Race an issue for the Media, not Appalachians

As Athens votes for Obama, Appalachia votes for McCain

Even in this balanced story from the Athens News (yes, they have some) the reporter could not help himself from asking the race question......you know, these people are from Appalachia, so they must be racists, right?

Asked if race could have played a factor in Appalachian counties voting for McCain, Tribe said, “probably a little bit, but I don’t think it’s a whole lot.”

Then as if once wasn't enough to make his point (or maybe he didn't get the answer he wanted), he had to ask another interviewee the same question:

"Asked about race, he said that it also could have played a role.
“I would also argue that the issue of familiarity played a part in the amount of support that McCain did get,” Miller said. “Part of that familiarity does have a racial element to it.”"

It's the media that keep the racial tensions burning, not the residents of Appalachia.