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I voted for Obama today.
As a southerner and as a democrat, I fundamentally believe that if we continue to write off the South we will continue to lose national elections. The only democrats elected to the presidency in 40 years were both Southerners. This is not a coincidence.
It is also not enough to have a Southern VP. Edwards couldn't deliver a single state with Kerry at the top of the ticket in 2004.
By turning out a coalition of blacks, young people and poor southern whites who's kids have been dying at a disproportionate rate for this damn war, I believe that Obama can cherry pick a few Southern states away from the GOP. I would include Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. I also think he can slam dunk Ohio given the right running mate.
I believe that breaking up the solid south is the key to getting past the red vs blue paradigm and, with Edwards out of the race now, Obama seems like the person who has the best chance to do that.
