Moore attacks Perdue over Rebel hats

The racial rhetoric of the race for the Democratic nomination for governor ratcheted up another notch Friday afternoon as State Treasurer Richard Moore's campaign displayed Confederate flag-emblazoned goods they purchased at Georgia convenience stores owned by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's family.

"Is this a hat that Bev Perdue would let her campaign staff wear?" said Jay Reiff, Moore's campaign manager, pointing to a row of three baseball caps with different "Stars and Bars" variations: one with flames, one with a reflective logo and one with camouflage.

Moore did not attend his campaign's news conference.

Perdue's husband, Bob Eaves, owns a chain of "The Right Stuff Food Stores" in Georgia. Until last year, Perdue was an officer in the company. Perdue's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Moore's campaign staff said they purchased the goods at two locations and displayed receipts. They supplied photographs of merchandise in the store. One image, above, shows beer insulators next to a University of Georgia license plate.

Update: David Kochman, a Perdue spokesman, issued a statement again accusing Moore of "Jesse Helms tactics." Kochman said the attack was "so low that Richard Moore himself wouldn't even attend the press conference announcing it."

Kochman said the stores are run by Perdue's stepson and that while her husband retains partial ownership, is not involved in day-to-day management of the company.

More after the jump.

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A beer bottle insulator included the Confederate flag, seen as a sign of slavery and repression by many blacks and an emblem of heritage by some whites, and the phrase: "Old Times Are Not Forgotten," extracted from the song "Dixie."

Moore's staff spotlighted the convenience store goods hours after distributing copies of a 1989 newspaper article recounting how Perdue watered down a bill that was the Legislative Black Caucus' top priority that year: making it easier for candidates to avoid a runoff election in a
primary.

Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat, at the time said Perdue's move was "a slap in the face of black people."

On Friday, Michaux, a Perdue supporter, said her change to the legislation is an exception to an otherwise positive record on civil rights.

"She made a couple of mistakes," Michaux said, "But that doesn't necessarily undercut the good job she's done particularly when it comes to those matters affecting the minority community."

On Thursday Moore's campaign criticized a 1987 vote in which Perdue opposed a bill that made it easier for the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate hate crimes. Perdue was one of only two Democrats in the General Assembly to vote against the bill.