Southerners- How do you all think Edwards' speech played out?

[depakid]

I'm sure I'll hear every possible criticism from my family- particularly with respect to the healthcare statements.

The moral obligations thing interests me- I hear "moral" arguments from them all the time that I wonder about.

Comments?

[Catch22Dem]

1. Why

Would your family have a problem with the healthcare statements?

[depakid]

2. They might think

it sounds a lot like the Republican plans for Health Savings Plans. Tax credits are not going to help people who are suffering.

[Rowdyboy]

3. I was majorly impressed...

He really had the speech nailed and I really think he hit all the right notes. If Dems don't get a bigger share of the military vote this time, we never will. He was very effective, and really connected with the crowd and I can really understand why he is such an effective trial lawyer.

He gives me great hope.

[depakid]

7. I guess I got suckered by high expectations

Maybe I expected a little more populist fire- but then again, maybe that kind of thing doesn't ignite passion anymore in the South. I don't know. That's why I was asking.

[Rowdyboy]

11. Whats really wild, my partner's 82 year old southern baptist aunt

asked him about Obama last night. She had seen him and was VERY impressed. I was shocked she would even watch a speech by a black man, much less that she would like it. That really goes to show how powerful he was last night.

[SunDrop23]

4. He closed the deal.

[ocean girl]

6. Fabulous, Fabulous and did I mention, Fabulous!!! n/t

[SunDrop23]

15. So you liked it? LOL

[Kipepeo]

5. just checking in

as a Southerner who thought it played mighty well! Of course, I am a Democrat who is now transplanted on the west coast but even my fundie dad, still in the south had to admit: great speech!

This makes me optimistic. My mom, who saw Fahrenheit 9/11 has been leaning my way, but my Repuke dad is a lot more brainwashed than she. I think this hit something within him....thank god he's an old school Republican that watches BOTH conventions. :)

[Kipepeo]

9. I just wanted to add

I think the biggest thing for me that he talked about is the 2 different school systems. Everyone in the south knows that if you've got a lot of money you get a good education. And if not...well, you have to make do.

Our PUBLIC schools should NOT be funded based on property taxes! How fucked up is that? So a school with few kids in a rich neighborhood has all the latest technology, fewer teachers per student, and the most field-trips and the latest textbooks....while a school in poorsville, USA has one or two computers at best, outdated textbooks and only one teacher per 30 or 40 students. Screw that! I appreciated this part of his speech most of all.

[depakid]

10. I hope you're right

My old dad is a lot like yours- he listens to both sides- and he's getting downright fed up.

[Kipepeo]

13. Woo hoo!

Glad to know I'm not alone. I think there are probably lots out there. And my dad is a Rush Limbaugh-addicted, FAUX news-twisted old school Republican in South Carolina. I think he's waking up to the fact (VERRRY slowly...he still refuses to even see Fahrenheit 9/11) that his party might have been taken over by a new breed of fiscal-liberal, U.N.-alienating, PNAC nutcases who cut veterans pay and send soldiers (like he was) into war for no reason.

[depakid]

24. The Chief (that's what we call him) is a damn smart individual

and a WW II vet. He knows a few things- and yet he's very loyal.

It's sometimes hard to get through to people who think and feel like he does. For example, he thinks the world of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse of the Lakota. An odd analogy, yet telling, if you hink about it.

[Kipepeo]

28. your dad is called

"The Chief?" That's really awesome. I wish I had a kind and respectable nickname for my dad! :)

My grandfather is also a WWII vet; he's 84 years old now this December. Since my whole family (most of it) became indoctrinated with the "new" conservatism when I was a kid I just assumed that was what all Conservatives felt and that he was cut from that same cloth. Not so.

He told me, after the fact, that he voted for Gore in 2000 because he hates Bush and he hates his father and then he said, in typical endearing understated Papa fashion: "You know what that war is about? It's about O-I-L!" He's the only one in my gigantic fundie SC family (other than my brother and sister) that I know for SURE is voting FOR veterans (and not against them) by voting for Kerry. I love my Papa. Only wish the media didn't pretend that people like him don't exist.

[salonghorn70]

8. Texas is Probably More Southwest Than South

I think it probably played very well to the average voter here in Texas who isn't a Democrat or Republican activist. I think that it probably played very well with those Democrats in Texas who are middle of the road. And despite what Hightower says, there are more middle of the roaders than leftests or rightists.

[Nevernose]

18. Depends on which part

West Texas is out West; East Texas is down South. But I'm sure yuo knew that already. :)

I missed the speech (I was at work), so I have no idea how it played to people in places like Texarkana or Nacogdoches. Any clues?

[supernova]

12. He played great in the Supernova household

:D

I'll know more tomorrow when I'm out and about. ;-)

[depakid]

20. I'll know tomorrow, too

The old man as well as a sister and a brother live in North Carolina-

I think I must have been mixed up at birth, because I really don't understand how they think. Seems to me that Edwards was trying to get at an audience- and may have been a little over rehersed.

For what it's worth- I think Elizabeth and Catharine had his back- and I think that might be something important to note.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

14. Um

I doubt anyone I know watched it, except my good friends who are Dems, too and they probably loved it like I did.

Funny--my daughter is out in the living room watching the roll call and she keeps clapping and yelling "Kerry!"

Hee hee.

[JohnKleeb]

16. oh he was great

Virginian here.

[AnnInLa]

17. Louisiana checking in

Well, we for sure knew what he was talking about....he speaks our language. As for delivery, we are more moved by the technique of Rev. Sharpton.

That being thoughtfully reported, DAMN, he looks gooood!

[nomaco-10]

19. He was super suave smooth, especially how he conveniently lost.....

his pseudo southern accent. Seen him speak a hundred times, he always adjusts his accent for whatever geo-"dem"ographical region he's in.

[supernova]

21. A lot of us do that

in linguistics it's called code switching i.e. you have several dialects from which to choose and you pick the one the most closely resembles the group you are with.

Most people have at least 3-4 dialects they can choose from.

[demgrrrll]

23. That is true. It may seem a little phony to some people but part of my

family is from Connecticut and part of my family were dirt poor Appalachian folk, when I am in a southern/country area I speak differently because you just get into the rhythm of it all. Can't explain it and it isn't planned it just happens.

[supernova]

25. It's mostly unconcious

yes.

And Edwards may have been thinking more along the lines of "here's where I want to be really clear.." whenever he seemed to tone down the accent.

[jdj]

26. poor white trash here as well.

Lost the accent for college, revived it in a serious way to work with folks in factories in South Carolina.

This may be the first generation of southerners that doesn't have to lose their accent, thanks in a large part to reality tv showing the true regional accent differences in this country and to a slew of pop stars like Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson having southern accents and major exposure. Before, everyone ground their accent down to slightly mid-western white for tv, now it's like people get to be themselves. Edward's accent is NOT fake; a non-accent would be the fake or affected part, but in the world he came into he learned to drop it to be taken more seriously, just like women have to do certain things to deflect people's preconceived notions. I have been insulted by non-southerners who think my accent makes me stupid so many times that as far as I am concerned anyone who has a problem with Edwards or any southerner using their accent to their own advantage can just go screw themselves.

[Skip Intro]

22. From SC

I think Edwards is an asset to the ticket. I think he'll make a fine VP. I liked very much to hear him speak on poverty - real compassion.

But honestly, I'm not quite comfortable when he talks about Iraq. Don't know if that has anything to do with being southern.

But he's a great asset to the ticket. You have to win in order to win. And I'm not so sure SC's a given this time around. Its definitely not as safe for * as it was before Edwards was chosen.

:)

[jdj]

27. about Iraq, he was definitely a poly-

tician, if you know what I mean.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

29. Edwards has to say what it takes to win...what they do after that may...

...be a completely different story. My personal best guess is that things will change for the better in Iraq...possibly due to the fact that the Kerry/Edwards team can be trusted by our foreign allies.