"I have a bestseller. It's a bigsurprise," Thomas Frank, author of "What's the Matter With Kansas," said. A year and a half after its publication, Frank still is touring around the country to discuss his book at bookstores and for audiences of liberal groups. Frank, who graduated from the University in 1987, spoke Thursday at the University Bookstore.
Frank said nothing had really changed since his days as a 'Hoo, aside from the new construction. He could still find his way around Grounds -- or "Rotunda-land" as he referred to it -- easily making it to Newcomb Hall from the Amphitheater after pausing in Brown College to look at the dorm he lived in his first year at the University.
"It's so strange being reminded of myself as a college student here," he said.
Frank studied at Kansas University for his first year of college, but transferred to the University afterwards to get out of Kansas.
"One of my best friends from high school came here and recruited me," he said. "I didn't visit."
Frank majored in history, and certain classes still stand out in his memory, especially one taught by former politics Prof. Dante Germino.
"He taught the greatest hits of political theory, everything from Plato to modern times," Frank said.
Frank's career started in Peabody Hall, where he published the first issue of The Baffler, a magazine of critical essays about culture. Since 1988, he has edited 16 issues of the magazine, with issue 17 currently in production. Writing books inevitably followed.
"I started writing books because that's what you do as a writer," Frank said.
Other than "What's the Matter With Kansas," Frank has written two books: "The Conquest of Cool" and most recently, "One Market Under God."
In "What's the Matter With Kansas," Frank depicts what he calls the backlash movement of extreme conservatives.
Kansas is a prime example of the movement. During the Great Depression, Kansas was a hotbed of liberal ideals as the home of the Populist party and many enthusiastic advocates of Roosevelt's New Deal programs, especially those concerning the plight of farmers.
Currently, Kansas is one of the most conservative -- and poorest -- states in the nation. According to Frank, even though Kansans keep getting "screwed" by big business, they still continue to vote for the party of big business: the Republicans.
"The CEO of Wal-Mart makes more money in two weeks than an average worker does in a lifetime," Frank said.
Although it seems illogical for the working class to vote for a party that benefits from their losses, Frank understands the paradox.
"The people are not irrational, they just don't see any difference between parties in economics," he said. "They only see a social difference. Economics is not in politics."
Frank said Republicans, especially in recent years, have campaigned as the party of the common man. Republicans are the good old home folks, with whom you can sit down and shoot the breeze over a cold beer. Democrats, on the other hand, are elitist, latte-drinking snobs who don't care about the common man's troubles.
Even the criticism of his book upholds these stereotypes. The most criticized part of "What's the Matter With Kansas" is the title, according to Frank.
"The title drives people up the wall," Frank said. "People view liberals as snobs and elitists that look down on the general public, so they see the title and immediately fit it in with that movement. Really it's just a critique of a certain mindset of the conservative movement."
The conservatives' campaign image has sold, though. Even though liberal economic platforms would benefit the so-called common man more than the conservative economic platform, according to Frank, poorer people tend to vote Republican because they identify with their down-home image.
"It's like the French Revolution in reverse," Frank said. "The poor are running down the streets shouting, 'More power to the aristocracies!'"
In Frank's opinion, conservatives have portrayed liberals as the cause of all things detrimental to culture. The filth portrayed on television and in movies, the decline in morals, the move away from religion -- conservatives blame it all on the liberals.
Frank points out that in reality, conservatives are at the heart of the problem most of the time. For example, television shows are becoming increasingly risqué because it attracts viewers. More viewers bring more profits, ultimately benefiting the heads of television networks, who, like all big businessmen, are usually conservatives.
"Conservatives are great about complaining, but they absolutely refuse to think about causes," Frank said.
Frank described the conservatives as motivating their voting base by portraying a terminal loss of power, when the reverse is really true.
"The conservatives control all three branches of government yet still think they are tyrannized by liberals," he said.
Frank also said conservatives continually make points out of the supposed liberal control of the country. According to Frank, the monument of the Ten Commandments was deliberately placed in a state building in Alabama by conservatives because they knew the action would spark a lawsuit that they would lose. They did lose, and the monument was ordered to be moved.
"The conservative backlash's purpose is not to win cultural battles but to lose and take offense," Frank said.
Frank attracted a mixed crowd at his speech at the University Bookstore.
A balanced audience of students and community members attended the lecture, which was sponsored by the Center for Politics. Charlottesville's Democratic mayor, David Brown, also attended. Politics Prof. Larry Sabato commented on the makeup of the crowd during his introduction of Frank.
"Some are Republicans, some are Independents, but I'm going to guess that most of you are Democrats," Sabato said.
He added that the purpose of Frank's book is not to "turn red states blue, but turn red states purple."
Frank's animated speech then drew nods of approval and laughs, especially at his colorful portrayals of both conservatives and liberals. He assumed stereotypical accents for both parties, driving his point home.
"I'm exaggerating, of course, but not by much," Frank said, referring to the accents.
With his many strong views on today's politics, Frank may seem like a person interested in running for political office.
"I'm a writer, not a politician," Frank said. "Politicians are professional friend-makers, and that's not who I am. I would not be happy doing that."
Frank said he prefers to stay where he is happy -- with books. One of his pastimes is looking for secondhand economics and political books.
"I am happiest in life when reading books and thinking about them," Frank said.
As for his beginnings at the University, Frank said he misses his youth.
"I'm not a student anymore," Frank said. "I've got two kids and a mortgage. But U.Va. is a wonderful place to be young."
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