From Glenn Reynolds, after recounting a report of a woman describing New York as "an island off the coast of Europe":

If you think that much of America is like a foreign country, you're not likely to win many elections -- because it's hard to get foreigners to vote for you. Calling the voters dumb probably doesn't do much to win people over, either. It always strikes me that so many people who are quick to note the importance of understanding the differences in perception between nations, or races, or sexual preferences, and to try to bridge those gaps, are so unwilling to do the same thing where people from elsewhere in their own country are concerned. But Democrats must do better, or become a regional party. Because contempt doesn't win a lot of votes.

True...and a better summation of a point I've tried repeatedly to make.

In the past couple of days I've heard people half-seriously talking about seceding from the union, or moving to another country. Reynolds is right...that lack of even a desire to try to understand people, to dismiss them as idiots, is utterly hypocritical coming from people who profess tolerance and understanding as a global outlook, but aren't willing to apply such a mindset in their own back yard.

Plus, it's an utterly crappy political strategy.