Daily Kos

But how will Howard Dean appeal to NASCAR dads?

by SWicklund

Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 04:55:01 PM PDT

Question:  Who came up with this idea of courting NASCAR dads anyway?
It sounds like something that would come from Fox, since the network would love to reap the benefits of political advertising in its NASCAR coverage during the 2004 elections.
In fact, who came up with wooing soccer moms?
Seems like the Democrats are playing into the hands of the Republicans to me.  Most of the soccer moms and NASCAR dads I know are firmly (and naively) entrenched in the R column.
I have an idea: why don't we tell the pundits: f**k NASCAR dads!  Let the Republicans promise to build an autobahn from coast to coast through all the national forests so they can blaze around at 150 miles-an-hour in souped-up SUV's getting 2 gallons to the mile while zipping from hunting ground to hunting ground.
Damn, they would have that NASCAR dad vote all wrapped up.
Meanwhile, back in sanity land, perhaps the Democrats could woo the rest of America.  How about the 50% of the electorate that doesn't bother coming out to vote?

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Permalink | 16 comments

  •  Re: But how (none / 0)

    Exactly. I fled NC years ago, in part to get the hell out of NASCAR land. And lo, the pestilence has spread across the land, infecting bubbas from Maine to Mexico. Can't write them off, but since the unifying component is waiting for people to crash and die before your eyes, this could be tricky. Please to Dean not to put on a driver's outfit and pop into a stock car. Please, no.

    The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

    by easong on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:00:41 PM PDT

    •  Re: But how (none / 0)

      I moved to NC just about 2 years ago. You should have just moved to Carrboro, easong.

      One of the first communities to pass a resolution condemning the Patriot Act and instructing their police department to offer no more aid to federal operatives than they were legally compelled to give.

      When all the BS about "Freedom Fries" was going on, Carrboro passed a resolution for "French Appreciation Month".

      I love this town, and I think it's government is spectacular!

      God bless America. God bless our troops.
      God damn George Bush to the fires of eternal damnation.

      by Bill Rehm on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:06:04 PM PDT

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      •  Re: But how (none / 0)

        The liberal side of Blue Heaven, I know Carrboro well. Outside of Chapel Hill and environs, NC is just one big Richard Petty theme park.

        The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

        by easong on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:08:12 PM PDT

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  •  Re: Dean appeal to NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

    ...150 miles-an-hour in souped-up SUV's getting 2 gallons to the mile while zipping from hunting ground to hunting ground.
    Damn, they would have that NASCAR dad vote all wrapped up."

    doesn't Howard Dean drive an SUV? A Ford Bronco, I believe?

    by jdavidson on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:01:05 PM PDT

  •  Re: NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

    Stop with the stereotyping!  My husband drives a SUV, loves NASCAR racing and has worked in the pit and has done graphics for drivers and their cars...and he's voting for Dean.  This is just Republican's hijacking a demographic.

    by kimo on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:07:57 PM PDT

    •  Re: NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

      You better call Joe Trippi. Your husband belongs in a campaign commercial.

      The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

      by easong on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:09:21 PM PDT

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    •  Re: NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

      I know, I know, I'm stereotyping.  And yes, Howard Dean does drive an SUV - as an aside, I liked Jesse Ventura's answer to why people in Minnesota (and in the north in general) drive SUV's the best: because you can't drive through a foot of snow on the road in a normal car.
      Bill Maher: What did you do before SUVs?
      Ventura: We got stuck!

      ...anyway...

      What I'm getting at is this: Just because pundits and pollsters want to ask NASCAR dads who they would elect President, doesn't mean it makes sense to target that demographic.
      Clearly many of them will be moderate to progressive, prehaps even a few are ultra-liberal. But not nearly so many as in America as a whole.

      "I have sworn upon the alter of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." - Jefferson

      by SWicklund on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:45:56 PM PDT

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    •  Re: NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

      Indeed.  My dad is a huge NASCAR fan (& lifelong Democrat!) and I loved NASCAR as a kid.  I would still be watching it if the great Dale Earnhardt were with us.

      I think "NASCAR Dad" refers more to political analysts' stereotype of NASCAR fans more than it applies to actual NASCAR fans..

      on strike.

      by daria g on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 06:09:29 PM PDT

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  •  Dean & Nascar dads (none / 1)

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    Dispatch from THE GREAT STATE OF MAINE:

    You get more bees with honey than vinegar.

    Here's the answer (and for god's sake, why does Maine always have to come up with the nation's solutions?):  Private label Budweiser in Howard Dean cans with the slogan: "Put Dean in the White House and there's more where this came from."

    Done.  NASCAR dads in our corner.

    Developing...

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    Quoth the maverick: 'Forever war.'

    by Bill in Portland Maine on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:14:59 PM PDT

  •  Re: Howard Dean appeal to NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

    Dean drives a old Chevy Blazer.

    You can't bunch up every person who likes NASCAR as a supporter for Bush. Some of my neighbors are die hard NASCAR fans and they despise Bush. So, don't write off NASCAR dads just yet.

    Notice if you read Field and Stream and any hunting & fishing magazine, many of their readers and editors are voicing out in not supporting Bush for re-election because as how they word it as "having the worst enviromental record of any President."

    by Modest Mouse on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:17:27 PM PDT

    •  Re: Howard Dean appeal to NASCAR dads? (none / 0)

      You can't bunch up every person who likes NASCAR as a supporter for Bush. Some of my neighbors are die hard NASCAR fans and they despise Bush. So, don't write off NASCAR dads just yet.

      -now you sound like a DLCer by saying go after the NASCAR dads!

      by jdavidson on Mon Dec 22, 2003 at 09:04:25 PM PDT

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  •  NASCAR dads (none / 0)

    How about the 50% of the electorate that doesn't bother coming out to vote?

    Studies show that non-voters are not significantly different ideologically from voters.  That's not a winning strategy.

    Inspired by Willie Sutton you have to campaign to the voters because there the ones who vote.

    McCain?

    by Preston on Tue Dec 09, 2003 at 05:40:44 PM PDT

Permalink | 16 comments