A well written and enjoyable sojourn into the “hinterlands” as Mr. Kaufman so eloquently puts it. Kaufman’s article succeeds in showing how the cultural history of the these northern states intertwines with its political ideologies. Such a connection is a necessary facet in understanding Kaufman’s conclusion that Obama will keep the aforementioned states “as blue as the splendid Great Lakes,” even if the previously “blind support” for the democratic ticket in this northern region has begun to taper off.
Ultimately, Kaufman has written an objective, highly informative, and highly entertaining piece, which transcends the political theme that it introduces. One can learn as much about the rich cultural history of the hinterlands as they can about the history of its ideological tendencies, and that is what makes this piece, and Kaufman as a writer, so effective.
