Comments on: DEAN AND SOUTHERNERS

By: SwampWoman

SwampWoman — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

What, you think he didn't insult us enough the first time through?

By: Gabe Posey

Gabe Posey — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I wrote on this just this morning. I agree completely. Dean's lumping of all southerners into a single category makes him a.) an idiot and b.) a very good candidate for the Democrats.

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I'm a Texan, not quite the deep south but close enough. We've our fair share of rednecks, actually it's not the neck that's red, it's the reflection off the backs of our ears, and the one thing a redneck won't stand for is to be talked down to. That's why Gore lost even his home state of Tennessee. Dean, in his condescension, has killed any chance of ever getting Bubba's vote. To add to it, he'll never in his life, be able to get out of a southern honkytonk with his teeth.

By: JW

JW — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

What I don't understand is how the national Democrats morphed into the party of rich-guys-in-suits, anyway. Danny GOldberg in "Culture Wars" makes the exact same point that Bernard Goldberg did in "Bias"--Democrats often really do seem to think that they're better than ordinary people,that they know better how we should live our lives, and that their mission is life is to educate (if not outright coerce) the rest of America in their way of thinking. For all the religious right rhetoric that goes on in the REpublican Party, their strong libertarian impulse is what appeals to Southerners--the promise that they will get government out of our hair and let us live our lives in peace as long as we obey the law and pay our own way through life. The last point is the key--Southerners like for life to be fair. They believe that if you pay your taxes, cut the grass, raise your kids right, go to church, keep up with your bills, and obey the law, you should reap the rewards of your labor--a decent life without government interference. What we get instead are Democratic politicians saying that we personally aren't doing enough for the poor, that we're intolerant and narrow-minded, and that when our cars are stolen in the downtown area where we work, we should seek to understand the pathology of the inner city rather than expect the police to find the criminal, arrest him for grand larceny, put him in jail, and make sure he stays for his entire sentence. Southerners are tired of being preached to about how they are supposed to think, act, and talk, and they're ready to stop being treated as second-class citizens by the political classes on the left and on the right. The politician who figures that out will win elections here--hands down.

By: Bob from SC

Bob from SC — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I drive an old pickup truck, because it does not depreciate, and I can merge with the Yuppies in the BMWs without fear when they see the fenders on which my 4 year old draws pictures.

I do not have a confederate flag on the truck, as it may offend my black neighbors, as I have many, being in the south where we are integrated at the house to house level.

I chew, I have and carry forearms, and yes, I am VERY politicaly conservative.

Point is, I am very much a NASCAR dad, and Howard Dean would get my vote whenever I ice skate on the surface of hell.

By: jakimbro

jakimbro — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

A Southerners retort to Dean
Dear Mr. Dean.
I have no intention of voting for you. Your little remark about the Confderate flag pissed me off too much. And now you have the audacity to "find" Jesus.
You're just another yankee slicker saying whatever you think us dumb southerners want to hear to get your vote. We see right through you.
So keep your elite yankee ass up north where it belongs.
You will NEVER win the south.

By: jakimbro

jakimbro — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

By: One Fine Jay

One Fine Jay — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Straight from the Doc's Mouth
I remember from reading Doc J a whiles back that he is originally from Alabama, so his jab at the Duck Redneck Quote is spot on: [...] Donât forget, Doc, that Vermont has hippies too.

By: PoliBlog

PoliBlog — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

OTB on Dean and the South
James of OTB has apost on Dean and southern voters that fits into (at least partially) my post on a similar subject from last night....

By: Lead and Gold

Lead and Gold — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Dean and the Flag
While i am sure that Dean would accept the vote of the affluent banker in Charlotte or Atlanta, he knows that his best chance is with rural and suburban working class white guys. That's just smart politics.

By: The World Around You

The World Around You — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Dean on Southerners James has a good post on Howard Dean's "confederate flag on their pick-up trucks" remark. Of course it was a poor way to make a very valid point. The Democratic Party has lost touch with the Southern white voter. He should keep making the point in more...

By: Electric Venom

Electric Venom — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

The Letter Of The Day Is E E is for employment - it's up, much to the Dem's chagrin. E is for essays - the first in Zombyboy's series of them on affirmative action. E is for effective means to compel legislative attention to the issue of gay marriage. E is for electability evalu...

By: Electric Venom

Electric Venom — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

By: Backcountry Conservative

Backcountry Conservative — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

More on Dean and the South
James Joyner has the latest on Howard Dean's missteps in the South. Others discussing his post include Electric Venom, The World Around You, Lead and Gold, PoliBlog and One Fine Jay....

By: The Trommetter Times

The Trommetter Times — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Going South
Howard Dean campaigns in Tallahassee "Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean told a Tallahassee audience today that southerners have to...