Bush's vote rise in Massachusetts and Rhode Island?

[minionofmidas]

possibly 9/11 bump related?  Bush tended to do better in some suburban areas of the Northeasr in 04 than 00.  It was mostly concentrated in suburban NY (Long island, jersey, and CT), but its not of the question that the 9/11 suburban bump spreaded to mass (which has many suburbs) and RI (in which most of the state is suburban).  Basically a group that was trending heavily Dem, and took a one election jump back due to 9/11 & security issues, but a group which more than likely will jump back further left in 08.

I can understand why the New York suburbs trended Republican, but why would the 9/11 fear effect Boston all that much more than, say, the Democratic-trending D.C. 'burbs?  If there was a 9/11 bump, it should have been evident there, too, shouldn't it have been?

Because it's not directly 9/11 related at all. It's a general inner suburban concern for security that helped Bush in 2004 but - via the gun control issue - Gore in 2000.
Not sure if gay marriage mattered all that much.

[minionofmidas]

Mitty, the South 50 years ago didn't have a left wing. In fact, there's not really one today either.

It did have one, but it didn't have voting rights.

[minionofmidas]

Mitty, the South 50 years ago didn't have a left wing. In fact, there's not really one today either.

well, of course, 'left wing' is relative.  the south certainly had a liberal wing of the democrat party, a small one at least.

what about terry sanford?  or even george wallace (as a young man before he turned into a segregationist)

Not to mention, it certainly had populists/new dealers and ultra-conservatives.

[minionofmidas]

The vast majority of blacks would not be considered "left-wingers".  As a general rule - Ideologically they have more in common with their former southern democratic oppressors.

I think that depends entirely on what is meant by "left-winger"; within a traditional U.K context (which, sadly, the media doesn't like to use much these days...) most of them would be considered to be left wing. Within the usual U.S (and U.K media ) context, which places a huge amount of emphasis upon what are usual labelled (here at least) as "social issues", then, no, the vast majority of blacks are very clearly not "left wingers".

Erm...even within that statement the first half is much more obviously correct than the second half.

[minionofmidas]

What follows is highly impressionistic (and from someone who hasn't even been to the state) and not backed by any statistics, but Bristol would strike me as the most working-class suburban of these counties ... Kent and Washington both have suburban and rural (of the New England kind) areas, Kent's suburbs would obviously have to be further in than Washington's, though by no means necessarily less affluent. Newport should be insanely rich in parts, but only in parts. And highly tourist industry driven.