The Cultural Concerns of Red America

The Bull Moose thinks that Howard Dean, in addition to giving a much needed smackdown to the GOP on Press the Meat with Tim Russert, should "acknowledge the Democratic deficiencies in addressing the cultural concerns of Red America."

What the hell does that mean?

RUSSERT: Will the Democrats continue to leave out the "gay bashing" plank from the party platform?
DEAN: Absolutely. The Democratic Party will continue to view people of non-heterosexual orientations as human beings that should be treated with dignity and respect and not some group that should be feared. They are your sisters, your cousins, your sons, and even your daughters.
RUSSERT: "Red America" is afraid of gays Mr. Chairman. They are afraid they are destroying marriage.
DEAN: I understand that and we have to change their perception, Tim. Marriage is already being destroyed in Red America and it is not the fault of gays, lesbians or same-sex marriage. You know what is really hurting marriage Tim? The weak economy -- and I don't mean the stock exchange. I talking about the bulk of Americans who go out and work hard just to make ends meet. The people who aren't looking for the government to take care of them, just to make things a tiny bit easier. What you call "Red America" is being hit hardest by the president's economic policies of consolidating wealth and raiding the national treasury to give away to his corporate pals. When a person can't find a job how are they supposed to provide for a family? When you don't feel that your economic situation is stable, how likely would you be to have children? We have to improve the economic situations all over America or we'll continue to see high divorce rates in what you so quaintly refer to as "Red America." If we improve the economy like Bill Clinton and Al Gore did in their 8 years and we'll see a drop in divorce, a decline in abortions -- which by the way have increased under the Bush administration, and a continuing decline in the crime rate. The GOP would rather focus on fear than solutions.
RUSSERT: So you're for gay marriage then? That could really cost the Democrats in 2006. Yes or no?
DEAN: You didn't hear a word I said, did you?
RUSSERT: "Red America" demands gay bashing, Mr. Chairman.
DEAN: Barak Obama hit the nail on the head in his keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention when he said, "The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats." He was talking about you, Tim.

Thanks for the advice Mr. Moose, but if you think Howard Dean is going to turn on gays like Kerry did, think again. If you think we have to concede that gays aren't people and need to be feared and/or destroyed to win over "swing voters" -- well, I think you're wrong. Of course if you were talking about responsible budgets or making sure that people don't get raked over the coals with risk, then I don't think the Democrats are the ones with a deficiency at all.

Update: Read what Dean really said or watch a clip. Oh, and if abortion was one of the "cultural concerns" The Moose was talking about, Dean did just fine without kissing the ass of the GOP.