The reaction to the nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin to be a candidate for vice president is a reminder that “geography matters,” writes Jim Gimpel, on the very fine Patchwork Nation site. Gimpel continues:
Geography matters in politics because candidates are evaluated not just according to who they are, but also on the basis of where they’re from. People tend to be more favorable to candidates who are from familiar places and less favorable to those who are from places unknown. Thus, fair or not, the place that somebody calls home can prove to be an advantage or disadvantage.
Gimpel, a Daily Yonder friend, writes that “imagery in television and movies depicts rural people as being unsophisticated, heavily accented, and semiliterate. They are frequently shown working the land or engaging in related rural occupations ““ with it often implied that they’re not smart enough to make a living in a big city.” Or in national politics??
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