Never in the history of this country have the partisan fault lines been so clear, so deep, and so geographically fixed. First there is the red: the West, the South and Great Plains where Republicans dominate. Then there is the blue: the coasts and industrial Midwest where the Democrats hold sway. But this year there are close to twenty states where the two colors are so mixed they’re purple, and up for grabs. To win the presidency, John Kerry has to make these states his by finding a way to appeal to churchgoing, rural voters in the South, and veterans in the Midwest.
Guests:
Phil Bredesen, Governor of Tennessee (D)
Alan Bjerga, political correspondent with Knight Ridder Newspapers