McCain, McCountry, McChristians and McBigots

It may be November, the leaves may be fallin' off the trees and our sweaters feel mighty good of a mornin', but it's gettin' right hot down here in the Deep South.

We South Carolinians may be just a teensy bit confused about which flag it is we ought to be a'flyin' over our State House, but we're nothin' if not a passel of patriots. Mm-mm-mmm. We love America.

Georgia's Senator Chambliss is warning white folks that "The Other Folks are voting..." And we all know who those uppity folks are. We like them okay -- as long as they stay in their places.

North Carolina's uber-belle, Liddy Dole, says opponent Kay Hagan is palling around with "Godless Americans." If there's anything we Southerners cannot abide, it is surely Satan.

Between the rampant, gun-totin'super-patriotism and hyper-right-wing Christianity in South Carolina, there's little doubt who'll win our Big 8 electoral votes on Tuesday. Unlike our neighbors, North Carolina and Georgia, where the race is tight enough to squeak, the Palmetto State is a GOP goner. Real Clear Politics, in its 9/28-10/20 poll averages, shows McCain up by 15 points here. The October 23rd Winthrop University/ETV poll paints a more dismal portrait of the Palmetto State voter: John McCain is up by 20 points. Twenty. Points.

I think we might be a little off-kilter down here. The Winthrop/ETV poll was a study in bi-poller politics:

55.2% of South Carolinians believe the Bush presidency is a failure. But we're more apt to vote for McSame.

66.8% of us say this country is on the wrong track. But we're more apt to vote for McMore of the McSame.

44.6% of us believe Obama "understands the problems Americans face in our daily lives". 42.3% believe McCain "understands". Whoa! The tide turns...

Nope. While more of us believe Obama understands what we're going through than believe McCain does, we're still more apt to pull that GOP lever.

It's values. 53.5 % of us say McCain shares our values. Only 34.9% believe Obama has the same values we do. Whatever they are.

Values. We got 'em down here out the whazoo and we're not about to change now. Too many South Carolinians have been drinking the "You-Can't-Be-A-Christian-or-a-Patriot-Unless-You-Vote-Republican" Kool-Aid. It's sweet stuff and, in 2008, the McChristian and McCountry mantra masks McRacism behind code words we can be proud of: UnAmerican. Muslim. Terrorist. Socialist.

You gotta give the McCain/Plain camp credit: They've covered the poison they're dosing out with a sugary coat of "American values" that goes down easy in the South. But some of us are sick of the taste. Some of us still believe there are enough of us to matter on election day. We believe we really are better than this.

Then there are these polls. I hate polls. Too many times they're wrong, and as many times -- like the South Carolina Winthrop/ETV poll -- they give us more information than we really want to know about who we are.

Comments

[WilliamProc]

Well, Linda; here in Charlotte, the Kool-Aid is just as strong. Some of the kinfolk here have had to electrify their campaign signs to keep young `uns from swiping 'em. Republicans are fighting the good fight against "godless Americans" and guys named Kissell. And yes, "the other folks" have been turning out in droves from hoot to holler. The social fabric of good, decent southern society is being rent asunder, and only sameness will hold it together. The same policies, the same politicians, the same rhetoric.
There are good people in the south, with progressive values. They want more jobs and a stable economy; and as a Southerner, you must do your part.

Vote Republican and make sure they are never heard from again.

[Linda Hansen - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey, WilliamProc. I am feelin' your pain, honey.

My closest friend lives in Charlotte. He voted early -- for Obama -- and calls me regularly of late begging "Please! Talk me down! Tell me they can't turn this election!" I do; talk him down, that is. But by the time I'm off the phone my chest is so tight I can barely breathe.

Given the last eight years, I have damn little faith in the American voter. Being a cheerleader is tough in these circumstances.

My friend called two days ago in a panic. During the call I learned, at long last, the only public service Fox News and woefully unenlightened co-workers serve: he watched the former and had been thoroughly depressed by the latter, all within 24 hours. What'd he do? Went online an donated another $100 to Obama for America.

Water down that Kool Aid. Volunteer. Canvass. Make phone calls. Donate one more time.

[DeanieMills]

Ah Linda, my fellow progressiv­e-trapped-­in-a-redne­ck bastion, I know how you feel. But I say the same thing to everyone else who frets over the political poison we've seen this election.

Give it time.

When Obama gets elected, and six months after the Inauguration, they see that he has not (a) appointed Jesse Jackson secretary of state (b) appointed an all-black Cabinet (c) turned the Oval Office into a mosque (d) set up abortion clinics in every mall (e) sent jack-booted thugs to gather up all their guns (e) spent his first 100 days ramming affirmative action programs through Congress or (f) started Armageddon or whatever it is the Anti-Christ is supposed to do...

They will realize that their rabid fears have been unfounded. They'll still be listening to vile filth about Obama from the right-wing scream-radio, but on the other hand, they will surely realize that the worst they feared has not come to pass.

With any luck, they'll be feeling a little foolish. They'll get used to it. The ones who don't will be in an increasingly smaller minority as the 21st century moves on without them.

One poll showed a full 22% of conservatives actually support Obama. I strongly suspect many others will vote for him simply because of the economic catastrophe we're facing, but they'll take that secret to their graves.

[rorjam]

Very interesting article. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of hate, intolerance and bigotry spewed the name of the Lord. One would think that true Christians would be the first ones callling for peace and brotherhood.

[MidMo]

Wow Linda
I feel for you living in sea of RED but I admit no understanding.

Where I am from, midwestern suburbia, is turning purple. Influx of BLUE? NO these folks .. Pro choice, the schools are good, never owned a gun or care too, and laugh at the thought of a pickup (why when you can get a lease on a mega SUV?). Like government best when it is like a business that keeps out of our schools and bedroom. Yes a bastion of moderate republicans. That LEFT the BUILDING in the primary to window shop. Found little that they wanted to try off the rack, the Palin label is just too tight, and that new O label is not too daring to try and get away with. I'm sorry you folks are not just into trying some new styles - at least once in awhile?

[NoDrama]

As much as I'm a partisan, Linda, I want everybody to get out and vote.

I just wish more of them in South Carolina realized how much the Bush-Cheney initiatives have damaged our country, and how supportive Senator McCain has been of their most destructive policies. Our economy will take years to recover.

Nonetheless, on November 4th we'll take the next step toward unity by all doing out patriotic duty. We lay down the signs, we take off the buttons, and we go share space in line with neighbors who generally aren't all that different from us, but who somehow haven't realized that McCain won't solve the problems Bush and Cheney have left for the next administration.

So, even in states where the outcome seems to be a foregone conclusion, we set aside the rhetoric of Red states and Blue states and VOTE. Wear purple this year... http://obamesque.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/got-purple/