There's nothing like a forum for a presidential election to cause controversy, especially when that forum is in front of a room of young voters.
This is the premise of Rock the Vote. It gives the candidates a chance to talk with voters in their 20s and sound off about their views on whatever issues the youths choose.
I regret that I couldn't view the debate Tuesday. It looks like it got pretty heated, but for the wrong reasons.
The controversy stems from a statement that Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean made months before the forum.
Dean told The Des Moines Register he wanted to be a candidate for "guys with Confederate flags on their pickup trucks," according to the New York Times.
The New York Times reported that the statement was a summary of comments he made to the Democratic National Committee last winter about the party's need to draw Southern white voters.
Dean said he apologized for the comment in a report on CNN.com. The report continued by stating that Dean stressed that "we have to have an open dialogue about race in this country."
And what a way to open the door to that dialogue.
Dean was confronted about his comments by the other Democratic candidates, according to CNN.com.
CNN reported that the Rev. Al Sharpton told Dean, "You're not a bigot, but you appear to be too arrogant to say, 'I'm wrong,' and go on."
Instead of bickering, the candidates should have seen this as a tremendous opportunity to discuss race relations in the United States.
Thursday, CNN's Bill Hemmer asked why Dean did not apologize at the forum, and Dean said he tends to fight back under pressure.
When it comes to some issues, a politician who stands by his beliefs might be necessary to fill the presidential office.
But this probably was not the best way for Dean to present this quality to the voters. More often than not, people remember when you avoided an issue more than when you confronted one.
Politicians are human. They might have a slip up in their speech on occasion. The slip ups come at a cost, however, especially in a primary where there is a hefty handful of other candidates competing.
Public officials put themselves in the spotlight. Therefore, they need to choose their words with care. Some voters will not be able to shake the image of Dean advocating the flag-toting Confederate white male, even if this was not Dean's intention.
When looking at the big picture, Dean's statement drew more attention to the presidential race. Any time more people follow politics, the chances of voters showing up to the polls equipped with the information to choose the best person for the job might increase. The fact that it takes an accidental offensive statement to get voters' attention is disheartening, but the Rock the Vote instance might be beneficial.
After all, the most memorable question from the 1992 Rock the Vote was whether Bill Clinton preferred boxers or briefs. At least this controversy stems from a valid issue in American politics.
Write to Lauren at lmphillips@bsu.edu
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