happened and nothing can change that, but to keep harping on it will only keep the states forever separate on some issues.  Let it be please.
As a South Carolinian I find the flag flap is generally much ado about nothing. There is a loud, but small group on both sides of the issue that keep this going. The majority of the people across our state's political spectrum are much more interested in education, taxes, infrastructure, etc.....
Steve Turner, maybe you should read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Constitution set out clearly the powers of Congress, the President, and the Courts. The 10th Amendment then specifically gives all powers not given to the federal government to the states. This has been ignored and the federal government has grown... and with it, so has the spending and the waste.

Also, the Confederate Flag does not represent racism or hate... yes, it was adopted by some hatefuly groups, but like the Swatzika its meaning was corrupted by it's use. (Research that symbol before you attack) The Confederate Flag was about State's Rights. The Secessionist Documents from the various Confederate States all refer to the Union's violations of their own Consitution as justification for their departure. And those violations of the document remain today and have become even more numerous, but accepted... due perhaps to ignorance of the document.
Like it or not, the "Southern Strategy" of the Republican party is to appeal to racist rednecks who will never earn enough to be real Republicans but like to be told it is ok to hate other people.

You can claim the Confederate flag is just "heritage" but you must also accept what that heritage stands for. Just like when Trent Lott said if Strom Thurmond had been elected President lots of today's problems would not exist. Strom Thurmond was running for the segregation party. Obviously the #2 Republican in the Senate believes segregation is a good thing.

This IS the Republican party. If you support them, you support their racist positions and politics of division.
The ""C"" Flag and what it represented then is not what it represents now. The loyal people of the south paid for that flag. Today it would represent paying honor to liberty and freedom. The ""C"" flag is a symbol for that fight to the freedom and nation we are today.

Are we realy in need to refight that ""War"? Is it not a fact that the war which is being fought today is no more horrible than it was yesterday? Should you Take a moment and reflect, there are no winners of war today. In all respects bot side have their losses!

Just maybe"?  The people from outer space come here as we are their simpson entertainment vaction stop in their vaction travel tour guide?

1865 To 2007 ,,,142 years ago! Canidates of today place this subject as an issue. Now you see why our Washington self serving Paper hangers run Washington into the ground!
How is it that, everytime I hear "heritage", it's coming for a cause and out of mouths that should have a huge "L" on their foreheads!
The ""C"" Flag and what it represented then is not what it represents now. The loyal people of the south paid for that flag. Today it would represent paying honor to liberty and freedom. The ""C"" flag is a symbol for that fight to the freedom and nation we are today.

Are we really in need to re fight that ""War"? Is it not a fact that the war which is being fought today is no more horrible than it was yesterday? Should you Take a moment and reflect, there are no winners of war today. In all respects bot side have their losses!

Just maybe"?  The people from outer space come here as we are their Simpson entertainment vacation stop in their vacation travel tour guide?

1865 To 2007 ,,,142 years ago! Candidates of today place this subject as an issue. Now you see why our Washington self serving Paper hangers run Washington into the ground!

The Mexican flies his flag all over our country. riots and marches in our streets, rewrites our national anthem.  """And the Washington self serving Paper Hanger rejects your voice!

In another ten Years, It will be written """Those idiots in Washington really screwed our country"""

The Mexican flag should be the real Issue?????????!!!!
This is america and people have the right to fly what ever flag they want, case closed, move on, I don't think this is an issue for the feds, it is a state issue. Symbols, like flags, have many different meanings to different people, I might like the Scottish lion flying in front of my house, or the Irish national flag, does that make me anti-american, some would say yes, those are the people I ignore, they are not interested in democracy they are just demigogues looking to create anger and dissension.
As an African American in the South, I find that flag to be EXTREMELY offensive! So Ralph, based on history, do you think myself and every other self-respecting African American are just simply 'over-reacting' by believing that?
If you loved slavery , and despise other races, the confederate glag is your banner, it's the Swastika of America..

People fighting to keep slaves, or to keep the chance of finally having slaves.
The Confederate flag is a symbol of freedom?  My hindquarters it is!!  Since when do freedom and slavery co-exist?
1) Thurman ran on the Segregationist ticket, but the Republican party was the party strong for the Civil Rights movement. Kennedy tapped MLK's phones. Meanwhile Democrat Senators have a former Klans man among them.

2) Blacks during the Civil War fought on both the North and the South sides of the battle. The civil war was NOT about freeing slaves, and it did not become about that until just over a year into the war. (When the Emancipation Proclaimation was made by Lincoln.... A Republican by the way)
3) States rights extended well beyond the 'slavery issue'. The Federal government overstepped it's bounds on numerous issues, acting beyond their Constitutionally granted powers. THAT led the the Secession of the Southern States.


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