You can see the pictures at Drudge, to which I won't link because I have a conscience.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I don't think the association of Dean with the confederate flag is going to hurt him if he makes it to the general election.
Sure, it could create a bad first impression among some people, but any presidential candidate gets more than one chance to make an impression.
It won't deter African American voters once they learn the story of the association. If anything, it will play like a crass attempt to convince an antislavery person that up is down.
It won't deter Southern voters. Those who hate the flag will understand soon enough the origin of the prank, and those who like the flag, well they like the flag, and they typically say that the flag doesn't stand for slavery or anything hateful in their own eyes.
In an important sense, Dean was asking for their vote with the comment that started it all. Even if you don't like the guy personally, don't approve of the way he worded the appeal, or disagree with his policies, it's hard to hate someone that singles you out and asks for your vote.
Also, suggesting that Dean is a Bubba will contribute the rounding of his character that began with calling him McGovern and continued with calling him Gingrich. A successful candidate has to mean different things to different people. Dean's image is proving to be much more protean and adaptable than anyone could have expected.
The confederate flag is a loaded symbol, to be sure, but I think that the more it is associated with Dean, the more it will help rather than hurt. It will hurt, but the net will be a slight gain because it will attract attention to his real positions and give people a reason to want an explanation. It will also continue the process of rounding his candidacy into one that touches every corner of the country.
