David Beasley has come to the conclusion that the Confederate flag needs to come down from the State House. Everyone is suspicious of the governor's about-face. Liberals don't trust his motives, and are reluctant to cede the emotional issue to a conservative Republican. The folks on the right, led by a new champion, Attorney General Charlie Condon, say compromise be damned, let the people vote on it.
Most folks are just tired of the issue.
While Condon is laying the groundwork for a 1998 gubernatorial candidacy, Beasley is building a new constituency. Beasley lost much of the traditional Republican support when he embraced the Christian Coalition. But now fundamentalists have distanced themselves from the governor, and he needs to be born yet again. Beasley may have changed his political tactics, but that doesn't necessarily indicate a change of policy regarding racial equality. Although the governor is willing to admit that the flag is racially divisive, he has not evidenced any willingness to go beyond symbolism.