I agree with you. Under their current conditions regarding their financial and reliable political base, they simply cannot conduct effective outreach to the Red Regions. The commentariat and indeed the party officials themselves have fashioned their shtick almost exclusively around lambasting and making cruel humor out of the folks in the Heartland.
It isn't just the anti-capitalism that offends folks in "Flyover Country". Much of what is written in their affiliate columns and is broadcast over the airwaves is very insulting and demeaning from a personal standpoint. Not everyone will have the facts on socialism versus capitalism as we do on FR because not everyone follows news 24/7. They absolutely WILL remember when they get referred to as a bunch of dumb hicks, however. Because of this alone, even if the Dems were on their best behavior starting today, they will have to wait an entire generation. Honor is not a lightly traded copmmodity.
Of course, they have not been on their best behavior. Even when Dean tries to get ahead by doing Jesus talk, the folks see it as disingenuous, and you still have all those "brain-dead" and "low-brow" quotes from the election. Bill Maher was out doing this just a few days ago. Actually, I would say since the election that the heat has been turned up on the inhabitants of the red regions, which will unquestionably cause an even greater backlash the next time around.
That would be commodity, of course.