Appalachia Only Part Of Country Where McCain Did Better Than Bush

Matthew Yglesias points out an interesting New York Times map on the one part of the country where John McCain did significantly better than George W. Bush -- Appalachia.

As Ygleias writes:

You can see why John McCain's principled stand against higher taxes on the wealthy would have a special resonance in this region. Liberals who thought race had something to do with those appeals should be ashamed of themselves.

Comments

[lisab-MS]

Not that I expect everyone to agree. And I love a good spirited discussion. I have had many over socialism and Ayers and the progressive income tax and children with special needs over the last 2 months especially.

I was born in Boston and raised in NY. I lived in Broward Co FL when the Gore-Bush election happened and Las Vegas at the time of 9-11.
I live in North Mississippi now. It looks like I will be leaving soon due to a job change.

I say all of this today because I am amazed at how race enters so many of my political discussions here. I was looked in the eye by a co-worker yesterday who said: "I hate the idea that "they" will hold their heads a little higher today"

I agree with an earlier poster that hate shouldn't be ridiculed and ignored. Period.
How do we contribute to change?? Be articulate, calm and open about your ideas. One person at a time.

[ErnestineBass]

There is a lesson here for the incoming Democratic leadership.

Ignore a problem and it will only worsen.

[rw97]

Hillbilly power ... couldn't power a light bulb.

[ErnestineBass]

And you wouldn't last a week living in THEIR world.

Deride them or educate them...it's YOUR call.

[rw97]

I've lasted a lot longer in places much worse than that. I was in the military from 71 to 74.

Try dissing the post rather than the poster.

[stellalou]

I feel terrible, because I live in one of the Oklahoma counties that went 10 to 20 pts more for McCain. I voted for Obama, and was feeling euphoric when it was announced that he won Tuesday night, and then all day yesterday I kept crying and was so excited. How far we've come, right?
Then I went to pick my 8 year old daughter up from school. She asked me what a ni**er was. I said it's something ignorant white people call black people, why? She said the kids at school were saying Obama is one. I just can't believe in the year 2008, when we have an African-American, highly educated, well-spoken man going to the White House, that there are still people in my little stupid part of the country spewing hate like that to their kids. Sad.

[sueinmn]

we have the nerve to call ourselves world leaders yet we bully our way around and cant even respect our own! so sad. some will never change and they are the ignorant!

[MossyOak]

Interesting map. Judging by it and the comments reflected herein, it appears that Ms. Palin has once again proven to be geographically challenged. She should be governor of Arkansas instead of Alaska... i.e. "one of those A states."

[dtrobert]

"Dueling Banjos" plays endlessly.

Racists. Period. No need for any other explanation.

[TexasDem0]

Once again, racism is not the only form of bigotry in this post.

[Pupster]

Alternative explanation?

Do you think those people liked McCain's tax policies better?

[ErnestineBass]

Are you prepared to offer any meaningful solutions, or is bigotry all you have?

[j0em0mma]

while what dtrobert said wasn't helpful, I'd say it is Appalachia's responsibility to figure out to integrate itself with mainstream America.

[TexasDem0]

For those who missed it: The insults are unwarranted and reflect poorly on those who post them.

[trubski]

Another blogger wrote this:

"No, cut them nothing, it seems like we always have to DRAG this part of the country kicking and screaming up to the next plateau the country is on. Maybe it is time we really started to think about just letting the go with the Alaska Independence Party.

I have no idea what they add to the national dialogue"

What do we add? Every bullet fired in the Revolutionary War came from Pennsylvania. The steel that built New York City came from Pittsburgh. The coal that powered this country for generations came from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. WWII would have been lost without the railroad workers of Altoona.

The rest of the country has depended on Appalachia for it's basic infrastructure and energy for nearly 200 years, while raping the landscape and exploiting the workers who live here. And now, when people in Appalachia are having a hard time keeping up, all the coastal people can do is sneer at them in undisguised contempt.

And you wonder why Appalachian people are suspicious?

I'd just like to ask this: What do YOU bring to the national dialogue that is worth anything like what the people of Appalachia have contributed?

[Outrageous]

Here, here. Well said indeed. Everyone here needs to check out Springsteen's "Youngstown" and the documentary "Harlan Co., USA."

[kellygrrrl]

imagine this: all that non-red area is BLUE!

[dutt]

All that non-red area is not blue, it just became less red. Take Utah for instance. Democrats made progress in Utah but it still went overwhelmingly to McCain.

[kellygrrrl]

simply taking the parameters of this particular study -- determining where Repubs or Dems did BETTER THAN they had done in '04 -- yes, the rest is BLUE -- the Dems did better there than they had done in '04!

[popizzy]

Wow I think some of the comments are a bit harsh towards are fellow brethren in the more rural and conservative areas of the country. I guess we never know exactly why a person votes the way they do but we have to respect that each individual has the right to cast a vote for whomever they like. Now with that said, we cannot deny the impact that race played in the decision making process for some of these people. Some may never find it in themselves to vote for a person of color, and yet there are those who may.

I think it will take some time but I don’t underestimate the ability of President-elect Obama to win people over. Yes he will have to reach out and show them that he understands their concerns and what issues are important for them, and yes they will have to have an open mind and be receptive to him and his message. Maybe it took having an African American elected to the highest office in the land to have some people confront their issues on race. But if anyone can make headways, I believe President-elect Obama can. He reached out to people in the more rural areas of Illinois when he ran for state senate and won a lot of them over and I believe he can do it again.

[Retro646]

As someone that was an active volunteer in the appalachia area of TN please do not stereotype the entire region. There were many people that stood up to try and make a difference here.

Unfortunately many here do cling to guns and religion as their main reason for voting against anyone, black or white.

We tried to bring enlightenment to the area : (

[sueinmn]

I would love to see these areas the target of good economics and job creation to enlighten them and win them over, but the leaders of their ministry need to be rehabilitated first! these are often the culprets of so much polverty and conservative strongholds.

[dtrobert]

"We tried to bring enlightenment to the area : ("... and failed. That should say a lot, considering the environment. What will it take to wake them up? If a complete economic meltdown doesn't do it, what will?

That's the real question here: how do we bring these people, kicking and screaming as they are, into the 21st century, when they insist on living in the 13th?

[kudzumaster]

For one, I would suggest you stop talking down to them.

One of the reasons many here in Appalachia reject more liberal ideas is the way that some (and no, I'm not saying all--I'm a liberal myself) liberals present themselves as 'superior to the ignorant hillbilly', there to enlighten the unenlightened with their superior reasoning and progressive views. This attitude seldom convinces anyone--rather, it sets a barrier between the purveyor of the message and the southern mindset. Many times, this very attitude can cause the listener to choose the opposite stance, just out of sheer disdain for the messenger.

Intelligent persuasion and mutual respect is the way to win people over to your ideals, not arrogance and condescension.

[Retro646]

I have lived in this area my entire life. We do not live in the 13th century.

Not everyone is an ignorant "hillbilly"
have you ever visited the area?

I personally witnessed a huge shift in political leanings in many of my friends and family for the first time in my life. There was an impact made whether the electoral map shows it or not.

[Shieldmaiden]

Don't those areas count as the South rather than Appalachia? I don't know why they voted more for McCain than Bush, but the folks down there sure are d u m b if they thought four more years of madness was a good idea.

[6bd]

Difficult place to live as a transplanted New Englander. Opinions shaded by preachers, Fox News is
a primary news source, large coal industry, prison system network....lifetime experiences limited, many haven't travelled more than 100 miles from their birthplace, and consider being born in the adjoining town, as being born out of the area. Abortion stance was a leading determinant for ballot casting. But post election.......more and more Obama supporters are coming out of the closet........we where afraid of retribution. They believe all of the marxist, socialist, communist, terrorist, elitist. anti christ. Joe the Plumber nonsense. ........So grateful for the Obama nominarion.

[Speakchic]

He must be so proud. Winning the I'll NEVER vote for a black man vote.

[j0em0mma]

I lived in AZ when he helped defeat the Martin Luther King Holiday there and lost the Superbowl because of it... He probably feels ok with it...

[lvogt]

Another stupid HuffPo headline.
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and northwest Texas are NOT Appalachia so Appalachia is the SECOND best place for McCain. Jeez, wake up.