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And please, I mean this with the utmost sincerity, when we talk about the South and red states in these terms, we're not even coming CLOSE to disavowing the fact that we do have many allies there and that all southerners AREN'T Republican/rednecks/bigots/any other term. Personally, I think southern Democrats are the highest commodity that we have, and I admire the hell out of them for putting up with everything you do. But none of it changes the facts that it would really take a major revelation for us to win in most of these southern states. I would give us a chance to win on a national level in Missouri, Arkansas, Virginia, and Florida. And while we might pull out victories in Governor, Senate, and/or Congressional races in ANY state, we have a severely uphill climb in the South.
For right now, at least, I think we should focus our national efforts and resources on the West and Midwest. I think we have some real potential in places like Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, the Dakotas, Iowa, and Ohio, mostly because it wouldn't require a drastic change in our core values, only the way in which we package our messages. The problem with the south is that I think there's a fundamental difference in beliefs and values with at least a simple majority of the people and it would require us to change our positions, which is something I don't think we need to or should do.
Again, though, being the big tent party that we absolutely are, none of this is to say that Democrats CAN'T win in the South on state levels. What we're going to have to do, however, is give a little more slack to these congressmen and senators when they dissent from the National platform. I see a lot of people here who would have tarred and feathered Senators like Mary Landrieu for her ANWR vote, ignoring the fact that her state has a large oil industry and she was most likely respecting the wishes of her constituency with her vote. We can't have it both ways. We have to back off on Congressmen and Senators from red states when they make votes out of step with our national party, or else we will lose those seats, plain and simple. I would, however, appreciate it if those Congressmen and Senators weren't especially outspoken in their opposition to our party. That'd be nice and I don't think that's too much to ask, but keeping with the example of Mary Landrieu, I don't think she was particularly loud on the ANWR issue.
I just want to say one more time, and I think I speak for all of us here, that we love our Democratic brethren in the South and we have nothing but the utmost respect for you. But calling it as I see it, I just don't like our prospects down there. I'm sorry, but I don't see many signs for hope on a National level.
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