The 9th District is Republican-leaning and the majority of its Democrats preferred, 2 to 1, Hillary Clinton as their Presidential candidate. Mr. Boucher endorsed Mr. Obama. Did that “represent” the will of the 9th District or did that benefit Mr. Boucher? Hmmm …..
Feel used?
Rick Boucher was quoted in the Bristol Herald newspaper as saying, “We knew he [Obama] would not carry the District but the idea was for him to perform well enough to carry the state”.
On December 14, 2008, the Democrat website called “Blue Commonwealth”, which promotes itself as “Virginia’s Enduring Voice of Progress”, praised Mr. Boucher for his efforts in helping turn Virginia to a “blue state” and no longer a “SOUTHERN STATE”. They were basking in the glory of their election win.
The New Democrat Network (NDN) hosted a review of the 2008 election results with NDN Director Simon Rosenberg, Andres Ramerez, VP of Hispanic Programs, and fellow Morley Winograd. A description of the relatively new “Millennial” voters was discussed along with the changing demographics of the American electorate.
Some of their points may, in fact, be valid. You be the judge.
“This is the first in a 40 year cycle where Dems will win 7 out of 10 presidential elections”. “We are leaving an ideological era and moving into a Civic era”. “This is the 4th Civic Realignment in US History – Washington, Lincoln, FDR, Obama”.
“Millennials had 53% voter turnout, 59% in battleground states, up from 40% in 2001″. “Millennials supported Obama 2 to 1″. “2008 is the first election wherein more Millennials voted than Senior Citizens”. “Millennials account for 80% of Obama’s popular vote margin”. “Millennials were decisive in Ohio, Indiana and VIRGINIA! – none of these would have gone blue without Millennials”.
They then discussed Hispanic vote increases with Virginia showing a voter increase of +5%. “Virginia Hispanic population could be double digits within 2 election cycles”.
“Entering an era of repudiation of the southern strategy. The core strategy of the Republican party for 40 years has been stoking racial fears. It doesn’t work anymore”. “The southern strategy is dead!”. “2008 was a massive repudiation”.
“THE PERIOD OF CONSERVATIVE ASCENDENCY HAS COME TO AN END”.
“This new ‘coalition’ of Millennial voters is growing rapidly.”
Well, what does any of this have to do with the 9th District and Mr. Boucher? The Democrats praised Mr. Boucher for helping turn Virginia away from “a southern state”. “The Republicans no longer even own the south, they own APPALACHIA”. “Florida and Virginia are no longer southern states”.
“DEMOCRATS DON’T WANT APPALACHIA BECAUSE YOU’D HAVE TO LOSE THE REST OF THE COALITION TO WIN IT”.
Feel used?
Did Mr. Boucher ”represent” us, or perhaps more appropriately, help to ”deliver” us to the “blue state” which, according to the Democrats, is no longer a “SOUTHERN state”. Again, the overwhelming majority of the 9th District preferred either John McCain (R) or Hillary Clinton (D). Mr. Boucher knew that … full well. Does that sound like an appalling and arrogant “the will of the people of the 9th be damned … I know better” attitude?
Feel betrayed? ” … the idea was for him [Obama] to perform well enough [in the 9th District] to carry the state” – Rick Boucher.
Does Mr. Boucher represent your core values? You be the judge.
A couple of blog entries to that Democrat website are somewhat interesting.
Consider:
“As a progressive Appalachian native, I have certainly struggled with how to deal with the perception of mountain voters as backwards, racist, and stubbornly Republican. At the YD’s JSR Dinner, another attendee dubbed the red parts of that region as ‘missionary work’. I think that is a much more helpful way to look at Appalachian voters than as a part of the coalition we must jettison in order to win. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine both made tremendous inroads in SWVA by focusing on economic issues and OUR CONGRESSMAN, RICK BOUCHER, IS ABOUT AS LIBERAL AS A POLITIAN CAN BE IN THE NINTH. We recently elected him to a 14th term. Ceding votes in Appalachia is a poor strategy, especially in Virginia where our two Appalachian Congressional districts contain over half a million votes”.
How about this one: In part, “I really believe the large turnout of Millenials can be attributed to a) the brilliant strategic use of new media (facebook, e-mail, textmail, even personal contact by campaigners), the tech mobilization you are referring to coupled with b) inclusion (yes We can, change WE can believe in, Obama still having a site where OUR input is taken seriously.) It’s a new paradigm in democracy that is equality and yes, even SOCIALISM, at its finest. I’d even venture to say that SOCIALISM is no longer as ugly a word in as much as CAPITALISM is no longer a great one. If SOCIALISM is being our brother’s keeper the world over, I say BRING IT ON!”