Kerry: Forget the South ?

[fujiyama]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/Politics/Vote2004/kerry_south_040126-1.html

Wow, this was a dumb thing to say. While I'm definetely against putting resources into states that have little chance of voting democratic, I can't believe Kerry would actually make such a strategy public. It really seems idiotic. Also, it seems unecessary to write off states we may have a fighting chance in like say Louisiana.

Either way, some in the south will look at this statement and think "Zell Miller is right".

I must say this gaffe of Kerry's might stick and hurt him big -- after all he's already the "Taxachussets, Ted Kennedy liberal"

As one having been skeptical of Dean's ability to compete after several gaffes (and I still am), I must say publically saying 'we can win without so and so a region' is foolish. Sure, we will think these things, but a candidate need not express this publically. Contrast this to Dean's call for unity among lower class whites and blacks, with his confederate flag comment months ago...

And while it's true the GOP plays regional politics more than anyone else, they're more subtle about it...and they're southern base is probably larger and more efficient than ours on the NE.

[La_Serpiente]

1. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=194905

[Loren645]

2. His arrogance is really starting to bite him in the ass.

He's criss-crossing NH smugly telling people he doesn't need
their votes: if you have a problem with the IWR "don't vote for me,"
if you're in the South, he's already written you off.

Even if he really believes that, is it a good idea to tell
everyone in the South they're irrelevant? Not exactly the
unity candidate, huh? More like the Yankee yaley looking
down his nose at *them*.

He only stayed humble as long as it took to be declared the
front runner.

I hope Hollings does withdraw his endorsement.

"Kerry's remarks Saturday were so starkly antithetical to how many southern Democrats feel their party should campaign for the presidency, that a former South Carolina state Democratic chairman told ABCNEWS that Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C., who endorsed Kerry last week, perhaps "ought to reconsider his endorsement."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/Politics/Vote2004/kerry_south_040126-1.html

[emulatorloo]

8. He's doing nothng of the sort - he is criticizing Repub divisivness

He is saying that the south has same concerns as other parts of country

from an article without wacky ABC spin
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/01/26/politics1351EST0647.DTL&type=printable

Snip

He said his message is resonating in all parts of the country, including the South and other areas in which Democrats have not won.

"The South is not a foreign country," he said. "If all they want to do in this campaign is throw labels around, they've got a problem."

Kerry said voters in all regions of the country respond to the same message of bolstering the economy and social justice. "What we need to do is go across this country and connect the dots for people," he said.

[sventvkg]

3. Kerry is a boob and has no chance of winning an election..

Non one I know thinks he would win...Dean or Clark and that's it...The rest need to drop out...How the heck did Kerry all of a sudden surge to the front of the pack? Maybe it's his Skull and Bones connections???...It's certainly not because anyone that I have ever spoken to supports this guy...I'm starting to get disgusted and if a Beltway boy wins the nom, I'm just going to start stocking up and preparing for the impending new world order that is certain to come with another 4 years of the Nazi's....Impending doom unless we elect the correct person here...

[AnnitaR]

4. South: Forget Kerry!

Yet one more reason to not like this guy in the least. His arrogance is going to bite him in the ass.

Kerry just knows he has ZERO chance in the South so he's just trying to downplay expectations here.

[isbister]

5. a dumb thing to say.

What was a dumb thing to say?

[isbister]

6. Where does Kerry say:

'we can win without so and so a region'

as you have quoted? Do you have a link?

[emulatorloo]

7. No, Kerry said South has same concerns as rest of country

Not forget South, but forget labels and division. People in the south want jobs, good education, etc etc etc

See this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=197529

from an article without wacky ABC spin
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/01/26/politics1351EST0647.DTL&type=printable

Snip

He said his message is resonating in all parts of the country, including the South and other areas in which Democrats have not won.

"The South is not a foreign country," he said. "If all they want to do in this campaign is throw labels around, they've got a problem."

Kerry said voters in all regions of the country respond to the same message of bolstering the economy and social justice. "What we need to do is go across this country and connect the dots for people," he said.

[Uzybone]

9. Man

I'm seriously beginning to wonder about this site. Don't people read the articles before they comment? Or they just read slanted editorial headlines and start blathering out nonsense. Where does Kerry say or even suggest "Forget the South"?

[blm]

10. Comprehension...you don't have to change positions to APPEAL to the south.

You don't change who you are. You don't pander as a southern strategy.

Kerry is right.

[Moderator]

11. Locking- Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=194905

Thanks,
DU Moderator