Dean: South should stop basing votes on "race, guns, God and gays"

Would you feel the same way if a Republican said it?

 

honestly it depends on their voting record and how they said it. If it was something like what Trent Lott said, I would be concerned. Not a huge mistake, but a moderate one. If it was like some of the remarks that John McCain has made about calling people gooks etc. it wouldn't be as bad.

 

I can't even begin to count how many times I've heard conservatives, both on this board and beyond, say that Democrats don't care about blacks and take their vote for granted, yet the blacks continue to vote for Democrats in large numbers. Isn't that the same thing?

 

This statement is hillarious because you are saying it to T_J

 

didn't you just say in an earlier thread you were glad you didn't vote based solely on your pocketbook??? that your decision on healthcare for the elderly was one of principle, even if it ultimately cost you some money? how is that different than these folks?

 

why go after dean on this issue when he's shooting himself in the foot?

 

Conservative candidates or conservative talk host boobs?

 

Does it matter?

Max,

I'm not sure how my views are relevant to this discussion and it proves my point, actually. If they vote that way, that's fine. However, Dean believes that they would be better off voting based on Democratic economic principles. I fail to see how that's any different than any other politician who wants voters to vote with them.

 

Look, I heard the speech. He was totally misquoted.

He said, "The South should stop basing votes on ray guns and cod!"

I actually think that's even more disturbing, but I wanted to set the record straight.

 

As I have been saying for months, I think he is the perfect match for Dean, and has been running for the second spot the whole time.
(I don't like Graham, by the way, but he compliments Dean so much... Ultra experienced in every place Dean is not. Never lost a race in Florida. Senator. Governor. Foriegn policy. Strong on defense but against the war...)

 

B-Bob, Lol.

Besides the condescension (if I'd have ever considered voting for him, he can forget it now), it's a bit ridiculous the way he writes off the issues of race, guns, God and gays as if they are entirely unimportant. People don't vote only their financial self-interest; these issues are important to Southerners and, frankly, the whole country. For him to say that's a non-issue that people shouldn't be fretting about is ridiculous. Who is he to say which issues are important to us? If he doesn't want to address in office the things voters want addressed then there is no reason to vote for him.

 

Besides guns,

What exactly is the point of basing your votes on race and gays. There will always be racial differences and there will always be gays.

 

Dean is the first Democrat in a long time to aggressively court Southern votes. He's not apologizing for his liberal ideas, and he's challenging voters to see beyond knee-jerk reactionary issues.

Will it work? Who knows? But you gotta admire his courage. He's got my vote.

 

Well, luckily you live in Texas where your vote for President doesn't count unless it's for the incumbent.

All politicians tell us what we should vote for. This is no different.

 

On the subject of race, one may have strong feelings one way or the other on affirmative action. On gays, one may have strong feelings one way or the other on civil unions. Both debates are pretty heavy right now in American discourse. It seems natural to me that voters wouldn't want a cadidate to ignore those things.

RM95, I hear ya. I think it is true that politicians often bring subjects into the public consciousness and make it an issue for people to think about and vote about. And, that's what he's doing in saying Southerners should look at what the democrats would do for jobs, health insurance and whatnot. But, what politicians don't really get to do is to make people stop talking about a thing or thinking it is important. Such issues now in the public discourse will remain there until people feel that it has been resolved... or they get tired of it. But, a politician telling someone that the thing they hold a strong conviction for is irrelevant is (1) not common and (2) not going to help you get votes.

Really, what Dean's saying here is: I represent you when it comes to your desire to have health insurance, to have work, to have justice in the tax code; but I don't represent you in your desire to preserve marriage, to defeat affirmative action, to protect your right to bear arms, or to allow your free expression of Christianity. Great, if I were the hypothetical Southerner he was talking to, he appeals to 3/7ths of my political desires; that'll work.

 

I see your point Juan. I honestly don't think he's doing that, he's just being politically clumsy. I think he'll get his message out much better the next time. For now, I'm just happy that he's a Democrat who's trying to appeal to everyone.

 

Excellent analysis.

 

nicely put

you have my vote

 

Why are southern conservatives so outraged by this comment? Is it because there is some truth to it? Given the strong reaction, it must have hit close to home.

If it was a completely wacko statement, Dean himself would be dismissed as a wacko and nobody would even bother to mention it (see Farrakhan).

If there is truth to it, then it's worth discussing.

I applaud his courage to say what so many demoncrats have felt for a long time. No votes are lost because anybody offended by this comment wasn't going to vote for him anyway.