When you go by county instead of states, the 2004 voting picture as presented by the formerly mainstream media changes.  The so-called divided nation becomes a cohesive Bush Nation, with some blue liberal (Kerry voter) lesions dotted here and there. But it was about more than Kerry. Proof of this observation are the gains in Senate and House seats for Republicans that took place in the same election. And, Republicans held their majority of governorships, as well. 

As an aside, our guess is that on a map of the very poor and the very rich, the blue spots alone would remain, since it is in the Democrat-dominated urban areas where you will find the highest concentrations of each. 

But, our key point here has to do with this "divided nation" made of red and blue states that has been shown by the liberal press so many times..  While the map above clearly shows states that are red, we see maybe a couple of states in New England that would qualify as blue. You can't see Alaska and Hawaii, here, but the former is red, and the latter came within an eyelash of going for Bush.  Up to a few days before the election, polls indicated he was ahead, there.  In Hawaii, that was a shocker. So, two, or even just one, out of fifty represents a "division," all right, but not the divided nation portrayed by the map the formerly mainstream media uses.

When you can answer why they would use that other red/blue map, you will begin to understand many things. 

© 2005 Oregon Magazine