You can criticize Massachusetts and San Francisco, but not Mississippi

In case you missed it, before incoming HW&M committee chairman--and NY Congressman--Charley Rangel talked about a military draft, he said this:

"Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?"

At which point, as if on cue, the sensitive hearts among southern Republicans got all teary-eyed. And indignant:

...Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Mississippi, issued a sharp statement criticizing the choice of words.
"I hope his remarks are not the kind of insults, slander and defamation that Mississippians will come to expect from the Democrat leadership in Washington, D.C.," Pickering said.

Yeah, it's too bad regional animosity has become such a fixture of American politics.