That'd be a losing strategy IMO. Bush's victory margins in the south were generally too big to make up in one election cycle. If I were the Dem nominee, Dick Gephardt would be my running mate. That'd give 'em a shot at Missouri (Bush only beat Gore/Nader by 1.7% in MO). It'd help in Ohio (Bush only beat Gore/Nader by 1.0% in OH). Then I'd target FL, NH, WV, AZ, CO and NV, which are the other non-Southern states where Bush beat Gore/Nader by less than 5%. There's no need for the Dems to look South in 2004 for the top of the ticket. Of course, it's a different story for the Senate races in play.
That's exactly what I told my mother a couple days ago. Missouri is borderline South and Gephardt isn't running for re-election anyway.