Dean says Democrats 'not going to concede the South' (overflow crowd)

Posted on Tue, Mar. 01, 2005

Dean says Democrats 'not going to concede the South'

EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. - Praying for American troops and evoking biblical images of helping the needy, Howard Dean told Mississippi Democrats on Tuesday night that the national party won't give up on socially conservative states.

"We're not going to concede the South," the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee told an overflow crowd of more than 900 people in a dining room that was set up for 800 in the Clarion hotel near downtown Jackson.

"The South will rise again, and when it does, it will have a D under its name," Dean said to applause from the diverse crowd of blacks and whites.

more
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/politics/11025163.htm



He rocked! And so did Wayne Dowdy. :)

(The grilled chicken with peppers was good, but slow.)

:D

Dean was amazing, he got three standing ovations and the key to the city.

Last night was a highlight of my life.

I get giddy just reading that.

He. Just. SO. Gets. It.

Thank GOD the DNC voters saw the light, and then stepped straight into it. Because Dean get it. He's doing VERY well.

We are SO Under New Management!!!

Very cool.

NGU.

Why do the Republicans get ANY votes there?

AKA, the foundation of the GOP.

guardians of privilege, prejudice and piety.

that pretty much covers their bases, the greedy, the homophobic racists and those who are determined to shove their vengeful, hateful god down the rest of our collective throats.

edit to add the word homophobic

Guardians of Privilege, Prejudice and Phariseeism, which means faux-piety. Piety can be practiced by honest spiritual people. Pharisees are religious blowhards, and Jesus called them a "brood of vipers," which is a perfect description of the Repuke horde.

hate and fear.

:crazy:

As long as fags can't marry, everything's okay.

But I'll let it slide because repitition seems to make people understand.

I swear your post wasn't there when I decided to post my thing.

the photo.

:-)

They are unapologetically homophobic, xenophobic and racist. The irony is that my late brother-in-law was a union man and he has a gay son (who he and the rest of the family have totally shunned.)

that voting Republican is like a woman who keeps marrying men who beat her. She doesn't like it but it's something she has learned how to take and she always hopes the next one will be different.

Basically, The people of Mississippi need someone they can relate to but will be different. They have listened to lies so long that they have gotten use to it .... the truth sounds to strange.

most people in the south actually agree with republicans more than democrats.

Sorry, but my ego doesn't require me to believe that those who disagree with me have imaginary mental complexes.

The sooner we start to realize that, the sooner we make progress in the South.

We don't need to change our stripes, but not constantly referring to southerners like they are a bunch of morons might be a start.

'Cause the people are told by their preachers that "Every time you vote
for a Democrat, Jesus kills a kitten".

Tesha

One question for any MS DU'ers.

Is Trent Lott getting a little too anxious about his re-election? I'm wondering what's up with getting Giulani to speak? Why would Trent want a pro-choice candidate to speak in the heart of the Bible Belt. I just don't understand that.

likes. He is constantly pumping the pork into our economy and he is considered the man that keeps Northrup Grumman (formerly Ingalls Shipbuilding) busy with government contracts.

Because jobs are scarse, folks will not risk losing this major employer and every time elections roll around, there is the rumblings about base closings and no more contracts. Chester saves the day, the contracts continue, the bases stay open and all is well. :shrug:

Giulani's pro-choice stand is not as important to folks as was his saving New York from them thar terraists.

elections -- oohh ohhh, Navy Home Port is on the base closing list, oohh ooohhh, Northrup won't get any more contracts to build ships, lay offs anticipated, ohhh ohhh, Meridian Air Station to close.

It is pretty sickening and also so predictable.

related. In the Florida panhandle, 34%. It is not the gay marriage or pro-choice issues, it is keeping the bases open. But it does sound less selfish if they're out there saving our "morals."

I assume that is what they are pulling with agriculture to help the heartland repubs in their midterm elections. Say there are going to be cut backs, then the local republican saves the farmers by getting most or all of it back?

How can we counterattack this psychological game they play with people? We should have a comeback, to be used preemptively, for all the cases where they do this.

pattern and call them on it. Now you can't seem to get the press interested.

The Dean article is front page on the MS Gulf Coast

In Jackson, where Dean made the appearance, it is inside the paper, on the front page of the Metro/State section - B1.

I guess the repukes in Jackson don't like Dean. :shrug:

With a D.

I love it.

"wing". Dean is the best thing that has happened to this party in SOOOOOOOOOO LOOOOOOONG.

that selecting a liberal like Dean as chair would finish off the Democratic Party in the South.

GO, DEAN, GO!!!

:yourock:


(edited for spelling, DUH!!!)

I think it would be best if Dean spoke less about the south.

We can and will win back the south.

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dixiecrats.

Please do not confuse members of the democratic party with dixiecrats.

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Don't forget Mr. Strom Thurman and ole Chester Trent's comments.

can you name any more acutal Dixiecrats who joined the GOP!B-)

besides Lott and trent.

Perhaps I'm not following, but you seem to be denying the existence and success of the Southern Strategy, as espoused by its originator, Kevin Phillips, and Pat Buchanan, Dick Nixon and others who ran it and gained national power from it.

If we take 'Dixiecrat' broadly to mean Thurmond's States Rights Party, George Wallace's American Independent Party, and the general class of blatant white racist motherfuckers who during the 50s and 60s turned from the Democratic to the Republican Party in massive and startling numbers, over integration, Civil and Voting Rights Acts of Congress, etc., than you would seem to have picked an especially tough row to hoe, vis a vis making your case.

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Trent Lott Hair joke - 200 DU points.

Blowing up ridiculous poster's argument with facts on hand - 300 DU points

Correctly using "row to hoe" - 200 DU points

Final kick in the pants with a most awesome use of "vis a vis" - 2500 DU points!!

That was sweeeeetttt!

Nathan Deal (my Rep) was a Dem when first elected quite a few years ago, and changed to Pub, so have quqite a few in State Gov't positions here in Ga. There were about 6 who were elected in 2002 who were elected as Dems and changed to Pug before they even took office in Jan.

Are you kidding? For God's sake, man! Who cares if you or he can name any individuals? There are tens of millions of them.

It's like asking whether you or know actually know any individuals from Massachusetts who are liberal. The voting record is so clear that anecdotal evidence is immaterial.

Before the mid-1960s, the South was solidly Democratic. Since then, it's become solidly Republican. LBJ said his legislation would give the country into the Republicans hands for a generation. Nixon used his Southern strategy to start turning the blue states red. Neither of them had the slightest question over what was happening or why. Nor should you.

It would complicate things with their knuckle-dragging base, dig? Most of those old racist blockheads slicked back their hair, rouged their lips and became repukes. Surely this is widely known?

... the 1860's, that is? It was republicans--the PARTY OF RECONSTRUCTION.

Democrats in power across the country were not always as enlightened as you suggest. And way too many, still aren't. The song “Backstabbers” is not an exclusive ode to Republicans.

and hallelujah !

Now not all the bigots are gone but they're now the minority and once we burn down that wizards curtain they'll do the right thing.

The racist south of the past is mostly dead. The remaining knuckle draggers vote for the Repugs. The Bushes have racist credentials. I am not aware of any racist Democrats in Texas. Texas was a Democratic state before the neocons blew in and it will be Democratic when they blow out again.

This is a progressive forum. Does wallowing in this old crap serve a purpose?

With you, that is.

The south actually isn't that tough of a nut to crack if you have relatable candidates who actually pay attention to them.

Did Kerry spend much time campaigning in the south?

We refused to let them form a separate nation down there, right next to us, and proceed to undercut our paid labor with their ungodly abomination of cruel, inhumane slave labor.

We took it down to them down there over 150 years ago and won, and we're going to take it to them down there again and win again!!!!!!!!!!!

With regard to the slave trade, right?

We're not supposed to talk about where the great early fortunes of New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island came from, how the Brown family (as in Brown University) got their money, etc. Might blow a lot of cherished myths of innocence if we get into that stuff.

that is the attitude that will keep the south with the repubs...remember, the south was solidly dem for years over almost a hundred to be exact. The south was an occupied country that suffered at the hands of the occupiers. Resentment set in. Had the north shown compassion, as Lincoln had wanted, reconstruction would have gone more smoothly and we might not have had the problems we did. The Dixiecrats were a wedge that opened the south. The base of voter in the south are the same Dem constituents else where. We just need to demonstrate why we are the party to protect their interests. Just because we may speak with an accent and speak slowly, doesn't mean we think with one or that we think slowly. Mind the manners when your down south....you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
Senora, that is not a slam at you, it is just that I see that attitude very commonly, so I felt it should be touched on. The south is winnable for the dems....definantly. And the south is not a solid bloc by ANY means.

I'm tired of our party confining itself to 8-10 "battle ground states." That is so lame and weak. We have a GREAT message and we have events, demographics, and the whole world on our side. Why shouldn't he go south, talk about the south, eat their damn food, and generally make a big deal about challenging the Republicans there? It's our time.

NEW LEADERS FOR A NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY. SOCIAL JUSTICE,INTERNATIONAL RESTRAINT, NO MORE “BUSH LITE”

That is all.

I am soooooooooooo sick of hearing politicians trying to appeal to the religious right, it is sickening and shows just how transparent and FAKE they really are.

the religious right completely contradicts Democratic values (i.e. equal rights, peace, etc.)

The religious right would NEVER vote Democratic, unless if we became repug clones. I wish our leaders would get that through their heads. Instead, they should go after the people who STILL don't vote and give them a REASON TO VOTE.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.14744291


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/507794

They aren't some monolithic stereotype. There are the religious right republicans, the religious right "leaders" and then the rank and file. The rank and file vary in their righteousness, so to speak. Many have been brainwashed into thinking that blind devotion to God means blind devotion to religious leaders and hence politicians.

They really need to know about Gu-Ga, the presstitute somebody in the whitehouse brought in to pose as a reporter. I think that would shake them up. They need to start seeing that while you can have a blind devotion to God you still need to question your religious leaders and especially when they start talking politics.

It can be done. It should be tried.

As for religion in general - the vast majority of Americans identify themselves as Christian. Most don't go to church, but they still identify with it. The country was founded on Christianity. It is one of the few common things we share in this motley, young country. The other I can think of is a common language. Recognizing Christianity as an important part of the Democratic party is not hypocrisy. It is not advocating Theocracy, either. The Democrats should differentiate themselves from right wing religious "leaders" though.

:hi:

county. The man can't even read!!! He will do what he is told, he wants to keep his job. He was a Demo when a Demo signed his county check; now a Rep signs his check.

Demos need to speak to Mississippi on the economic divide that is getting wider and wider. The race issue has gotten so much better that now all is needed is for the older generation like my parents to pass away and the remainder of the race issue that Mississippi is famous for will be gone and/or equal to any other state. Blacks and whites date and marry and then they buy homes in any neighborhood they wish .... you know ... normal by todays standards.

The class system which has taken it's place is between the "haves" and the "Have nots". The poor are getting poorer. The idea of investing in Wall Street is something most people in Mississippi have not even thought of because that is only for rich people; they don't trust rich people and they don't trust Wall Street.

In the 80s, I walked in a picket line to protest that the Senator and Congressman made more money that 99.9% of the people in their home state of Mississippi. I always thought that they should make a median income of the people they represent, maybe then they would have the incentive to better their home state ... so their own income would rise as well as their states median income.

Hi there, Enquiringkitty. I grew up in Ripley, MS, so long ago I have no idea who the sheriff is now. Actually I'm surprised a Democrat could have gotten elected to the office.

:D

been there, I couldn't get off work in time to make it to Jackson. :shrug:

Please be sure to post in the Mississippi forum all about it.

Thank you Howard Dean - if you ask a southerner for their vote, they will be loyal to you. If you assume they will vote for you and ignore them, they will ignore you.

It was quite disappointing. No I'm not a registered Democrat and never will register for a party. However I lean more towards the Left and went hoping to be inspired. I was not. It seemed Dean stressed that the Democratic party was all about empathy and compassion. I guess I feel I belong more on the 'fighting side' of the Left and it felt he was talking past me.

There is a wing of the Left that is just as cut-throat as the Republicans...but the ends are different. I want to support the necessary unemployed in our system but don't want to do it out of compassion...call me cynical but I don't think I am - I think it is the Just (Equitable) thing to do.

I was disappointed but one man is not an idea.

What can I say? This is getting hilarious.

was parroting talking points.

The fact that what Dean SAID was about compassion does not mean that he is, in essence, compassionate.

There exists no bright line test for being a Democrat...at least I hope or I'm out:) There are degrees and all aspects are needed and required...perhaps encouraging someone such as I could be beneficial.

that what Deane was referring to as compassion was no more than a requirement of the most elementary humanity - certainly from a Christian perspective; that giving to the poor (in this case structuring the economics of society equitably) should not be seen as an act of kindness of a compassionate heart, so much as the most elementary requirement of justice? That was how I read it, rightly or wrongly.

democratic party or the government...it needs to be overhauled.

I've seen Dean at a rally also, *YAWN*

Have a good night, I'm outta here...this is sad to watch. All these "liberals" falling for this Republican lite bullshit.

:kick:

You don't want to be compassionate about our unemployed? Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Dean has the right wing scared to death. He wants Christian principles applied to our society. The uber rich think of him as the plague. Way to go, Dr. Dean.

I want to provide them with the support that an affluent society should due to their necessity relating to capitalism. Empathy is not required for charity.

No, I don't want Christian principles applied to our society, I want principles of equal distribution and appropriate redistribution.

wants to apply NEW Testament Christian principles to our problems not Old Testament laws. About time someone realized that the NEW Testament is the true guiding principle of compassion and love.

Seems that Dean is doing exactly what we've wanted, a guy who can get the grassroots excited, a guy who will go into the heart of the myth and tell the truth, a guy who can organize and energize. I think it's quite possible that Howard could ignite the fire that will change the balance of power in 2006.

Yeeeeeahhhhh!

iron-poor blood, or something.

If Dr. Dean can't energize you, then nothing can.

only one that can energize me and thus has the only ideas that can energize me. Not the case. He is a human and fallible - plurality and free expression of ideas makes for a strong coalition.

"Praying for American troops and evoking biblical images of helping the needy, Howard Dean..."

And this is good news?

I have entered the twilight zone, I actually hear people in here supporting this Republican in sheep's clothing bullshit.

Where's the tinfoil?

Dean a republican?
Dean is too compassionate?
The only thing I can agree with is that this thread is in the twilight zone.

Howard Dean= heart and soul Democrat.
Oh I have an idea, how about we give up two years before the next election on an entire quadrant of the country, and bash our best hope in probably a decade for anything that isn't dead on exactly our own individual style and opinion. That's sure to win. NOT!

A s the good doctor says you may not always agree with him but you will always know where he stands. I love the man, bless his heart for working for us and anybody who disagrees can give me a big juicy kiss.

Fundie Repukes do not "evoke biblical images of helping the needy" because they are NOT followers of Christ, whose primary message was "help the needy."

Fundies follow Paul who, in the opinion of Thomas Jefferson, was the first corrupter of the teachings of Jesus and did not invoke the image of "helping the needy" in his many self aggrandizing letters that became 2/3 of the New Testament and have led the church astray ever since.

Fundie Republicans never talk about "helping the needy" - the concept is anathema to them, just as it was to the Pharisees when Jesus talked about it.

Dean invoking the words of Jesus, in an area heavily populated with people who call themselves Christians, WILL help penetrate the shroud of false teachings the Foulwells and Robbertsons - today's Pharisees - have thrown over the south (and the plains states) for decades now.

Jesus was a liberal. Liberals should not refrain from quoting his words.

Nice post, sonoradesertdem. The crowd loved his preachin', by the way.

:)

I still love Howard Dean.

When I went to see Michael Moore speak last December, one of his comments really stuck with me: "you need a permission slip from the poor to get into heaven."

Mullah falwell and ayatolla robertson know NOTHING of truly, genuinely helping the poor. All they want is more power and more money and more broadcast time and more say-so. They ARE the modern day Pharisees - in the flesh.

I'm sorry, but I'm as much an anti-religion person as there exists and I don't find any problem with tailoring a message to suit to your audience. If that's what it takes to get these people to listen, so long as it doesn't change our actual values, I'm fine with that.

Kerry fucking ignored us, thus perpetuating the "Massachusetts elitist" image.

What are we trying to accomplish here? Bashing red states might make a few blue state Democrats feel good. It has not political value. "Red" state moderates are not going to vote for a party that bashes them. I for one Texas Democrat am getting very tired of being attacked from both sides. Democrats should not be trying to defeat any state.

There is no shortage of incompetent politicians or critical issues to express passionate opinions about.

This should to be a team effort. We do not need your defeatism. If you do not have anything constructive to say then become a freeper or STFU!

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I think the noreasters forget what lies in their own backyards. They (New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Mass, NY) have some of the biggest redneck populations in the country as well. Harpers magazine had a thematic map a few years ago showing the population density of hate groups. Connecticut and PA came out on top. Oh yeah, Lieberman has more KKK members in his state, than any in the South.

Big fan of Molly Ivins BTW.

and LBJ, and Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Bill Moyers are from Texas, which was a southern state. Carter was from Georgia.... I could go on. The south is purple my friends. I think MLK once made a remark about better to be greeted by prejudice in the south with a snarl than in the north with a smile.

democrats again as they been so brain washed by rethugs and also had been ignored by democrats. Dean is taking the right approch.

Dean is da man!

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I read somewhere that leaders don't create a movement,
but the movement creates the leader. He is our leader.
The first one in a long, long time to actually listen
to the grassroots from all the red and blue states,
and to give powerful voice to our concerns.

Born and raised in Texas and now living in Chicago.
We can only hope that this red state, blue state
narrative doesn't tear us apart but further motivates
us, the dems to wards achieving greater unity, without
it, we're lost.

"Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living"
Mother Jones

Dean said that in Houston summer before last: the South will rise again. But he didn't mean the confederacy; he meant people for people, the Democrats.

Sue, born and raised in Dallas, now living in Houston

:hi:

If you haven't seen that already in Dean, keep watching! It's the sort of thing he's been saying all along. :)

Why not make yours there? Don't have a direct link, but look around. I think it was a blog entry by Dean, soon after his election.

DNC blog: http://www.democrats.org/index2.html

i have so many good feelings about dean, i really think we could work things out with him by our side.

This man is singlehandedly giving me hope in the Democratic party again.

That Dean also recieved significant coverage of this even throughout the state -- very positive coverage. In many cases, its the first positive coverage that national democrats have had in years.

GO DEAN.

That's incredibly important, and I'm sure it's one of the reasons he's doing it. He has talked about the fact that even if people don't agree with you, they respect you more if you've got the guts and respect for them to show up and tell them what you think and why.

And there he is!!

I love the way Dean is shaking things up...it's way past time. He's right--the south will rise again and it will be with a "D"...

As for Trent Lott and his "far-left" comment, all I can say is ...figures:eyes: since Trent Lott NEVER has anything nice to say about the Democratic party.

The only way we can win those states is if we run pro-life, anti-gay candidates. I can deal with running pro-lifers, just for the very red states. But I will never support a blantently anti-gay candidate.

The only way we'll win those states is to somehow go back in time and change our position on slavery.

These states have never shared political beliefs with those of the North and never will, simply because there's a fundamental desire to be separated. The only times in history they've voted with the North is on true consensus candidates, and there won't be one of those for quite a long time, barring a major (publicized and reported) scandal.

However, the rhetoric can and will be heard by those in the midwest and southwest, and it will be quite effective there, so I'm still happy about this.

Not to nitpick or anything, but the Democratic Party *was* the pro-slavery party. The Republicans were the anti-slavery party. A lot can change in 140+ years.

And I hardly think that most, or even many, modern-day Southerners are lying awake at night hoping for the return of slavery.

The titles of "Democrat" and "Republican" switched somewhere along the way. The core principles of the parties have remained in their various regions, however.

Further, I didn't say they were waiting for slavery. What I mean is they're still pissed about the civil war. Don't believe me? Take a drive through the south and report back to me on how many confederate flags and "The South Will Rise Again!" signs you come across.

the rallying point if you will. The primary issue was STATES RIGHTS and their sovereignty over Federal Law. Everyone focuses on the slavery but many that fought did not own slaves. They fought for the rights of states against those of the federal government. There still is a strong belief in this, which explains why the GOP is popular, but the current GOP is anything BUT states rights. They have this uber alles thing going on and it is becoming more evident.

Explain why then they insisted one slave state be admitted to the Union for each Free state before the Civil War. Explain why ratifying the 14th Amendment was the main criterion for re-admission to the Union.

Not everyone in MS is pro-life, anti-gay, if you think that, then you are mistaken.

What happened in 2004? 40% voted for Kerry - why not more? Because nobody cared, no one courted the vote. Southerners are funny about their politics - if you don't ask them for their vote, they generally won't give it to you. They stuck with what they knew as opposed to the other guy that they didn't know and that didn't bother to ask them for their votes. Local politicians that run in Mississippi for state, county or city offices know that they still have to campaign the old fashioned way, door to door, asking for the votes. Neshoba County Fair is still one of the largest political stops in the state.

Not everyone in Mississippi is backwards, racist, uneducated, homophobic and anti-abortion. Many folks wear shoes (I have at least 5 complete pairs <sarcasm>), alligators don't live in our backyards, we have several colleges/universities, etc.

as far as social policy is concerned, it's a very conservative state. I don't think "everyone" is pro-life and anti-gay, but a very strong majority is, at least from what I've seen from the polls. If I'm wrong, tell me, and I'll be happy. But from what I've seen, I'd have a hard time believing the MS is anything but a bright, bright red state, culturally conservative.

The dem party fell apart, unable to find its center over the last 4 years. Just like the rest of the party, they allowed the spin of the right to emasulate them, believing the moral right rhetoric. Musgrove would have won for governor, probably did, they were worried that they would have to get the dem controlled house to declare a winner, then all of the sudden the elephant babar won. We have had dem AG's for years, give us a strong candidate and we put them in office. Give us a candidate that reaches out to us and we fight like hell for 'em.

Babar should have lost, he is a carpetbagger from Washington, DC, returned to the state to piratize what he can and to pilfer our coffers. He wants more, so he will probably run for a federal job or vp or prez. I think they did a dry run on the election theft during the Musgrove/Babar campaign for Gov. Disenfranchising the voter is a common practice in MS. Employers tell employees that they will know who they voted for and they better not vote dem, bonuses hinge on the vote, it's been happening for years. If the party were concerned about the voters, the voters would be concerned about the party.

What about the Dems who are elected there? Are they socially liberal, moderate or conservative?

As I said, the dems in the state are scared of their shadows, just like most dems around the nation. They don't appreciate the fact that they need to stand up for who they are and what they believe and that they need to label themselves, not allow the repukes to label them. Carter's impeachment hearings hurt the party and have confused most of our leaders. They believe that the moral majority are the ones that control when in essence, the average citizen will tell you he is not a fundie or a member of the moral majority, he is just a patriot that goes to church and loves his family.

who's liberal on social issues win? In other words, do you think a candidate who's strongly pro-choice and supports gay civil unions (ala Kerry) would have a chance there? I'm curious.

in my opinion, is where you make your biggest mistake. Its as if are saying you are "for us or against us", restricting the party to one or two issues or at the very least, some very limited stances. That is what has created the great divide that is the political scene today.

Most people can separate the issues, we just don't give them credit for that ability. It's sort of like the way the Vatican addressed the choices in 2004. The Vatican actually advised that you had to look at all of the stances of each candidate, not just one or two, but all views on the issues regarding capital punishment, feeding and clothing the poor, taking care of the sick, treatment of prisoners along with their stance on abortions and gay marriages.

Dems need to reach out and say we cherish our constitutional rights and the constitutional rights of all citizens. If we are pro-choice that means we respect the woman's right to make decisions about her body. If we are not homophobic, it means we support the individuals right to privacy and have relationships with any adults they deem right for them. We need to say we think everyone has the right to own guns because the 2nd amendment provides that.

We have allowed our party to be defined by the other side and that is where we are wrong. IMHO

Dems don't have to run pro-life anti-gay candidates to win in the South, but they won't win running a candidate who's too liberal either. Edwards won in NC and he is the type of candidate Dems will have to run to win in the South. And its not just the South that is socially conservative--most of the Midwest and mountain states are as well. Dems are probably going to run a pro-life candidate for Senate in PA and he has a decent chance at winning.

Additionally, all the states that have considered amendments banning gay marriage have passed them. However you look at it, most Americans oppose gay marriage. If the South is backward on any one issue its still race relations. On other issues, like guns or gay marriage, a majority opposes the Dem position in most states.

Anyway, its pretty unlikely that Dems will be a majority in the Senate or House without winning something in the South.

And most people in the country support applying basic anti-discrimination laws to homosexuals.

I have read 'and sorry' even said some bad things about the red states. But every Dem in a red state has just as much love for the party as a Dem in a blue state. That just does what the republicans want, drive a wedge further between us.

I applaud Dr. Dean for reaching out. We need to hold on to all the blue but grab some of them reds by working together not by calling the south stupid or ignorant as some Dems do.

Go HD! :toast:

this is Trent Lott's home state. Bush can get 2000 people to fill a dog and pony show for his Soc. Security program and we get 900 in a room designed for 800 and the guy is not even the person who was our candidate...HELLO America get a clue, who won the election? How many of these will it take? I say he should just keep touring the country to record crowds, that will piss bush off more than anything else!

More of this, please, Dr. Dean. Give 'em hell, Howard!

..I suspect Bush's votes there were more about the war (and people's belief that it's safer to re-elect a wartime president), and it was about being frightened by Dr. Dick Doom threatening that a vote for Kerry was dangerous, and I think it was the fact that we really didn't work the South hard enough. I met quite a few people in my own state that you would consider "rednecks", their attitude about gays and marriage.. is 'live and let live, as long as they don't bother with me, I don't care what they're doing'. There is a lot of that. Now.. Bush was able to harness the indecent power of the evangelical and fundamentalist machine with that issue, but the ordinary voters aren't sitting around in fear of gays marrying.

It's more of a PR problem for Dems in the South. Dean is RIGHT ON to say that we are not conceding the South. Anywhere poverty and joblessness and education problems are rampant, is NO PLACE for the Republicans to have control.

When Dean came to TX for MULTIPLE visits, he accomplished something with long-lasting results,

he introduced local Dems to EACH OTHER.

I turned out by myself to events I heard about in the media, not knowing a soul. I cannot tell you how I almost cried with relief to enter rooms and homes PACKED WITH FELLOW DEMS. And everybody there was so damn happy to meet other local Dems, it was like a long-lost family reunion.

We were so energized, encouraged and emboldened to simply meet and be together those first few times. We knew we weren't alone and we bonded together as a tribe - there is power in numbers.

Since then, we have continued to be a close-knit and ever expanding group, constantly in touch with each other, going to and planning events together, bolstering each other's political (and social) activities, etc.

THIS IS HOW WE WILL RE-MAKE OUR PARTY IN THE SOUTH.

By simply showing the hell up (no one else ever did), Dean did more for the Texas Dem party than anyone outside our state can ever imagine.

Dean gets it, he really, really does get it.

Good for all y'all to get and stick together. :)

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Everybody keep him in your prayers...

asked the audience a series of questions to which they were invited to raise their hands if this applied to them/someone they knew. He asked did they/or knew someone who needed a job, anyone who was w/o health care and a host of other questions and the audience hands were up on every question, then he said who knows anybody that is seeking to marry the same sex, no hands up, he said seems we got hijacked.
Yes Dean gets a lot of it, he knows how to appeal to what the needs of people are and to educate them on divisive issues the repugs use to spread fear and hate. I just wish he didn't have to be almost a one man army.

old fashioned Democratic revival...all over the South and interior USA. Reframe the issues in ways plain old folks can understand and bend the ear of local news, if the national MSM wants to ignore us. Repeat the Democratic messages over and over. Inspire the grassroots and then get them to organize.

Do this continuously between now and 2006. Basically we have to pretend TV doesn't exist and the Newspapers are against us. We need to deprogram people.

Go Dean Go!

He is running a fine show. Making us call center reps proud.

Dean is 100% right in am in a blue county in a red southern state & there are more registered Democrats in Ky than Republicans.Dean needs to start now to define the issues & not let the Republicans do it again..