Date:    Fri, 13 Feb 1998 15:18:16 +0000
<br>From:    Buchmann  buchmann[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]BELLSOUTH.NET 
<br>Subject: Re: Yellow dog Democrats
<br>
<br>There are [as usual] many
<br>stories about the origin
<br>of this phrase, but the
<br>meaning is clear - a
<br>Democrat who would not
<br>vote other than Democratic;
<br>ie., a 'straight ticket' or
<br>'party line' voter. The reference
<br>is to the most common variety of
<br>mixed-breed dog in the Deep South
<br> - a sandy colored mutt. The
<br>usage inplies the the YDD would
<br>vote for a yellow dog as long as
<br>it ran on the Democratic ticket.
<br>Far from a term of derision it
<br>was/is mostly used as a term of proud
<br>self identification. "I'm a yellow
<br>dog Democrat."
<br>