CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Changing the Mississippi Flag

Interview

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BLITZER: Martin Savidge on the scene for us, thank you.

Let's talk about all of this with Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. He's the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Congressman, thanks very much for coming in.

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D), MISSISSIPPI: Thank you.

BLITZER: I spoke earlier today with a friend of yours, friend of mine, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the congressman.

And he pointed out to me something I didn't know. The state of Mississippi, your state -- you're the only African-American representative from Mississippi. You won't fly that Mississippi state flag in your congressional office or outside your congressional office. Is that right?

THOMPSON: That's correct, basically because, as an African- American, I resent what the flag implies. I am not one to promote hate or hostility.

I don't see it as heritage. And I personally take offense to it, because we are better than that. And I'm convinced that the only way you can solve it is by not displaying it.

BLITZER: Forty percent, nearly 40 percent of the people who live in your state of Mississippi are African-Americans. It's the highest percentage of any state in the United States. But it seems like the political clout of African-Americans in Mississippi might be limited, right?

THOMPSON: Well, it is.

And just study the history. Had it not been for the Voting Rights Act, I wouldn't be here in Congress, nor a lot of the other officials. So, it has always taken a federal oversight to make things happen. The flag, I agree, is a local issue. But if you're going to make this country the country that we know it can be, we're going to have to put these symbols in the museums, where they belong, and not front and center and try to defend actions that were basically meant to enslave people.

BLITZER: You see in South Carolina they're moving to get rid of the flag from the state grounds in the capitol. What is happening in Mississippi? Because, all of a sudden, some people in the legislature, some people in Mississippi, including some Republicans, are saying maybe it is time to change the state flag.

THOMPSON: Well, I'm happy to see the speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives make...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Republican. THOMPSON: Republican -- make a forthright statement, say that he

is a Christian. He's looked at this thing and he's convinced that we need to revisit it.

And by revisiting it, I'm hoping that we will move it out of the capitol, make it not the state flag. That symbol has been a symbol of repression and hate to a lot of right-thinking people in this country. And I think, in my state, we would do better changing the flag, come in with something new that represents the new Mississippi and not the old Mississippi.

BLITZER: Is this a partisan issue in Mississippi, whereby the Democrats want to get rid of that symbol in the flag, the Republicans want to keep it? Is that what has been historically true?

THOMPSON: Well, I think it's a power struggle.

It's the old guard trying to defend the past. This flag represents the past and it is an effort to keep it. So no matter what you do, this flag represents a step backward. And as a state with 40 percent African-American population, but with more African-American officials than any other state, we can do better.

The image of who we are can be enhanced with a different flag.

BLITZER: You have some hope that this is about to change, is that right, or is that going too far?

THOMPSON: Look, we're going to work on it. Hope springs eternal. I am convinced that there are good people in my state who want to see a better view of our state.

BLITZER: You have got to admit, it was pretty impressive yesterday to see the Republican governor of South Carolina, the two Republican senators of South Carolina say let's move that flag away from the state capitol grounds. You want to fly it on your private property, that's fine, but off the public property.

THOMPSON: Well, that flag represents everything that's wrong. And for someone to try to defend the flag as heritage or something that is right is an insult. We know it's not.

It's divisive in the community. Let's put it in a museum where it belongs, and let's get on with the business of developing our communities.

BLITZER: What do you think of all of these retailers now, Wal- Mart, for example, Sears, Amazon, eBay, deciding they're no longer going to sell the Confederate Flag paraphernalia, if you will?

THOMPSON: It's a strong statement.

And, believe me, the elected leaders in those states, they see the economics. Wal-Mart is one of the largest employers in my district. To take that kind of stand is very positive. More people who step forward with this, the greater the possibility that change will come.

[18:15:00]

BLITZER: Bennie Thompson, stand by. I want to continue our conversation.

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