A political geography question for Virginians

[Bob78164]

For those on the Bored from the Commonwealth of Virginia, do you live in real Virginia or fake Virginia? --Bob

[Hello, Mini!]

Gah. I live in "Real" Virginia, then. But I just went to my old neighborhood this morning so Rain Man could audition for the Junior District orchestra, and it was awash in blue signs and bumper stickers. Even on the register at the coffee shop my old boss opened (guess they don't have to worry about alienating too many customers).

Maybe Chesapeake and Virginia Beach are "real" enough for McCain, but he can give up Norfolk and Portsmouth. One lady even had a license plate reading HES HOPE under her Obama sticker.

[Flybrick]

I live in northern Virginia, the heart of the newly liberal area.

It is filled with upper middle and wealthy liberals who feel some guilt about themselves and think that voting for Obama is a way to atone for their sins of having been successful.

Of course, actually doing something like helping in homeless shelters or other community projects is beneath most of them. The ones who actually help out there are mostly the 'old style' Virginians - blue collar, hard working, the very anthesis of Obama's crowd.

At least those are the ones I've worked at those places with.

[minimetoo26]

I live in northern Virginia, the heart of the newly liberal area.

It is filled with upper middle and wealthy liberals who feel some guilt about themselves and think that voting for Obama is a way to atone for their sins of having been successful.

Of course, actually doing something like helping in homeless shelters or other community projects is beneath most of them. The ones who actually help out there are mostly the 'old style' Virginians - blue collar, hard working, the very anthesis of Obama's crowd.

At least those are the ones I've worked at those places with.

You can come to my city where all the rich McCainiacs live.

[NellyLunatic1980]

Aren't there a bunch of military bases in Norfolk and Hampton, two parts of the so-called "fake Virginia"?

[Hello, Mini!]

Aren't there a bunch of military bases in Norfolk and Hampton, two parts of the so-called "fake Virginia"?

Fake Virginia is Northern Virginia. Norfolk and Virginia Beach are very south, like bordering North Carolina. NAS Norfolk is the largest air base in square miles, and Oceana here in VB is a Master Jet Base. Plus we have a huge Naval station with aircraft carriers and whatnot.

The Air Force is up in the Hampton area, but that's still Southern, or Real Virginia.

[Jeemie]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

[Hello, Mini!]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

We got a guy going around the city of Norfolk with a gun strapped to his hip just waiting to be stopped by the cops so he can sue the city again.

We got Pat Robertson here in Virginia Beach.

Come on down to the Real Virginia and hang out a while before asking any more questions!

[Jeemie]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

We got a guy going around the city of Norfolk with a gun strapped to his hip just waiting to be stopped by the cops so he can sue the city again.

We got Pat Robertson here in Virginia Beach.

Come on down to the Real Virginia and hang out a while before asking any more questions!

Ah!!! So anecdotal evidence = reality?

[Hello, Mini!]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

We got a guy going around the city of Norfolk with a gun strapped to his hip just waiting to be stopped by the cops so he can sue the city again.

We got Pat Robertson here in Virginia Beach.

Come on down to the Real Virginia and hang out a while before asking any more questions!

Ah!!! So anecdotal evidence = reality?

Dude--I live here. I read the paper every day. I know what the people here are like, because I live among them. Some are really like that, yes. Some aren't. It isn't 100% stereotypical, but no place is.

McCain has his anecdotal plumber and Obama has his anecdotal gun nuts, but they are real people.

[NellyLunatic1980]

Aren't there a bunch of military bases in Norfolk and Hampton, two parts of the so-called "fake Virginia"?

Fake Virginia is Northern Virginia. Norfolk and Virginia Beach are very south, like bordering North Carolina. NAS Norfolk is the largest air base in square miles, and Oceana here in VB is a Master Jet Base. Plus we have a huge Naval station with aircraft carriers and whatnot.

The Air Force is up in the Hampton area, but that's still Southern, or Real Virginia.

OK, I misunderstood. I thought they considered "real Virginia" to be anything west of Roanoke and "fake Virginia" to be everything else.

[Jeemie]

We got a guy going around the city of Norfolk with a gun strapped to his hip just waiting to be stopped by the cops so he can sue the city again.

We got Pat Robertson here in Virginia Beach.

Come on down to the Real Virginia and hang out a while before asking any more questions!

Ah!!! So anecdotal evidence = reality?

Dude--I live here. I read the paper every day. I know what the people here are like, because I live among them. Some are really like that, yes. Some aren't. It isn't 100% stereotypical, but no place is.

McCain has his anecdotal plumber and Obama has his anecdotal gun nuts, but they are real people.

And I lived in the places Senator Obama was talking about when he made that statement.

Point is- this thread was started to make fun of/comment on the divisive stereotype Senator McCain's campaign used regarding Virginia.

I don't believe one should be too inclined to look favorably upon an Obama supporter who will do that while turning a blind eye to the divisive stereotypes Obama's campaign has used.

And that was the point of my post.

[Weyoun]

NoVa is hopelessly lost - it's a sprawling mess created thanks to the Federal Government, another reflection of our country's transition from a land that makes things to a land that talks about things.

Charlottesville was quite liberal, and in quite a fantasy world, but the area around it was quite conservative. So the tension between red and blue made it an interesting place to live.

[mntetn]

I've lived in both, and can understand why people would make a distinction. Kinda like Chicago and "Downstate", which includes areas that are northwest and thus "upstate" from Chicago.

[BackInTex]

Lets just cut to the chase, shall we.

She was talking 'bout real Americans vs. the Obama supporters.


Am I right or am I right.

[Bob78164]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

There's a bit of a difference. Obama's remark was made off the cuff, and given the chance to retract it (or at least reword it), he did. Here, the McCain shill was given the chance to retract the description, and she stuck to her guns.

In other words, Obama didn't intend the uncharitable interpretation of his remarks. The McCain shill did. --Bob

[Jeemie]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

There's a bit of a difference. Obama's remark was made off the cuff, and given the chance to retract it (or at least reword it), he did. Here, the McCain shill was given the chance to retract the description, and she stuck to her guns.

In other words, Obama didn't intend the uncharitable interpretation of his remarks. The McCain shill did. --Bob

Right....

If you say so.

It's also not the only example...like Murtha calling folks in western PA racists or Biden hinting that race is playing a role in people who are still undecided about Obama.

I repeat- this is what politicians do. If you intend to hold one party's feet to the fire for it, you ought to hold ALL of them to the fire for it.

[Bob78164]

Bob- maybe you can get your question answered if you answer the following question:

Are the people who live in "the real Virginia" bitter Americans who are clinging to their guns and religion, and don't like people that don't look like them very much?

There's a bit of a difference. Obama's remark was made off the cuff, and given the chance to retract it (or at least reword it), he did. Here, the McCain shill was given the chance to retract the description, and she stuck to her guns.

In other words, Obama didn't intend the uncharitable interpretation of his remarks. The McCain shill did. --Bob

Right....

If you say so.

It's also not the only example...like Murtha calling folks in western PA racists or Biden hinting that race is playing a role in people who are still undecided about Obama.

As for Biden, I don't know to what you're referring. I haven't seen the exact Murtha quote, but I suspect he was making the factual point that his district has a bunch of racists. There appears to be at least some evidence to support that view. --Bob

[Weyoun]

There's a bit of a difference. Obama's remark was made off the cuff, and given the chance to retract it (or at least reword it), he did. Here, the McCain shill was given the chance to retract the description, and she stuck to her guns.

In other words, Obama didn't intend the uncharitable interpretation of his remarks. The McCain shill did. --Bob

Right....

If you say so.

It's also not the only example...like Murtha calling folks in western PA racists or Biden hinting that race is playing a role in people who are still undecided about Obama.

As for Biden, I don't know to what you're referring. I haven't seen the exact Murtha quote, but I suspect he was making the factual point that his district has a bunch of racists. There appears to be at least some evidence to support that view. --Bob

Somehow, I think you wouldn't be digging up quotes on the internet defending his opponent if that opponent said things like, "Black people in Western Pennsylvania just don't like to go to college." Regardless of facts, a comment should be judged by how it is perceived, too.