I think it's smart for McCain to speak to these kinds of crowds just like most others. I'd say the same for Obama too. And quite frankly, both have seemed willing to do it (McCain here, Obama almost sponsoring a NASCAR racer and insistent on speaking and running even in red states, etc) and I'm glad they are.

IMO, for too long, so-called 'white trash'--as chassisman has been parodying--have long been given the 'shut up, buy some respectable clothes and go shower and shave' attitude by politicians and their 'brain trust' for campaigners.

And whilst this is a generalisation, the GOP has long expected and courted them to vote for them, but on a 'vote but not to be seen or heard' attitude. Often times it courts them with low-brow and bumpersticker stuff, expecting them to be 'trash' who are dumb and proud dupes for it. And the Dems often assume the same thing about them and that they aren't worth courting because they are the 'GOP's knee jerk boorish base' if you will, etc.

And by my observations, so-called 'white trash' haven't been given much consideration on their life issues by either party as a result. The smart play is to respect them like any other voting group. If the GOP does it, then it will solidify its presumed advantages with substance and if the Dems do it they can grab inroads through substance.

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