[Verginius Rufus]

Compared to the other Democratic candidates, Gore may have seemed like the most moderate...his opponents were Michael Dukakis, Dick Gephardt, Paul Simon, Bruce Babbitt, Jesse Jackson, and briefly Gary Hart. Gore was also the only Southerner (if Gephardt's part of Missouri doesn't count as Southern).

1988 was only 123 years after the end of the War between the States. Maybe Perry had relatives who fought or died defending Texas against Lincoln's soldiers.

I haven't decided what I think about Perry, but the fact that he was still a Democrat in 1988 does not disqualify him as far as I am concerned.

[varina davis]

Most all native born Southerners were Democrats back in the day. It was when the party left them, they left the party — some sooner than others. And most native born Southerners do have some family connection with the War Between the States and switching to GOP wasn’t as easy as some might think. But the old Dem party died long ago and it values along with it.

Rick Perry will chew up Obama and spit him out.