Reply #59: I've lived in the South most of my life

[Jacobin]

I think Kerry would bomb in the South. Its hard to describe why, except to say that he appears to be the type of NE'er vilified by RWers.

Dean is much more plain-spoken and direct. His message (health care, war, balanced budget, taxes on the wealthy) should resonate if Dean can get past being painted as a "commie-librul" etc that Limbaugh has already started.

Dean does not culturally appear to be a NE'er (not what would be perceived by my fellow southerners as smug, coiffed, indirect, etc). Maybe he is more like an old fashioned "yankee".

I'm very hopeful about Dean. He's the closest thing to what I would call a moderate Dem that is in the running who has momentum and a chance to run. Makes me feel very very old to have Dean described as a "liberal"....it'd be almost funny if it weren't so sad and scary.

Twenty-five years ago he would have been classified as a moderate republican.