DEMOCRATS 2008: Mississippi Strategy

Reclaiming the White House in 2008 for the Democrats might involve running a campaign designed to capture the states along the Mississippi River. The northern ones are blue already, Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Illinois. The ever-wobbly Iowa can be brought into line.

By an accident of geography, and the intentional urban development of man, numerous cities proliferate along both sides of the River. Democrats perdominate in cities, so these register as blue counties on the map. But, because the Old Man also makes a most perfect and natural border for these states, this Democratic vote gets split. Now for a lateral combination.

Missouri is already crucial to any presidential campaign. The Southern states could certainly be in play, as Arkansas and Tennessee were considered this time. Kentucky and Mississippi might be bridges too far for now, but there are those who say Louisiana is winnable.

St. Louis is the population center of the United States, the Mississippi is the great dividing line of our geography, the regional and imaginary fulcrum for our national ambitions. A ticket that could solidify this central strip of America, holding on to traditional Democratic strongholds elsewhere, could legitimately claim national support. Perhaps it's no mystery why the last Democrat to occupy the White House came out of Arkansas.

With victory the Party make take a logical step that would put Missouri in their column well into the future--moving the functional U.S. Capital to St. Louis (leaving the ceremonial one on the Potomac).

The only Democrats elected to the highest office in the Land since the tumultuous Sixties have been from the South, and the one before that was from Missouri. It's absolutely crucial to "get" this region culturally, and appeal to it politically. So nominate a presidential candidate from one of those Southern states along Old Man River, and a vice-presidential candidate from the center or northern part of this strip of states and watch the political force necessary for victory muster behind you.