TANCREDO & MOSELEY-BRAUN IN '04!

How Dean Could Win: The Vermont governor would do well to make immigration reform a Democratic issue. (Scott McConnell, July 28, 2003, The American Conservative)

Dean's weakness is the weakness of every Democrat in the last 30 years-a tepid appeal to working- and middle-class white voters, especially males, especially in the South and border-states. The Vermonter has acknowledged the need to "get white males to vote Democratic again," but federal health insurance and balanced budgets, which he brings up when the question is raised, won't do it. What could?

The obvious choice is immigration.

The idea that white men are going to abandon the Republican Party in considerable numbers over just one issue that really affects only a couple of states--one of which, California, the Democrats already dominate--is truly ridiculous. Meanwhile, the risk to the Democrats, of losing the already-Christian and naturally-conservative Latino vote to the GOP for at least a generation, would have to be terrifying. What Mr. McConnell is proposing here is combining the politics of Pat Buchanan and Lenora Fulani. We saw how badly that sold with the public last election...well, outside of Palm Beach. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 26, 2003 1:17 PM