A Southern Republican assesses the Dem candidates

[Stuckinthebush]

I spent this past week in South Carolina with my father-in-law due to the death of my wife's grandmother. I have mentioned on previous threads that he is how I stay in touch with the Southern Republican mindset.

My father in law is a conservative who is thoughtful. He will analyze candidates based on their positions (for the most part), but is very much swayed by the media like most people in America. Many people in his small town in South Carolina listen to him and accept what he says without question, so I figure that his perceptions are shared by many in town.

On our candidates -

Dean - "I don't think he has the experience or the temperament for the job. While I think the whole scream thing was way overblown, it was just another instance where his lack of composure was viewed by the public via the media. Southerners are wary of him and probably wouldn't support him. The Republicans really, really want him to be the nominee because they think they can paint him as a New England Liberal out of touch with America."

Edwards - "He doesn't have the experience to be President yet. Whoever the nominee eventually is, however, should have him on the ticket because he could be a good VP and he is a Southerner."

Clark - "He makes many people nervous. I can't put my finger on it, but people just don't like him. He can't win in the South."

Kucinich/Sharpton - "Forget about it."

Lieberman - "He is a good moderate, but let's be honest, Southerners are not going to vote for a New England Jew. That is wrong, but that is the way it is right now."

Kerry - "People like him. Like Dean, he can be painted as a New England liberal, but he has a military and veterans record that no one can touch. Southerners like that - they like the fact that he stands up for veterans and will fight for them. He is seen as very presidential which is something that people really want now. They want someone who makes them feel safe and comfortable - they don't want flashy. If Kerry wins the nomination, he has to put Edwards on the ticket. If that happens, he wins the presidency. Southerners will vote for that ticket."

I asked him if he would support Kerry. He thought for a minute and said, "I'll vote for Kerry over Bush if he is the eventual nominee of the Democratic Party."

While this Dean supporter didn't like his take on Dean, I loved his stand on Kerry.

So, if my father-in-law is a fair indicator of GOP voters in the South, a Kerry/Edwards ticket is the way to go.

[lancdem]

1. Thanks for the report!

[sistersofmercy]

2. Wow thanks for sharing the info.;

I know Republicans in St Louis who are taking a look at Kerry because they are not happy with bush*.

[stepnw1f]

3. Sorry about the loss...

[Stuckinthebush]

7. Thanks...

She was 86 years old and lived a wonderful life. We had a great celebration of her life.

[aintitfunny]

4. Your post made me happy

I am a Southerner by birth and heart, now living in Maryland (still south of the Mason Dixon Line). It is so refreshing to read little tidbits of rationality, reason and hope from the right. I spoke to my dear friend last night. She is a staunch conservative, Republican. Even she was making murmurs about not voting for Bush. She has not come out and said it, but the attitude was vastly different than historically. Very promising.

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. excellent post

I love reading stuff like this.

[JuniorPlankton]

6. Pure joy! n/t

[mikehiggins]

8. A thoughtful conservative

Unfortunately, your dad is a minority of a minority.

Still, it is good he can see the value in being against Bush.

Kudos to him. I wish more conservatives would recognise that the most liberal democrat running would be better for our nation than four more years of the Invisible Airman.

[Rainbowreflect]

9. I think his point of Edwards as Kerry's VP is important.

I think that would be a winning ticket.

[D G]

20. Definitely!

Eight years of Kerry, eight years of Edwards... I could live with that.

[StClone]

10. Clark is too Smart it's dawned on me!

"Clark - "He makes many people nervous. I can't put my finger on it, but people just don't like him. He can't win in the South."

He not chummy and blissfully ignorant appearing. Darn I never thought that this would be the problem. But Bush's "Stupidity" was an asset while intellect is Clark's anchor. Welcome to the USA home of the frightened little bunnies of anti-intellectualism.

[Stuckinthebush]

12. Perhaps

He also mentioned Clarks inexperience in politics and the way he got into the race as factors.

I'll give you this - we definitely have an anti-intellectual streak in the South.

I thought my FIL would love Clark because of his economics background. I was wrong.

[PATRICK]

22. Eisenhower

had that hapless uncharismatic dumbness appeal that belied a stronger intelligence underneath. That actualkly helped with the coomon folk that already had him on a pedestal. Clark is far smarter and more eloquent and shows it- without a pedestal. Also he is a decisive activist against the establishment. The American military since the Civil War usually plays it safe, relying on our vast resources and attrition. Usually a maverick is a potential dictator or conqueror. That fits more the MacArthur mold who had conservative adorers. Clark is a new phenom and jumped into politics as a populist idealist with military order as salvation in the mix. His supporters cannot even match the MacArthur pomp pumpers in the Truman days. Clark is his own best asset, but he needs far more for a primary like this and turn around the mix of disquiet and misunderstandings of activists and common voters.

[meow mix]

11. he likes lieberman and kerry, no one else..

that makes perfect sense since those 2 belong with each other.
other pubs i know feel the same way..

[DinahMoeHum]

13. I could go with Edwards as a VP/running mate. . .

If an a-hole like Dan Quayle can become a VPOTUS, anybody can.

Edwards, despite his age and short experience, would balance the ticket very nicely.


:kick:

[mot78]

19. He's 50!!!

He's four years OLDER than when Clinton got elected.

[x-g.o.p.er]

14. This southern (ex) Republican agrees...

First of all, my condolences to the passing of your wife's g'ma.

Secondly, as a fellow southern conservative who feels like he got bush-whacked, you father-in-law's analyasis is spot-on.

My friends and I voted for Bush in 2000, and are dismayed at many things about his presidency--when I accumulate enough posts I shall start my own thread and post my tome on why I, for the good of the republic, shall vote abb in Nov.

My first inclination is Dean, because of his fiscally conservative policies in Vermont. But I feel he is toast. And he wasn't done in by the media, or by dirty tricks, but by himself. Just my opinion.

I REALLY like Edwards. If he can get some momentum from SC, I will campaign for him. That guy is as smooth as 12 year old scotch, and I love his optimistic message. If he can mange the nomination, he'll win it.

Kerry is next. I like him for two reasons. First, he's a veteran and he's always stood up for veteran's rights. As an active duty guy who's retiring in a couple years, the assault on veteran's benefit's has me greatly alarmed. Second, he is not the current occupant of 1600 Penn Ave. If he can come across as holding down the profligate federal spending...he will win.

I would vote for Lieberman, too, but he won't make it past the end of next week.

Clark gives me the willies. Every time I see him I think of the movie Dr Strangelove. Can't put my finger on it, but I feel it's there. No offense to Clark supporters, but I just can't bring myself to support him. Maybe over time, he would grow on me.

Kucinich/Sharpton...sorry, I would vote Libertarian before I would vote for either of those guys. I respect their views, and Sharpton is entertaining as hell in those debates, but I couldn't live with any one of their policy proposals.

Just a snapshot from a guy who used to be "on the other side of the fence."

[Stuckinthebush]

15. Thanks for the triangulation...

That helps to validate my FIL's thoughts.

[WildClarySage]

16. When my RW sis said she was ABB

I knew it was all over for * & the rovemachine.

[RichM]

17. This is an unusually valuable post, offering real insight into the

thought process of the social type you're describing. It rings very true, as a reflection of the thinking of a large group of voters.

Unsurprisingly, I don't agree with much of what your father-in-law says about these candidates. But I have no doubt that you've accurately represented how he sees it.

Thanks for posting this.

[dolstein]

18. Well, this Virginia native thinks your father-in-law is dreaming

if he thinks Southernors are going to vote for John Kerry simply because he surrounds himself with veterans and taps John Edwards as his running mate.

[Stuckinthebush]

24. Who do you think Southern GOP voters would most likely support?

n/t

[DjTj]

25. Edwards/Clark or Edwards/Kerry or Edwards/Graham...

...is the opinion of this Virginian...

but even then I think it would be very tough to ever win Virginia.

[dolstein]

26. I think you're right

Edwards probably has the best shot. But he'd have to devote a lot of time and money, and even then it would still be a gamble.

[seafan]

21. Sorry for your family's loss, Stuckinthebush.

Appreciate your father-in-law's take on our candidates.

From summarizing his comments, these are the apparent liabilities of each of our candidates as your Southern Republican dad-in-law sees them:

Dean: Questions about experience/temperament and the perceived ease of painting him as a fringe liberal by the media

Edwards: Lack of experience in government

Clark: Vague feeling that people don't like him and that he can't win in the South. (Nothing particularly factual here, IMHO.)

Kucinich/Sharpton: He doesn't feel they have the support needed.

Lieberman: A good moderate, but wouldn't garner the votes in the South

Kerry: Could be painted as NE liberal, but has a good record on veterans' issues. Seen as Presidential. "They want someone who makes them feel safe and comfortable - they don't want flashy."


Your conservative father-in-law's observations seem quite astute.


A few of the above points I emphasized to reminisce about Bob Graham's prior candidacy... how I wish he had received more respectable attention from the media for his record and qualifications. Your father-in-law is right when he suggests that we need comfort, safety and substance over flash in our candidate. That's what Bob Graham always was.

Thanks for your post.

[loudsue]

23. That's what I'm hearing in rural North Carolina, also....

Everyone around here, who is ABB, is saying the same thing about each of the candidates that your F-i-L said. North and South Carolina seem to agree on what flies, and what their values are concerning each candidate.

That said, I think Kerry may take N & S Carolina, but second & third place will be interesting to watch. Just a guess: It will still probably be Edwards, Dean & Clark in the next slots.

After watching the debate in S.C. last night, I am SOOOOOO glad Sharpton is staying in the debate as long as it takes. His voice is clear and refreshing, and humorous. I won't be surprised if he gets quite a few votes in the south, in spite of his low polling numbers. Sharpton actually "speaks southern", and speaks in a way that southerners understand things to be.

I don't think Sharpton stands an ice cube's chance in hell of getting the nomination, but I think he may garner more votes in the south than previously thought.

:kick: