Why Obama won
A professor of Southern studies says North Carolina did not change overnight.
Ted Ownby of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi says that Tar Heels have long been more liberal than other Southerners.
"Despite Jesse Helms' popularity, there's always been a pretty strong range of liberal and progressive elements in North Carolina politics," he said, citing Terry Sanford, among others. "Since the 1930s, North Carolina's liberal politicians have tended to be to the left of other liberal politicians in the South, though sometimes they have to moderate their liberal tendencies."
Ownby said that tradition belies recent attempts to credit Barack Obama's win here and in Virginia mainly to an influx of liberal Northeasterners.
Too bad someone changed out all the original mantels.
Also, if you'd close your mouth, you might keep a little more of that drool in place . . . I'm just sayin.
Who do you think rolled over more frequently in his grave Tuesday night: Jesse Helms or Josephus Daniels? I’d guess Mr. Daniels, but I think he’s been dead so long that he’s probably given up rolling.
Most of the coverage I've seen attributes Obama's apparent North Carolina victory to the newcomers who've flooded the state during the last two or three decades, and yes, certainly, without the votes cast in the counties that make up the Triangle, where many of these newcomers settled, the state goes to McCain. But I hope someone starts giving the natives some credit. Just look at the map: he swept northeastern North Carolina, which has been steadily losing population for decades.
Despite the best efforts of segregationists and white supremacists, North Carolina has a long history of relatively progressive thinking and progressive politicians. We're home to the nation's first public university, the nation's oldest school for higher eduction for women, the third oldest co-educational college in the country, and a host of historically black colleges, including the oldest such institution in the South.
Yes, Jesse repeatedly won his Senate seat, although never with more than 54% of the vote, and I'm not saying that North Carolina hasn't had its fair share of race-baiting, white supremacy, and segregation. But there has always been a current of independent thinking and moderation running through the state and I'm thrilled that those voices have finally been heard.
So rest in peace, Jesse and Josephus. And welcome to the Old North State, Jed.
