Some interesting op-eds coming out of southern newspapers this week. Many of them praise Dean for having the right ideas about reaching out to southern white voters -- and actually chastise him more for apologizing than for his clumsiness in the original attempt.
Color of Choice - Memphis
I attended the [Meet-Up] gathering after watching the CNN Rock-the-Vote debate that the media built into the "Dean debacle". It was obvious to most that Howard Dean was saying Democrats need to become the party for everyone, especially Southerners, and most especially, Southerners who have been divided by Republicans on race, gun, and God issues. One might be led to think Dean would have lost his entire local group of support after the drubbing he received regarding his comments, but not only did Dean not fail to lose local support, at least 20 new devotees showed up.
-snip-
Senator John Edwards scolded Howard Dean about his comment regarding voters in the South. He told him the last thing Southerners need is someone coming from somewhere else telling them what to do. Maybe so. But maybe what we really need is hope for change, some fire in the belly, and the desire to be blue [i.e. Democratic].
Dean amazes voters again with `foot-eating trick' - Nashville
Poor Dean. I'm 100 percent certain he's trying to say the right thing, trying to be inclusive, to take back the Southern states from the GOP because, yes, the South is home to people who, whatever their peculiarities, need jobs, health care and better schools.
-snip-
Dean now has compounded his problems by allowing himself to be bullied by his political foes into apologizing for something he didn't really mean, thus squandering what he seemed to have over the other Democratic presidential candidates: candor and conviction.
Instead of shrugging and refusing to dignify the accusations of racism and pandering from a dais-ful of opportunistic hissing kettles, he bowed to their intimidation and apologized for, oh yes, causing pain to anyone offended by the existence of Confederate flags anywhere in the world. He also apologized for stereotyping.
Dean made a critical error by the Bubba Boy Code. He made himself look weak to the very people he was trying to attract. Southern rednecks can take insults; they're used to them. But one thing they can't stand is a wuss.
Dean should have followed his original instincts to not back down when he was attacked at a debate in Boston last week. He's the dog with the view, after all....
-snip-
Trying to lasso the South with one rope is, in other words, tricky, especially when a state like South Carolina is home to, for instance, Gays for God. A politician's best bet is to speak his convictions and stick to them. Good ol' boys love that.
Dean a victim of 'correctness'- Baton Rouge
Dean compounded the offense against the politically correct by refusing in the debate to cravenly apologize to the likes of Al Sharpton, another candidate and a racial demagogue. However, after a couple of days of media attention to this nonissue, Dean threw in the towel and issued a statement saying he's sorry for any "pain" he has caused.
This unhappy episode casts little credit on the Democratic field.
We believe Dean was unfairly pilloried for what is a very sound political instinct. Maybe there's less of a Bubba vote than there used to be, but many remain. If the Democrats are to remain competitive in the South, they can't afford to write off the Bubbas. Just as the GOP cannot afford to write off black voters.
And to be the target of Sharpton's jabs may be unpleasant, but it's better than agreeing with a notorious liar -- as so many of Sharpton's fellow candidates did.