(A thoughtful Diary... one that should provoke some interesting comments. - promoted by wvblueguy)
It was my good friend from another website and now a member of this website husker83 that convinced me to think much harder on this issue than I ever have before, and he was exactly 100 percent on the money right on target. He said in response to my "comedian and charismatics" diary that working middle class Americans tend to listen to people who have similar educational backgrounds to them far more often than those who don't. And the same is true for politeness and friendliness as well. If you're not as friendly or polite or as willing to listen to them like they think they you should be in any walk of life they will not listen or take heed to anything you say no matter how true those statements are or how logical they might sound. And forget about being an "elitist" if you're a candidate from either the Democratic or Republican Party. The best way to lose an election is to act like that 100 percent certain no question about it. And ever since Ronald Reagan in 1980 Republicans have held the advantage 2 different but yet crucial areas with the obvious exception of Bill Clinton in '92 and '96 and probably his wife Hillary Clinton in 2008. Here are the 2 reasons listed below: 1. Educational attainment I myself love fellow Democratic bloggers like Ezra Klein and Christi Hardin Smith of firedoglake.com who are both very intelligent and know 100 percent what they're talking about on every political issue facing this country today. I also love Keith Olbermann of Countdown fame. He too is very intelligent and knows the heck what's he's talking about. However, I would say that at least 50 percent of my fellow Americans especially my fellow evangelicals and Pentecostals if not 90 percent of them tune those highly intelligent well-educated people out the very 1st time they've read their blogs or watch their shows, and I'll tell you why I think that is. Like it or not most of my fellow Americans especially those from the Deep South and here in Appalachia sadly tend to not take education very seriously. All they try to do is "slide by" with B's, C's and D's in school and pass "by the skin of their teeth" and "get that darn diploma so I can get the heck out of school and away from mom and dad" and that's it. You would think my fellow evangelicals and Pentecostals would be the "mostly likely" to do do. Instead we are the "least likely" of all denominations to do so instead. Pentecostal preachers and church goers here in southern West Virginia McDowell County especially all the time seem to brag about their lack of education and even boast about it the majority of the time. Pentecostalism always has been considered a "poor and uneducated man's religion" and many Pentecostals rightfully or wrongfully feel that more financially stable more well-educated mainline Methodist and Baptist Christians are "elitist, stuck up, too smart for their own good, and bigger than their heads." That's a major reason in the United States why Pentecostal churches' membership has absolutely exploded since the Reagan days while the mainline churches such as Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians have seen a sharp decline in membership. My fellow Pentecostals feel again rightfully or wrongfully they are 100 percent welcome in their church while not so much welcome in mainline churches such as Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. The exact same concept is true in politics as well. Our last two Democratic presidential candidates such Al Gore and John Kerry were far more intelligent than our current president Mr. Bush but that actually turned off more American voters especially those in red states especially right here in Appalachia in the Deep South as well. High school graduate voters rightfully or wrongfully feel that they are being ignored by the "more elitist" Democrats than they are from the Republicans even though it is a proven fact that far more Republicans are "elitists" than Democrats. But the perception of most high-school graduates and even drop-outs is completely the opposite especially in Republican red states like those in Appalachia and the Deep South. And the Republican Party to their credit has done an absolutely fantastic job in using that to their advantage in presidential elections.... And the use of big words by Ezra Klein, Christy Hardin Smith, and Keith Olbermann while 100 percent right on target tends to turn off the lower-middle-income lower class voters as well especially here in Appalachia and the Deep South. I am one of the very few college graduates I know whom makes McDowell County his home. And people here always tells me I'm a genius and smart and "you know more about this than I ever could." And guess where the biggest "teasing" of me about my education is at: you guessed it, my very own Pentecostal churches and the people attending them. Advantage Republicans except for 1 or perhaps 2 candidates here in 2008: Bill Clinton in '92 and '96 and so far thank God with his wife Hillary Clinton this year 2008. I'll explain why after concluding these 2 important topics. 2. Friendliness and politeness Again advantage Republicans with the exception of Bill Clinton in '92 and '96 and probably Hillary as well here in 2008. My fellow Appalachians and Southerners not only want a candidate who is 100 percent right on target policy-wise, but they also prefer if not outright demand to be "personal friends" with their elected officials both Democrats and Republicans. Explanation coming up... Red Staters Southerners and us Appalachians from southern WV, eastern KY, and southwestern VA expect if not outright demand candidates to "enter their house" if you will and "talk to them 1-on-1" and to their families as well children and pets included. They want "down home" candidates who speak their language and listen to their concerns even when the candidates themselves.... Get this because this is very very important... Disagree with them policy-wise and issue-wise as well. Red staters especially in the Appalachians and the Deep South expect and even outright demand most of the time that the people representing them in any political office to have "personal and social friendships" with them. In other words somebody just like them who is considerate and will listen to them... even if they disagree with them 100 percent on the issues. That's why Republicans Ronald Reagan and the two Bushes to a lesser extent were so successful politically. Most red staters my fellow Appalachians and Deep Southerners felt "connected" to them even when they disagreed with them strongly on most issues especially economic ones. On the other hand Democratic presidential candidates Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, and John Kerry were fairly or unfairly perceived as being "too boring, too stuck up, and too big for their britches." Yes we Democrats were 100 percent right most of the time on the issues and the Republicans were 100 percent wrong on them. However most of the people I know here in McDowell County and the rest of southern West Virginia where I live could care less, even when you agree 100 percent with them on the issues. The same is true for eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia as well. People here want "friends" and not "politicians." And this is 100 percent true but in real life as well. Some of my best friends disagree with me 100 percent on religion and sports and yes politics too - and some of my very worst detractors actually agree with me 100 percent on politics, religion, and sports. I love the Kentucky Wildcats with all my heart but some of my worst experiences online have been with my fellow UK fans. I also have had many problems getting along with people here in my home county even though we agree 100 percent on almost every issue politically and otherwise. And politics is no exception. Once again advantage Republicans. Republicans once again - besides guess who? you probably already know the answer to this question - have done a much better job of using "friendliness" and "politeness" to their advantage even though I know they are 100 percent wrong on political issues. Red staters especially Deep Southerners and my fellow Appalachians from southern WV, eastern KY, and southwestern VA all demand "personal relationships and friendships" with everybody around here. Again politicians are no exception. The only Democratic presidential candidate since Reagan to get it right on these 2 critically important topics is Bill Clinton, and thankfully his wife Hillary seems to be doing the exact same thing now as well. If you listen to both of them speak they never ever use long words that geniuses Klein, Olbermann, and Smith use and always talk in a language Red Staters especially those in the Deep South and here in Appalachia can easily understand. Even when most people disagree with them sharply at times myself included they have both been successful in forming "personal friendships and relationships" here. Bill did it and thank God Hillary seems to have gotten the message as well. And have you ever noticed both Clintons never ever seem to use big words and talk "intelligent elitist talk" like Smith, Klein, and Olbermann? They talk in plain, simple language and terms that the "average Joe voter" can always understand. That's why Americans even many Red Staters love the Clintons even when they disagree with them strongly on everything else policy and issue wise. Most people myself included didn't give Senator Hillary Clinton a snowball's chance in hell of ever being elected president because of the false perception of her being too impersonal, stuck up, and too elitist for Red Staters esp. in the Deep South and Appalachia. But thank God she is proving many of her former critics wrong by being downright warm, affectionate, and loving, and by forming "personal relationships and friendships" with voters completely disproving the false negative stereotypes of her being "too intelligent and too elitist for her own good." That's also the reason she's creaming Edwards and Obama in the Democratic primaries as well and even beating southerner John Edwards at his own game most of the time. And the number 1 one reason I am now convinced that Hillary Clinton is now the overwhelming favorite not only to win the Democratic primary but the 2008 general election as well. She has apparently and intelligently as expected taken her husband the best pure politician in our lifetime's wise and savvy advice and is intelligently using her observations of her husband in this very underrated issue today - the issue of being "personal and not political." Most Americans love and prefer people they can be friends with and still disagree with 100 percent of the time over people they agree with 100 percent time on political issues but stiil treat them like dirt. And I don't see that ever changing at least in my lifetime.
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