Missouri redeems itself

Rednecks are not inherently stupid:

Les Spencer is an atypical Barack Obama supporter. He's a redneck. His buddy Tony Viessman calls himself one, too. Without accessing their inner Jeff Foxworthy, they define redneck as hardworking guys who like to hunt, fish, and maybe pop a beer or two.

"I hunt squirrels, too," Spencer said, in between drags of bummed Pall Malls on Viessman's back porch. "And I like eating turtles."

Spencer and Viessman comprise the sum total of the Rolla, Mo.-born-and-bred "Rednecks for Obama." Unaffiliated with the Obama campaign, it's a home-grown shtick the two retirees invented to address what may be Obama's most serious challenge in becoming commander in chief: winning - or at least not totally losing - the "redneck" vote.

Rural Americans are as hard hit by the weakening economy as anyone. The trick with them is to get past the cultural stuff. As opposed to the campaign strategists who have all but conceded white rural America to the GOP, these two fellows are at least giving it a shot.

Rolla is 100 miles north of West Plains.

(Tip o' the ol' Pole Hill hat to J.)