Let's face it, folks. This country's political fate has a better chance of being decided by Hank Hill than Frasier Crane. Apparently, NASCAR Dads may, on average, be less involved and less educated, but they DO vote, which is more than you can say for a lot of Limousine Liberals.
In interviews amid the Confederate-flag-flying RVs in the parking lot and infield of Darlington Raceway or among the souvenir trailers lined end to end just outside the raceway gates, only one Democratic presidential candidate got a favorable mention: Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
This is a bastion of Southern white rural males who have been lumped together by political pollsters and analysts as "NASCAR dads." They love their kids, their guns, their dogs, hunting, country music, camping and racing. They are not terribly political, but when they vote, they are conservative and, therefore, usually Republican.
"They are middle- to lower middle-class males who are family men, live in rural areas, used to vote heavily Democratic but now usually vote Republican," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "That's the definition of a NASCAR dad, and there are a lot of them."
While most Democrats are trying to appeal to voters on an intellectual level, they may actually be missing the boat. Perhaps if they could figure out how to appeal to more reactionary voters- like NASCAR Dads, for instance, and speak to issues that are important to them, they might stand a chance. At this juncture, that appears an unlikely possibility.
The fact of the matter is that reactionary Conservatives are much more likely to vote that reactionary Liberals. It's unfortunate, but it is the political reality. As I'm writing this, I'm listening to a live CNN interview with John Kerry. The man clearly has a number of good ideas, but he has NO idea of how to translate those ideas into something that Joe Sixpack can swallow. Ergo, he has no chance of even sniffing the Presidency. Unfortunately, none of the other Democratic candidates seem to have a better handle on how to speak to voters.
I'm trying to be confident about November, 2004, but what I've seen and heard to date does nothing to inspire confidence.
