David Gergen and CNN pundits challenge Hillary Clinton to denounce the racist vote

culturekitchen

Liza has the info - basically David Gergen called Hillary out on her race-baiting and challenged her to denounce the racist vote.

Everybody is underestimating the source and the intensity of the bigotry in Appalachia where Obama is concerned. While it is true that no one could compete with a Clinton here - remember, GW Bush never had to run against Bill here - there is a much crazier and more insidious factor at work against Barack.

Religion in Appalachia is far more important in daily life of most people than in the rest of the country. Even among those who don't go to church, the fundamentalist point of view is prevalent. People tend to be poor, poorly educated, superstitious, and afraid of outsiders. Obama is the ultimate outsider.

They think that Obama is a Muslim. Some of the churches - I kid you not - think that Obama is the antiChrist come from the East to deceive the world. Don't just laught that off. In most cases it's better to let the simple people have their beliefs and leave them alone, but I don't think that's the case here. This is a case where the rest of the country needs to shine a light on Appalachia and challenge the bigotry directed at Obama. Ridicule is sometimes the only way to get a point across. People in Appalachia, more than anywhere else, believe we are living in the end times. They expect Jesus back any day now. Seriously. They think GW Bush is a good Christian, and they think that events in the Middle East are unfolding according to biblical prophecy.

Every generation has some small group of extremists who think the end of the world is nigh. This is more than that. You hear it among normal, working people who aren't in crazy religious cults that would make news, but they are church goers being manipulated by a cynical and amoral Right Wing agenda.

Compare the numbers in Oregon to Kentucky - Obama did fine with white voters in Oregon. In Kentucky, where people tend to be triracial and in denial, there was a strongly racist slant to the vote. The reason for this is religion. Don't forget that. It's the Republican's secret weapon and the Progressives need to learn to deal with it if we're going to get the country back on track.