There's been some discussion here, and I'm sure a good deal more at the DNC, about a 50-state strategy for 2008.
There have also been several diaries, with lots of spirited comment, on the general theme, to move Thomas Frank's cultural anaylsis to the southeast, "What's the Matter With the South."
Then along comes a story like this, that shows how wide the divide is between us and at least some Southerners.
You know, the guys who are proud to be "the Confederate vote."
Refighting the Civil War, again, below.
The CBS story, headlined "Alabama Gov.'s Slavery Blunder," tells of how Republican Gov. Bob Riley (inadvertantly, he now says) left out a bit about slavery in the annual proclamation of April as Confederate History and Heritage Month.
Here it is:
Our recognition of Confederate history also recognizes that slavery was one of the causes of the war, an issue in the war, was ended by the war, and slavery is hereby condemned.
After the AP called, Riley quickly backtracked and reinserted the slavery bit.
But that really pissed off those who rabble-rouse "the Confederate vote":
"That makes Bob Riley look very inconsistent and inept," said Roger Broxton, president of the Confederate Heritage Fund.
snip
"It leaves the impression that slavery was the total cause of the war and that's untrue. It was more about tariffs and taxes," said Benjamin Hestley, chief of heritage defense for the Alabama Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Hestley and others were pleased when they received copies of the proclamation that Riley signed March 18, which deleted the slavery paragraph.
Broxton said restoring the language will hurt Riley if he runs for re-election next year and faces former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore in the Republican primary.
"Roy Moore will get all of the Confederate vote for governor," Broxton predicted.
I'm all for 50-states as a PR tactic, but in the real world, the DNC should not waste money in states where they have no chance.
States like Alabama, that Bush won with 63 percent in 2004 and 56 percent in 2000. States like Alabama, where there is a sizable, organized "Confederate" (in plain language, white racist) vote. States like Alabama where a theocratic wingnut like Roy Moore is considered a leading politician.
"Alabama is a solid Republican state, and nothing in the near future is going to change that," said David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama (in USA Today's election result story).
So, why should the DNC do anything more than e-mail press releases to Alabama media in 2008?
