In the wake of last week's Charleston shooting, Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Monday spun the Confederate flag as a problem for the 2016 Republicans. No mention was made of Bill Clinton, the spouse of a 2016 Democratic candidate, and his past honoring of the Confederacy.
Karl hyped, "But 2016 candidates are being asked to take a stand. South Carolina's Lindsey Graham has supported the flag in the past but he suggested it may be time for a change." He then played clips of Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee responding to the issue.
Karl explained, "The Republican candidate who has come closest to removing the flag is Jeb Bush. He put out a statement yesterday saying that he removed the flag from the Florida state grounds when he was governor and he's confident that South Carolina will do the right thing."
As governor, Bill Clinton signed an act that commemorated the Confederacy. Of course, this went unnoticed by ABC.
In 1994, he praised the Daughters of the Confederacy:
One of the most rewarding of human experiences is the coming together of people to share common experiences and interests. For 100 years, the United Daughters of the Confederacy has maintained and built upon the wonderful legacy of your founders. The strength of your organization today is a testament of the vision of your founders and to your commitment to your shared goals.
On CBS This Morning, reporter Adriana Diaz insisted, "The flag is now an issue in the Republican presidential race."
A transcript of the June 22 GMA segment is below:
7:07
DAVID MUIR: And the tragedy has reunited the debate about flying the Confederate flag. Some call it a symbol of hate. Others call it a sign of history. Now, there are calls to remove it from the grounds of the south Carolina capital and ABC's Jon Karl has more this morning from the White House. Jon, good morning.
ABC GRAPHIC: Battle Growing Over Confederate Flag: Candidates Forced to Take Sides
JON KARL: Good morning, David. The South Carolina state legislature is slated to take up and debate, even vote on the issue of whether to remove that flag early next year, just fore the state's critical presidential primary.
CROWD CHANTING: Take it down! Take it down!
KARL: This morning, a hot debate over a symbol celebrated by accused racist killer Dylann Roof: the Confederate flag, a symbol for the defeated south in the Civil War, but still flying high at the South Carolina state capitol.
MAN: I've always seen it as a symbol of racism.
WOMAN: I do believe that it does mean pride in the south.
KARL: Helping reignite the debate, Republican Mitt Romney who tweeted "remove it now to honor Charleston victims." That prompted rare bipartisan agreement. President Obama replying, "Good point, Mitt." The decision will be made by the Republican-controlled South Carolina state legislature. But 2016 candidates are being asked to take a stand. South Carolina's Lindsey Graham has supported the flag in the past but he suggested it may be time for a change.
LINDSEY GRAHAM: At the end of the day, I'm more worried about the future than I am the past.
KARL: Most of the Republican candidates are dodging the issue.
RICK SANTORUM: This is a decision that needs to be made here in South Carolina.
MIKE HUCKABEE: It's not an issue for a person running for president.
KARL: The Republican candidate who has come closest to removing the flag is Jeb Bush. He put out a statement yesterday saying that he removed the flag from the Florida state grounds when he was governor and he's confident that South Carolina will do the right thing.
MUIR: Jon, you know there's controversy this morning. You heard Steve Osunsami report there that police say the Charleston suspect was inspired by that white supremacist group. And now comes word that that group received donations, or rather, donated to several Republicans.
KARL: That's right. The leader of that group has given tens of thousands of dollars in donations to Republican candidates over the years, including three now running for president. Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. Ted Cruz put out a statement overnight saying that he has returned that money as soon as he found out the views of that group. He said racism has no place in American politics. We haven't heard from the other two candidates.
