Another View: Time and the political tides

I grew up in what was widely known as the "solid South," virtually a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic Party, whose dominance of the region dated to Reconstruction. When my father ran for governor of Tennessee in 1938, his support came almost entirely from east Tennessee -- which had been loyal to the Union! -- but the rest of the state was almost hopelessly Democratic. Indeed, his opponent was nominated by the Boss Crump machine in Memphis. Even at 13, I remember being offended by the idea that Republicans could not be elected to a major office in Tennessee.