Posted on 03/09/2008 1:30:02 PM PDT by neverdem
What do Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Barack Obama have in common, besides wanting to be the next commander in chief?
They are all of Scots-Irish descent, an ethnic and cultural lineage that has produced more presidents and military leaders than any other.
"Fascinating, but not surprising," says U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va. The former naval secretary and decorated Marine should know: He catalogued the migration and cultural influence of the Scots-Irish in America in his book "Born Fighting."
They have "always had the tradition of being in leadership positions, whether it is the military or in politics," Webb says. In fact, 17 of America's 43 presidents are confirmed Scots-Irish.
They also comprise the largest swing-voting bloc in the country; you cannot win a presidential election without them. In a 2004 newspaper column, Webb suggested that by ignoring Scots-Irish voters in places such as West Virginia and Tennessee, Al Gore probably lost the 2000 presidential election.
"Senator Webb, a heroic, literary figure himself, is correct," says GOP political strategist John Weaver, who never ignores the Scots-Irish voter.
Weaver is a rarity, however; a call to more than a half-dozen academic political specialists and pollsters found none who recognized the Scots-Irish impact on elections.
That lack of knowledge is a social and political curiosity. How can there be such scant understanding of a 30 million-strong ethnic group that has produced so many leaders and swung most elections?
Perhaps because political academics and pollsters parse the Scottish half off with the WASP vote and define the Irish-Catholic half as blue-collar Democrats. They are neither.
So, who are...
--snip--
As a voting bloc, the Scots-Irish respond passionately to five things: the right to bear arms, the preservation of family, a love of country, a respect for life and success in war...
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
The neoCOMs have a tall order:
They deplore the Second Amendment.
They want to wreck traditional families.
They accuse America for all the evil in the world and worship the United Nations.
They want unrestricted access to abortions.
They want a repeat in Iraq of the disaster they enabled in Vietnam and its neighbors.
BTTT!
The Mark of the Scots: Their Astonishing Contributions...
by Duncan A. Bruce
A very enjoyable book; especially if you’re Scottish!
I thought Hillary was Welsh.
Will Hillary change her accent to give a speach?
speech
SHeesh!
I am Stots Irish and I never knew we were a political force. Why was I never invited to the meetings?
Also “The Scottish Empire”. I forget the author. Got it from a remainder bin a few years ago, so it may be a “used-book-seller” item now, but worth seeking out.
If The Hildabeast were Welsh, she could sing, and wouldn’t screech the way she does.
ancestral ping
She couldn't be Welsh. I'm 1/4 Welsh, and I'm sure that the Welsh would never have allowed a witch to live if she had been born into a Welsh family. We do have standards you know.
McCain certainly.
Hillary Clinton, not much if at all. She's Welsh and English with a dash of Scots and French Canadian.
Obama not so much either. Maybe a little.
Huckabee maybe as well. Not everyone in the Southern Highlands was Scots-Irish but after a few generations, you get a lot of people who are at least a little English and a little Irish, Scots, and Scots-Irish.
I have to wonder if the target group is Scots-Irish or actually just Middle Americans or Midlanders or Heartlanders.
FWIW Huckabee's wife was born Janet McCain. Maybe she and McCain are related ...
Oh, and by the way, anybody who writes half the Scots-Irish vote off as Catholic doesn’t have a clue.
The Scots-Irish were Protestant to a man.
The Catholic Irish arrived much later.
The Scots are deficient on the tennis court only when faced with three foot high extragalactic Blancmange puddings.
Apart from that, we are invincible!!!
LOL...........
Probably because you spelled it wrong on the application. LOL
Lay off the Glenlivet. :)
Actually I believe the preferred term now is Ulster Scots.
“Rudy” is on the Country Music Channel tonight. :)
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