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CNN Live At Daybreak
'Talk of CNN'
Aired February 13, 2003 - 06:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Civil rights activists are warning of an economic boycott if Georgia returns to a state flag with a prominent Confederate emblem. Protesters rallied in Atlanta outside the state capital after Governor Sonny Perdue announced his plan for a referendum on the flag for March 2004.
Oh, they're talking about it ad nauseum here in Georgia.
NEAL BOORTZ, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, yes.
COSTELLO: Some call the old Georgia flag a symbol of the proud past, though. Others call it a Southern swastika.
Syndicated talk show host Neal Boortz, what do you call it?
BOORTZ: Well, I call it a different thing in Georgia than I do in South Carolina. In South Carolina, the boycott is unwarranted. Here in Georgia, look, in the 1960s, I was working in the executive office of the governor at the state capital. I knew the people that brought in the 1956 Georgia flag. They brought it in for one reason.
COSTELLO: What was that?
BOORTZ: To flip off the civil rights movement. It was their symbol of hell no or forget hell and what have you, and it needed to go. And I can't believe, Carol, that these people don't have anything else to worry about.
COSTELLO: But this is an issue that really resonates because it got Governor Perdue elected.
BOORTZ: No it didn't.
COSTELLO: That's what a lot of people say.
BOORTZ: I know, but the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" ran an analysis of the vote and they say that the flag it vote did not get Sonny Perdue or Saxby Chambliss elected.
COSTELLO: Then why is Sonny Perdue putting it on the ballot?
BOORTZ: Because he made a campaign promise. I guess he's just too honest to be a politician. And another thing, these...
COSTELLO: Too honest to be a politician? What, when the AJC asked him how he would vote in the referendum, he said that's not really important. BOORTZ: Well, it's a private vote.
COSTELLO: He wouldn't answer.
BOORTZ: It's a private vote. Now, listen, also, something else that people are fond of reporting, not only did they not carry the vote for Sonny Perdue, but they're not Republicans. These are rural Democrats that left their yellow dog Democrat stance to vote for Republicans because they were upset with the Democratic governor. But, you know...
COSTELLO: Oh, well, I must say that the placement of the referendum on the ballot in March kind of saves the Republicans from any embarrassment by putting it on the ballot at any other sensitive time.
BOORTZ: Well, no, it's a good move because there will be a lot of people who are voting in the presidential primary in March who have a lot more gray matter up here than the flag its do and they'll help, hopefully they'll help avoid embarrassing Georgia in that vote.
COSTELLO: OK, so predict for us, if you will, as a...
BOORTZ: The pre-1956 Georgia flag with no Confederate battle emblem on it. That's my prediction.
COSTELLO: That's your prediction?
BOORTZ: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll see.
Neal Boortz, thanks for coming in.
BOORTZ: OK, sure.
COSTELLO: We appreciate it, as always.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 13, 2003 - 06:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Civil rights activists are warning of an economic boycott if Georgia returns to a state flag with a prominent Confederate emblem. Protesters rallied in Atlanta outside the state capital after Governor Sonny Perdue announced his plan for a referendum on the flag for March 2004.
Oh, they're talking about it ad nauseum here in Georgia.
NEAL BOORTZ, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, yes.
COSTELLO: Some call the old Georgia flag a symbol of the proud past, though. Others call it a Southern swastika.
Syndicated talk show host Neal Boortz, what do you call it?
BOORTZ: Well, I call it a different thing in Georgia than I do in South Carolina. In South Carolina, the boycott is unwarranted. Here in Georgia, look, in the 1960s, I was working in the executive office of the governor at the state capital. I knew the people that brought in the 1956 Georgia flag. They brought it in for one reason.
COSTELLO: What was that?
BOORTZ: To flip off the civil rights movement. It was their symbol of hell no or forget hell and what have you, and it needed to go. And I can't believe, Carol, that these people don't have anything else to worry about.
COSTELLO: But this is an issue that really resonates because it got Governor Perdue elected.
BOORTZ: No it didn't.
COSTELLO: That's what a lot of people say.
BOORTZ: I know, but the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" ran an analysis of the vote and they say that the flag it vote did not get Sonny Perdue or Saxby Chambliss elected.
COSTELLO: Then why is Sonny Perdue putting it on the ballot?
BOORTZ: Because he made a campaign promise. I guess he's just too honest to be a politician. And another thing, these...
COSTELLO: Too honest to be a politician? What, when the AJC asked him how he would vote in the referendum, he said that's not really important. BOORTZ: Well, it's a private vote.
COSTELLO: He wouldn't answer.
BOORTZ: It's a private vote. Now, listen, also, something else that people are fond of reporting, not only did they not carry the vote for Sonny Perdue, but they're not Republicans. These are rural Democrats that left their yellow dog Democrat stance to vote for Republicans because they were upset with the Democratic governor. But, you know...
COSTELLO: Oh, well, I must say that the placement of the referendum on the ballot in March kind of saves the Republicans from any embarrassment by putting it on the ballot at any other sensitive time.
BOORTZ: Well, no, it's a good move because there will be a lot of people who are voting in the presidential primary in March who have a lot more gray matter up here than the flag its do and they'll help, hopefully they'll help avoid embarrassing Georgia in that vote.
COSTELLO: OK, so predict for us, if you will, as a...
BOORTZ: The pre-1956 Georgia flag with no Confederate battle emblem on it. That's my prediction.
COSTELLO: That's your prediction?
BOORTZ: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll see.
Neal Boortz, thanks for coming in.
BOORTZ: OK, sure.
COSTELLO: We appreciate it, as always.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
