Good grief, how well do you know Tom Vilsack? Of course, he adopts the bumpkin manner because it plays well here (he's actually from the East somewhere).
I was actually thinking of someone from Georgia that followed up McGovern. Kerry being the 2004 McGovern, I was looking for the 2008 Carter. I wasn't thinking of Vilsak. Interesting that you bring him up though, as I have heard him mentioned as a fresh new prospect.