Jarring moment at the Clark meetup last night...

[Richardo]

Went to my first ever meet-up last night in Houston, and came away charged up about the challenging path ahead as we move toward the March 9th Texas primary. We had about a dozen people at the northwest Houston meeting, and went through a quick orientation and to-do list to gear up for the March 9th.

Overall, a very positive and inclusive experience, especially for us rookies.

However: Maybe it's just 'cause I'm new to campaign activism (shameful at my advanced age, I know) but the one thing I was not prepared for was the intra-party sharpshooting. I suppose after the cross-candidate flame wars I've seen in GD I should have been better prepared, but there's nothing like experiencing it in person.

The first thing the guy next to me did after shaking my hand: show me a political cartoon aimed at....Howard Dean. I shook it off and optimistically figured it for an over-zealous anomaly.

Then during the main presentation, the chairwoman was stressing the advantages of getting Clark nominated and in the course of her remarks also threw a couple of high hard ones at Dean.

Now I intend to work hard for Wes Clark's nomination and (hopefully) election, and I'll speak of what I think are his positive attributes 'til the cows come home, but I am not going to engage in internecine smackdowns on other Democrats. I intend to remain focused on the TRUE opponent in 2004: Ralph Nader. :D

I'm kidding of course...the prize to keep in sight is the removal of the Occupying Power in control of our country. That's what's driving MY involvement.

[theivoryqueen]

1. you smart and cool - I think you are on-target!

I don't think it's necessary to attack other democrats at this juncture. Maybe I am naive and overly idealistic, but I totally agree with your post.

[denverbill]

2. Haha.

"I intend to remain focused on the TRUE opponent in 2004: Ralph Nader."

OK, that gave me a good laugh, especially since I'm a registered Green who supports Dean:).

I like your attitude, and it's one I share. Feel free to give me a swift kick in the ass if you ever see me sniping at Clark.

[roughsatori]

3. How odd that you consider Nader and not Bush* to be the "TRUE" opponent

I do understand that many Clark supporters (even at DU) seem to despise the left--but your preferring Bush* to Nader is disconcerting to read.

Your sentence is bizarre: "I intend to remain focused on the TRUE opponent in 2004: Ralph Nader."

[Demobrat]

4. Not sure, but

I think maybe he was joking.

[Divernan]

5. Which word didn't you understand when he said"I'm kidding of course"?

nt

[Richardo]

7. Apologize for the misunderstanding: that is what passes for a joke with me

:D

[Jerseycoa]

8. And it was funny

I laughed.

[Jerseycoa]

6. It is a primary race

And it gets this way. But speak up to your meetup group and tell them you are uncomfortable with the negativity. Everybody has different approaches to all of it. I feel sometimes the way you do, and then sometimes I see why it happens. But it does happen in all campaigns. It's great to have you with us, though. :hi:

[lostnfound]

10. Yes, in fact, the negativity can sometimes be a sign of a provocateur

from the other (repub) side, just trying to ensure that Dem candidates stay focused on attacking each other instead of ganging up on Bush. I wouldn't put it past them.

[Robbien]

9. Earlier this morning

I read a thread on another site where a person from the rabid right went underground to a Clark meetup last night where there were about 10 people. He said his purpose was to distract, divide and disrupt. He felt he accomplished his mission because the participants were all arguing among themselves by the time the meeting ended.

Something to think about when attending these meetings.

[mistertrickster]

13. Good point and thanks for the heads up BUT the disruptor might

have been full of BS too. Wishful thinking is what the right specializes in . . .

[Robbien]

17. Yes, but that is exactly what they do here

When a rabid right winger posts here, the thread get sidetracked and rarely gets back on track. Not saying that poster was not bragging, but have seen many attempts at distraction here at DU by the rabid right.

[RichardRay]

11. Talk to them....

If you can get a forum where you can talk to your local folks and say pretty much exactly what you just wrote I'd bet you'd find others who share your concerns. In the primaries people can get focused on important differences between the would be nominees and forget that after the convention we're all going to have 'to hang together lest we hang separately'.

[Richardo]

22. Thanks, Richard...I will do that

:thumbsup:

[Hep]

12. Not just Clark meetups

I have anecdotal evidence of Kucinich meetupers spending more time on Dean than Kucinich.

[eileen from OH]

14. You are right. . .

In fact, one of our primary goals, which I stress in the welcome, is to make everyone feel welcome and accepted. That includes Greens, Republicans, disenchanted Bushies, anyone who is exploring all the Dem candidates or those leaning towards ours (Dean.)

We do NOT bash other candidates and I will even do a gentle cut-off if anyone starts in with that in general discussions. (Obviously, you can't control table talk, but setting the tone is important.)

Look at it this way (and you may want to mention this to your host) - you need to start with the assumption that NOT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP AT MEETUPS ARE 100% COMMITTED CLARK SUPPORTERS. They could be the merely curious. And nuthin' turns off the undecided quicker than cheap shots at other candidates. Nuthin' makes a Green feel unwelcome faster than cracks at how they (and Nader)"lost" the last election, for example. Yeah, you may feel that way about it personally and you may hate another candidate or party, but if your goal is to CONVERT and not antagonize you fail if you engage in that kind of thing.

eileen from OH

[Richardo]

21. Excellent, Eileen - thanks for the input..

Especially around here (9th circle of RW hell) there may be a lot more disenchanted Repubs looking for an alternative to Bush who would be more attracted to a positive campaign.

[rucky]

15. At the Dean Meetups I've been to...

the pat line I've heard about Clark is that he'd make a great VeePee.

I suppose it could be taken as a backhanded compliment, but it came off like a sincere & respectful opinion among Dean supporters. Many cited no experience in elected office, but a generally positive response to the General.

When our table was talking amongst ourselves, I heard more rabid anti-Bush than avid pro-Dean (although there was some of that, too). Kucinich also came up & people gave the standard "like him, but unelectable" meme.

Just my humble observations. Meetups are interesting - especially for undecided voters like myself.

[cally]

16. Did I ever tell

I you :loveya: ;-) You are exactly right. We cannot get bogged down bashing each other. Let's push our candidates while respecting others.

[Lefta Dissenter]

18. Wow, I'm disappointed to hear that!

Our meetups have felt exactly like what I would expect from Clark supporters. Glowing reports on Clark, of course, but virtually no reference to the other dem candidates. Just setting goals and making plans.

Actually, the only reference to Dean last night at the meetup was in talking about numbers of full-time campaign staffers in our state. And even that was prefaced with, "we're not in the role of comparing ourselves to Dean..."

I'd certainly remind people to look at how Clark is running his campaign, and to try to live up to that standard.

[Richardo]

19. Excellent point, VCIW...

If I come across it again I will speak up...

[GOPBasher]

20. I agree so much.

I wish Dems would stop bashing other Dems; it just helps the repukes.

[JNelson6563]

23. Some good comments to consider here

in this thread. Beware the disruptive infiltrators. OTOH, it may be that they are Clark supporters of the mindset like that of some here.

My town has only, until recently, had Dean meet-ups. When the Clarkies were forming one here I invited them to come speak to the Dem board about Clark. I tried to but could not make the first meet-up (Nov). Afterwards, a week or so later, I saw that gal who came to the meeting & is organizing Clark meet-ups, geez I thought I was sitting next to one of the rabid-Dean-hating Clarkies from GD. She was making lots of obnoxious statements and I finally put my hand up and told her she was being arrogant. I let her know that maybe she thought we were on different teams (a comment she'd made to me) but I didn't see it that way. Told her we're both Dems, that's "same team" to me and there's no need for obnoxious behavior.

I am happy to report I hear no talk of other candidates at the meet-ups and as an organizer that is good with me. Did hear talk of a Dean/Clark ticket last month but it was in passing.

I'll be glad when the primaries are over so maybe then there will be no excuse for this incredibly self-defeating nonsense. So many forget Bush and the neo-cons are the ones on a "different team".

Julie

[el_gato]

24. I'm glad your involved Richardo

seems like you have your priorties straight

[mikehiggins]

25. Maybe its different here in Pinellas

I've been to several meetups and several local Democratic Party meetings and everyone seems agreed that the issue is Bush. Of course, here in Florida we get to choose which Bush.

One bumper sticker I saw said "I didn't vote for his daddy, I didn't vote for his brother and I sure as hell won't be voting for Dubya!"

A couple of times the meetups did start to veer in anti-Dean, anti-Joe directions but there was always a definite effort to keep on focus. If our guy is the right guy, we don't have to kick anyone else to the curb.

[Jerseycoa]

27. I can say

Dean's never been mentioned at our meetups. No other candidate, either, but our meetups are very much working groups, so it's all about that.

[onecitizen]

26. I'll say it again..........

I cannot believe that this bothers people. It is, after all, the Primary season. This is what goes on during the primaries. Once the candidate is chosen, MOST will come together to defeat bush. But this time during the campaign it gets pretty raucous. It probably will get worse before it gets better. Try to ignore the ones who you think go too far. And don't take it too personally if you can. That's hard to do sometimes I know.