---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I intend to talk about race during this…"
description: "\"I intend to talk about race during this election in the South because the Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us. And ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/howard-dean-3196_confederate_i-intend-to-talk-about-race-during-this_3226091.jpg"
---

#  I intend to talk about race during this election in the…

![“I intend to talk about race during this election in the South because the Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us. And I'm going to bring us together. Because you know what? You know what? White folks in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate flag decals…” quote by Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/howard-dean-3196_confederate_i-intend-to-talk-about-race-during-this_3226091.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/howard-dean-3196_confederate_i-intend-to-talk-about-race-during-this_3226091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/howard-dean-3196_confederate_i-intend-to-talk-about-race-during-this_3226091.jpg)

> “I intend to talk about race during this election in the South because the Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us. And I'm going to bring us together. Because you know what? You know what? White folks in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate flag decals in the back ought to be voting with us and not them, because their kids don't have health insurance either and their kids need better schools too.”

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Highlights the strategic use of race in Southern politics to divide voters, urging coalition‑building with traditionally opposing demographics for shared interests.

**In simple terms:** Politicians exploit race to split people; unity can be achieved by focusing on common needs.

Key Takeaway

Build cross‑group alliances around shared concerns.

Themes

politics race unity division

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

inspirational strategic

When to use this quote

- voter outreach
- policy advocacy
- community organizing
- education reform

Key Concepts

social engineering electoral strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you bridge ideological gaps?
- What shared values unite diverse groups?

A Different Perspective

Deep divisions may resist collaboration despite common goals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

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## Related quotes

> [I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-still-want-to-be-the-candidate-for-guys-with-confederate-flags-in/)

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> [I think everybody should just turn off their TV machines and make up their own songs about whatever comes to mind-their couch, their friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/i-think-everybody-should-just-turn-off-their-tv-machines-and-make-up/)

[Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/)

> [I havent even been drinking, but, at all, but, you know, being a man, Ive got to say that weve got this guy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-harris/i-havent-even-been-drinking-but-at-all-but-you-know-being-a-man-ive/)

[Ed Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-harris/)

> [ That is certainly the promise of \[Donald Trump\] campaign and the promise of his economic program.This economic program is really the pickup truck of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/that-is-certainly-the-promise-of-donald-trump-campaign-and-the/)

[Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/)

> [I grew up driving old pickup trucks on the ranch with my dad, and I still always find myself driving like I'm out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/i-grew-up-driving-old-pickup-trucks-on-the-ranch-with-my-dad-and-i/)

[Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/)

> [It's just paper - all I own is a pickup truck and a little Wal-Mart stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/it-s-just-paper-all-i-own-is-a-pickup-truck-and-a-little-wal-mart/)

[Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/)

> [Knowledge and wonder are the dyad of our worthy lives as intellectual beings. Voyager did wonders for our knowledge, but performed just as mightily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/knowledge-and-wonder-are-the-dyad-of-our-worthy-lives-as-intellectual/)

[Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/)

> [ \[George Bush\] has raised taxes on the people driving pickup trucks and lowered taxes on the people riding in limousines. We can do better. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/george-bush-has-raised-taxes-on-the-people-driving-pickup-trucks-and/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [I never wanted anything so much, I've got to have one. I want a girl in a pickup truck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-trevino/i-never-wanted-anything-so-much-i-ve-got-to-have-one-i-want-a-girl-in/)

[Rick Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-trevino/)

> [He shook-a me up, he took me by surprise. He had a pickup truck, and the devil's eyes. He stared at me and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-brien/he-shook-a-me-up-he-took-me-by-surprise-he-had-a-pickup-truck-and-the/)

[Richard O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-brien/)

> [When the choice is between a demanding relationship and a vintage pickup truck, I'll choose the truck every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dickinson/when-the-choice-is-between-a-demanding-relationship-and-a-vintage/)

[Amy Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dickinson/)

> [ \[My father \] came home from World War II and he voted for \[Dwight\] Eisenhower. He was pretty thoughtful about those things, but never,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/my-father-came-home-from-world-war-ii-and-he-voted-for-dwight/)

[Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/)

> [That's where I live, a junkyard in a neighborhood of junkyards. We have three tractors from the 1940s and '50s, several old pickup trucks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/that-s-where-i-live-a-junkyard-in-a-neighborhood-of-junkyards-we-have/)

[Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/)

> [I like the fact that most of the cars I see are Detroit-made automobiles. I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pickup truck. Ann…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-like-the-fact-that-most-of-the-cars-i-see-are-detroit-made/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

## More by Howard Dean

> [This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/this-country-was-the-moral-leader-of-the-world-until-george-bush/)

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> [I think in general the ends do not justify the means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-think-in-general-the-ends-do-not-justify-the-means/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [The way we're going to win elections in this country is not to become Republican lite. The way we're going to win elections in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/the-way-we-re-going-to-win-elections-in-this-country-is-not-to-become/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [As governor, I came to believe that the death penalty would be a just punishment for certain, especially heinous crimes, such as the murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/as-governor-i-came-to-believe-that-the-death-penalty-would-be-a-just/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [Look, I'm not a perfect person. I have my warts. I sometimes say things that get me in trouble. I wear suits that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/look-i-m-not-a-perfect-person-i-have-my-warts-i-sometimes-say-things/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [The issue is not abortion. The issue is whether women can make up their own mind instead of some right-wing pastor, some right-wing politician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/the-issue-is-not-abortion-the-issue-is-whether-women-can-make-up/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [We have to say what we believe... whether it's popular or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/we-have-to-say-what-we-believe-whether-it-s-popular-or-not/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [When you - when you - and this is still going on today - are making your money by pushing paper around, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/when-you-when-you-and-this-is-still-going-on-today-are-making-your/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-hate-the-republicans-and-everything-they-stand-for/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States and to our allies. If Saddam persists in thumbing his nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-to-the-united/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [The truth is the President of the United States used the same device that Slobodan Milosevic used in Serbia. When you appeal to homophobia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/the-truth-is-the-president-of-the-united-states-used-the-same-device/)

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[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [I don't care what you label me as long as you call me president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-don-t-care-what-you-label-me-as-long-as-you-call-me-president/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

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[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

> [What I want to know is why in the world the Democratic party leadership is supporting the president's unilateral attack on Iraq?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/what-i-want-to-know-is-why-in-the-world-the-democratic-party/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

[Explore all 137 Howard Dean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

## More Confederate quotes

> [South Carolina, as a matter of compromise, displays the Confederate flag on a flagpole in front of the state capitol. Because I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/south-carolina-as-a-matter-of-compromise-displays-the-confederate/)

[John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/)

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> [“A rump group of rebel soldiers formed a colony west of Vera Cruz called Carlota, which soon burgeoned into a community of five thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/a-rump-group-of-rebel-soldiers-formed-a-colony-west-of-vera-cruz/)

[Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/)

> [What do you call a co-worker these days? Neither teammate nor confederate will do, and partner is too legalistic. The answer brought from academia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/what-do-you-call-a-co-worker-these-days-neither-teammate-nor/)

[William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/)

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[Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/)

> [ It's time for the \[Confederate\] Flag to come down, because it just doesn't represent who we are as a people, as Americans anymore. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hunter/it-s-time-for-the-confederate-flag-to-come-down-because-it-just-doesn/)

[Jack Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hunter/)

> [...So Englishmen saw it. Lincoln's insincerity was regarded as proven by two things: his earlier denial of any lawful right or wish to free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-vanauken/so-englishmen-saw-it-lincoln-s-insincerity-was-regarded-as-proven-by/)

[Sheldon Vanauken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-vanauken/)

> [In a landscape littered with all of this imagery about the nobility of the Civil War and the Confederate effort and struggle, the absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/in-a-landscape-littered-with-all-of-this-imagery-about-the-nobility/)

[Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/)

> [Disagreeing with the fervent patriotism of the Confederates: "I think it's hard winning a war with words, gentlemen. . . . I'm saying very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/disagreeing-with-the-fervent-patriotism-of-the-confederates-i-think/)

[Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/)

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[Warren Olney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-olney/)

> [In South Carolina, the Confederate flag flies high on countless flagpoles. Those who defend this practice by saying it is part of Southern culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/in-south-carolina-the-confederate-flag-flies-high-on-countless/)

[Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/)

> [It's hard when the worst people in the country are cheering, the people with the confederate flag, the people that do anti-Semitism on Twitter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/it-s-hard-when-the-worst-people-in-the-country-are-cheering-the/)

[Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/)

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