Why do you think Clark said he supports a flag buring amendment?

[dobak]

Poll question: Why do you think Clark said he supports a flag buring amendment?

I think he said it because he was asked about it on Veterans Day at a Veteran's Day event and the "liberal" press and Republican smear-machine would have killed him if he had said otherwise.

I think he supports it in theory (would like the flag to be respected and not burned), but would not vote for it (respects our freedoms too much).

I am opposed to an amendment, but I would probably say the same thing if I was in front of a bunch of Veterans on Veteran's Day.

Anyway, what do you think.

If you have a different opinion than one of the 3 listed, please speak out.

[Guaranteed]

1. I don't know how he really feels about it.

I suppose I should just go by what he said.

On edit: I hope he's lying/pandering though.

[dobak]

5. why?

Alot of people (especially politicians) say things that they don't really mean when in a tight spot or under peer/political pressure.

Hell, Paul Wellstone voted for the PATRIOT ACT. He only did it because of post 9/11 pressure and as a political move.

I know he regretted it until he died.

[w4rma]

2. In general, I trust Clark's honesty. I voted #3. - Support and vote.

For myself, I do not support amending the U.S. Constitution in any way, for any reason. Especially with the current gang of crooks in charge.

[Brucey]

3. He's so new to politics and campaigning that I don't think he has

solid stands on a lot of issues. Not that that's bad, but I believe that's what's happening. I would take him at his word on this one, but expect that he could easily change his mind after some issues are explained to him.

[Faygo Kid]

4. Not happy about this

The Constitution should not be tampered with for cheap political gain. I do not see as a pressing problem the rampant burning of American flags; plus, it is clearly political speech. Very much opposed to this, and have given Clark the benefit of the doubt so far. He is not impressing me.

[mdmc]

6. thats why there is a Supreme Court

Now we just need a Democratic filibuster until the Dems control DC.
:dem:

[kentuck]

7. One of those 10% issues that kill liberals....

the perfect for the good. How wise in a political campaign to take a position where maybe 10% support your position? Real smart. Of course, there are no other issues so important. Sometimes we are just too diverse for our own good... :)

[Donna Zen]

9. Flag burning=culture war trap

85% of 'muricans think we shouldn't burn flags.

So pander...or lose the vote. Just remember losing means never having to say you are a majority party.

[msmcghee]

13. Good observation.

Sometimes it seems so clear to me that our form of democracy makes those culture traps so inevitable.

By challenging him/her on the most culturally polarizing issues you can put yourself in a win-win. Whatever the response is, it will either,

1) take votes from your opponent's base if she/he declares a position closer to your's

2) solidify your own base if she/he declares a position further from yours

3) or you can characterized them as wishy-washy - if they weasel-out and don't make any clear statement.

[TLM]

22. Easy answer... Burning the flag is wrong.

But this is america and people have a right to be wrong.

[jfxgillis]

12. Good Call

I could make a feasible, principled argument in either direction but Why the eff bother when the demagoguery simply OVERWHEMS an possiblity for rational discourse in a general public?

[Bread and Circus]

17. very astute...you said alot in so few words...

[HFishbine]

8. Voting for it is an impossibility

unless he's planning on being elected to congress.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

10. I will not let this minor issue get in the way of...

my support for Clark!

Clark 04' :dem:

[msmcghee]

11. I don't think the average voter . .

would trust someone who went to war and was (apparently) willing to die for his country - which is represented by that flag - and then would allow it to be desecrated.

I think a few disenchanted Repukes (of the true-blue variety) would see that and consider voting Dem - since we were obviously able to nominate someone who felt that way about the flag.

OTOH - most liberal voters would certainly forgive him - rather than vote for Shrub.

So the question is - did he analyze it like this and make his decision to optimize his chances - or does he really feel that protecting the flag is more important than the freedom of expression that would be lost.

If it's the former - does that make him a crass politician?

If it's the latter - does he have a point?

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. As President he would have no control over this

Constitutional amendments are not subject to Presidential Vetos.

[unfrigginreal]

15. Need a "Said he supports it to get votes" option n/t

[enki23]

16. er... your question doesn't make sense.

he can oppose *flag burning* but oppose making it illegal. he can not, however, "support" making it illegal while, in fact, opposing making it illegal. this does not compute, unless you have invented some new, seemingly trivial, definition of "support" in this case.

[QC]

18. Anybody else remember the '88 campaign?

We had a Bush whose approval ratings had dropped from app. 90% to the gutter and a very bad economy.

That Bush decided to run on "culture war" issues, the most prominent of which was flag-burning. Se we saw Poppy Bush visiting flag factories and denouncing Michael Dukakis for being unwilling to protect the flag. There was even a GOP whispering campaign claiming that Kitty Dukakis once burned a flag.

My guess is that whether or not CLark considers it a real important issue, he knows to inoculate himself against it.

[WillyBrandt]

19. I am disappointed in his response

I support Clark a lot--as some of you might know--but this really pissed me off. The Flag-Burning Amendment is one of the worse, most politically base things around in my opinion.

Is it a deal-breaker? No. The steaks are high, and considering that I've got serious disagreements with all of the candidates on some issues of import to me, I'll survive.

I wish he would have used Kerry's response--something like "no, but I'd punch anybody I saw burning a flag". Nontheless, the GOP isn't going to be able to use this stupid wedge issue against Clark, and that's a plus.

So what do I think Clark's views are? Just what he said: he supports the amendment, but probably it's not a big priority. I suspect that if he's President and this came up, he'd do little to press for it and hope for a natural death.

That's my guess.

[Kinkistyle]

20. Its a concession to the right

Look, to win the U.S. Presidency, you gotta make some attempt to appease the idiot-right. Maybe something like a concession on gun-control, or maybe just playing along with them on some stupid completely insignificant issue like flag-burning.

In reality, this issue is a complete non-issue, but it gets lots of news coverage and passionate fervor from the right, so its a cheap price to pay to look like a "moderate" candidate.

[TLM]

21. Who can know where Clark stands on anything?

His story changes depending on the audience.

[IranianDemocrat]

23. Hahah.

Kind of like Dean pandering to Southern racists after seeing how shitty he's doing in the south.

[AnnitaR]

24. Men who fight for our flag....

normally don't want to see it burning.

It's that simple.