I live within spitting distance of Branson [okay not really, but close enough and I have family that lives there]. I don't know anything about Ms. Presley and I have heard horns a time or two on the strip. That said, I disagree with his contrast of Palin to the culture of the Ozarks [as embodied by Ms. Presley]. I think she'd fit right in around here and so do most people I know.
Take the abortion issue for instance... you *can't* get an abortion in this area. In an extreme life of the mother situation possibly, but an abortion on demand isn't going to happen. There used to be doctors who came in from St. Louis or Kansas City regularly, but they don't do that anymore. I don't know if it's a supply/demand issue or that the doctors in the area are ethically/morally opposed to it or some combination of the two. Most other 'small town values' that are represented by both Palin and Presley are found here.
Just a guess... but I'd imagine that Wasilla is probably a bit more liberal than Branson, but that's pure speculation on my part.
I would imagine that, had Ms. Presley [yes, I've forgotten her first name and don't want to go look it up again
] gotten the nomination, or if she does in a few years having followed in Palin's footsteps, he would find just as much wrong with her as he does Palin.
Perhaps it's simply a personality clash thing, but somehow I doubt it. This guy just likes Presley's personality better than Palin's. And Presley's not a threat. Yet.
*We're* not rednecks but we're awful close and only a few miles from those who are. We don't hunt but we own a weapon [and no, my kids can't get to it]. The guy four doors down brings home a deer as often as he can. Our pastor rescheduled our premarital counseling meeting 11 years ago because he accidentally scheduled it for the opening day of turkey season. My step-father in law used to reload his own ammo.
I think that any running mate McCain chose would have done/said much of the same things Palin has. Of course liberals are going to coming out with scathing attacks against her. If Lieberman had been the choice he would have been 'hate mongering' or whatever. If Ms. Presley had been the choice, I'm sure the same would be true.
I found it to be... disingenuous, I think is the word I'm looking for. For instance, the tourism comparison between Branson and Wasilla is invalid. Branson *is* a tourist town. Wasilla isn't. That's the only reason it has a population of 7500 - because of the tourism industry there. Unemployment in Branson is traditionally VERY low and pay relatively high for entry level work because the market is so competitive because it provides services to so many more people than actually live there. It's comparing apples to oranges in that sense. Branson has issues that Wasilla doesn't and Wasilla has issues that Branson doesn't.
He seemed to go into Branson with a semi-open mind, but not in Wasilla. His mind is made up there and I don't think that anything could change it.
By the way, if you ever go to Branson, don't drive a standard. The hills'll kill ya.
Carol [who had hoped to be a bit more coherent but who didn't get nearly enough sleep last night..]
