Random thoughts on bash threads

[jpgray]

I wonder why those who are undecided, or supporting three or more candidates, never seem to start bash threads? It seems the vast majority of people who post a negative article in the name of "displayng the facts" have no use for them, being utterly decided on a single candidate. You wonder why the people who are still deciding, the people who are doing research on every candidate to find their fit, don't seem to clog General Discussion with petty and largely inept bash threads? Why are the seasoned partisans the only ones who play this idiotic game, where neither side will ever convince the other and the undecideds stay away from the foolishness?

Look at a bash thread, the ones that have a candidate's statement followed by the negative interpretation that oozes with bait, that has the "concerned undecided voter" camouflage, and nine times out of ten you will see a hardcore candidate supporter's moniker beside it.

So why do only the partisans post this stuff, and for you undecideds, do these threads help you? They don't help me, but then I read the candidates' statements myself. Do they have some value I'm not seeing? If so, why are they always so bitter and partisan?

edit: to qualify the post with my own views, I currently support Dean, Kerry and Kucinich in no particular order. I think this will be one of those situations where by primary time I will just run out of time and have to pick one. The primary situation may impact my decision as well--i.e. if Kerry or Dean is a lock anyway, I'll go for Kucinich.

[alexwcovington]

1. CANDIDATE A SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Candidate B is way better -- he is a REAL liberal! Anyone who would support Candidate A is nothing but a freeper plant and should be booted from the forums! Now!

[Tyler Durden]

2. It's an Old Democratic Party tradition.

Self-mutilation, then cannibalism.

I'm sick of it, too. Socialists tend to have a little more solidarity, and we look on this constant piss on the other guy shit as counterproductive.

[JohnKleeb]

3. Well JP thanks for calling this bullshit

I hate it, its like people want to hate the other candiates. I doubt they do but maybe they outta realize, they may have to support him down the road, theres good qualities I feel in all the candiates, yes even Lieberman or Gephardt and I admittingly dont like Lieberman but I actually do a little bit like Gephardt for his work for labor and the unions. We have to consider. I am a Democrat first and a Kucinich supporter second honestly.

[jpgray]

5. Right

The threads I've seen seem to obfuscate the statement to such a degree for the sole purpose of starting an argument, and then to maintain that argument for a few hundred posts by ad hominem attacks or deliberate misquoting. I want to try and understand what value people find in the threads, because when this issue is brought up, there are some that find the arguments useful.

I totally agree about the almost hateful attitude--if you took a consensus of the apparent "requirements" from each candidate's most violent supporters here, based on these bashing threads, no candidate would pass muster.

[JohnKleeb]

10. Yeah

Its like they want to hate each other's candiate. I try to find something in a candiate to like honestly.

[Forkboy]

4. Actually

Some of those threads provide a lot of good info by people defending the candidate under attack.The defense usually contains far more truth than the attacks.

[jpgray]

8. Maybe that's my problem--I can't get past the negativity to the info

But it also seems to me that there are supporters that will say ANYTHING, that will put forth any defense no matter how ridiculous it is. So when one side resorts to distorting or selectively interpreting statements for attack, and the other side does the same for defense, what does that gain the undecided folks? Two ridiculously biased views of a statement? That doesn't help me, but I suppose I could see how it may help others.

[Forkboy]

15. That is true

I guess I just try to sift out as much nonsense as I can and find the kernels of truth.

[Kanary]

11. So much "good info"

That at this point, I'm so disgusted that I don't even want to vote, let alone be active in politics.

It has made me ashamed to say I'm registered Dem.

Kanary

[Forkboy]

14. If you're a DK supporter

you have nothing to be ashamed about in my eyes.

[frank frankly]

6. I don't find them persuasive

If people really are trying to help this candidate, they should avoid constantly bashing another. It gets old. It has gotten old.

[sendero]

7. It seems to be...

... a small cadre of the usual suspects that are doing this.

It's annoying, but tolerable. See - I don't tie up my whole liberal identity into 1 candidate. Nor do I believe that there is one and only one candidate that could lead us to victory in 2004 *and* make a damn fine (not perfect though, this *is* planet Earth) president.

I just keep thinking about how it will be *after* the nomination. I think, hope and trust we will all pull together and get our man elected, whether he was our first choice or our fifth.

I know I will :)

[jpgray]

9. You speak for me as well (nt)

[CityZen-X]

12. Freedom of Choice

Basically this is a forum, under the entitle Democratic Underground. Freedom of expression, under liberal guidelines. You have the freedom of choice to participate or not. Watch from the porch or cross the threshold.

[NNN0LHI]

13. Let me tell you something. This is not pleasant to go through for anyone

But it has to be done. It is good practice to get in shape for the real "show" next election cycle when things are really going to get down and dirty. We have not seen anything yet. Don't forget one thing. If something does not kill you, it will make you stronger.

Don