For reasons unclear other than the fact that he is the front-runner, Democratic primary opponents continue to give Dean a hard time on civil rights-related issues. Inadequately concerned about urban minorities yet unable to relate to Southern whites, this guy can’t seem to win the racial politics game.
Now, I’m among those who believe that Dean’s governorship of Vermont demonstrates instincts more moderate than his present rhetoric implies. But there’s little doubt that Dean’s core supporters look an awful lot like the privileged “white left” that were so enthused by Nader the last go around.
No question these independent coffee house-dwelling, anticoporate enviromantics offend the racial justice crowd’s strong practical streak. The aftermath of the primary season will provide an interesting opportunity to find out whether motown and lattetown can get together for a general election effort.
Posted by Marie Gryphon on January 12, 2004