As a white Northerner who has decided to move to the South, I can appreciate Mr. Paul's comments. Those comments, however, are short-sighted and stereotypic at best. It takes a while to understand the ideosyncrasies of the Southern life and the local people.

In my fifteen years of living in the South, I have observed that (for the most part)the citizens here are a hard-working, honest people who have learned over time to trust their instincts when making decisions, to be cautiously optimistic when dealing with "strangers" and to be skeptical when listening to smooth-talking politicians.

Don't get me wrong... I have seen plenty of bias here from both sides of the isle. The lifelong Democrats and Republicans both stand firmly entrenched in their respective camps and the debate can sometimes get lively. The demeanor of such debates, however, usually lack the cold cynasism that I had grown accostomed to back home in the North.

Take a minute to look at the history Mr. Paul and not just your assumption of Southern ignorance. The beauty of the political process is very evident here in Carroll County; and it has been for many generations. Forty years and ten consecutive elections worth of correctly picking the Presidential winner is hardly dumb luck. Kudos to the author for recognizing this and for finding a great place to check the pulse of an important swing state, the barbershop. I know Troy Oatsvall. I don't always agree with him, but I know that he is undeserving of the "typical Southerner" label (as a Northerner, I'm well aware of the context of such nomenclature).

Good luck with your Bush-bashing, Mr. Paul. Perhaps you can persuade those around you to follow the Utopian ideals of Mr. Kerry.

After all, it's hard not to judge the book by its cover when the best the book can do is compliment its own hair.

What a typical comment for a southerner to make. Not liking someone based on how they look... Kind of sounds like something else I've heard before (being the white northerner that I am).

How about NOT electing a president based on how he looks. It's not like the job of president is to pose for a centerfold spot in Playboy....we just need someone in office who will not spend tax payers money on wars we don't need, and one that won't lie to us in order to get us to agree with him. We know Bush does this, but we don't know if Kerry will do this...So I favor Kerry, I don't think Kerry will mess with our minds as much as Bush has tried to, either way, we know Bush will try.