DU Dean Supporters should now show the utmost respect for other candidates

[Dems Will Win]

This is what we are telling all Dean supporters in our Congressional District in NY state where our Congressman has endorsed Dean and turned his whole machine over to him and I have been asked to consult the District Primary Campaign. Dean is almost certainly going to be the nominee now as the Gore endorsement will give him the Super-Delegates he needs to put him so far in the lead after NH and Iowa he won't be stoppable. What this means is STOP FLAMING the other guys!

We are going to all need each other to beat the BFEE and flaming the other side now is counter-productive to say the least. If you were in the room with someone you would be far more polite that hiding behind your handle.

Don't you see that in just 75 days the die will be cast and then you're going to wish you didn't say the things you did because we will all have to work so hard right from the Spring to the Fall to win.

Any argument some might throw against Dean is useless now anyhow because this is not a campaign, it's a communitarian revolution and that's what gives Dean his appeal and Teflon. So cool your jets! You won! It doesn't mean you can't defend him--just be polite and let the other side blow off some steam.

Imagine how you would feel if Dean loses to Clark and the Clarkies start razzing you. That's how it feels to an Edwards or Kerry or Kucinich supporter. We're going to need all those supporters in 75 days to be with us!

The worst of this was at the Florida Convention when a lot of Deanies left the room after the good doctor left. I realize this is because for a huge chunk of Deaniacs, this is their first time in politics and they have never been through the whole cycle. That's why I wrote this post.

Read it twice.

Dean/Clark '04 = Bush/Cheney Out The Door

[madfloridian]

1. I have never been disrespectful of other supporters. It is wrong.

There is more to the story about the convention than what you posted. My husband was one of them. I will not go into it now. There is more to the story, but I don't want to say right now.

[RandomKoolzip]

2. Do you really think this is going to make a difference?

People here in GD love to flame and attack. It's like the sole reason this forum exists. We'll see the end of the bashing when Kansas falls into the ocean.

[adadem]

3. The Deaniacs damage

has already been done. They've attended Dem Party meetings and alienated a good many people here. Will this lead to a major split or shake up in the Dem party...we'll see.

[Schmendrick54]

13. Damage control.

Hi cheryl27,

I am glad you posted this information about what happened at the Dem Party meetings, even though I regret that it happened.
One of the disadvantages of having tens of thousands of energized but neophyte supporters at this stage of the campaign is that some of us (even though I am a grandfather I consider myself a neophyte at this political stuff) get carried away by the competitive aspects of the process and we tend to act as "free agents" without regard to what the more experienced folks at campaign headquarters would have us do. As a result, there will be occasional incidents of rude behavior (e.g. gloating) which are regrettable but probably unavoidable. That is why I think the original post (and yours) raise a very good point.

It is probably true that some political damage has been done. In my mind, however, the same huge corps of zealots that creates this problem can be a big part of the solution. As a self-appointed Dean supporter I accept the challenge of doing my best to curtail this sort of rude behavior wherever I see it. I believe that most of my fellow Dean supporters share this attitude. As you said,... we'll see.

Regards,
Schmendrick

[AntiCoup2K4]

4. That's a Hell of a catchy bumper sticker slogan ya got

Dean/Clark '04 = Bush/Cheney Out The Door

Works for me... I've been calling that THE ticket for months now. I actually have to wonder if the subject came up when Governor Dean talked to the President (the real one, of course)

[HFishbine]

5. Yes and No

Yes, we are going to need each other and must keep in the back of our minds the reminder that when we argue, we are doing so with our brothers and sisters. However, I think you are a bit premature to suggest that the Gore endorsement cinches the nomination for Dean.

[Dems Will Win]

18. I said almost certainly.

I think you are a bit premature to suggest that the Gore endorsement cinches the nomination for Dean

I didn't say cinches I said "almost certainly". That's because Super-Delegates are counted in the running delegate count if they have officially endorsed. If Dean wins Iowa and NH, he would have nearly 400 delegates in his total on the TV and the rest would be below 100 even with their endorsements--although Kerry has gotten a lot of endorsements, he could crack 100 somehow. It would just be very hard to stop him. There are always gaffes but like I said he's got his Teflon.

[Padraig18]

6. I'm curious.

Should the other candidate's supporters also stop their attacks?

[wryter2000]

7. I've already done it

I've been trying to tell obnoxious Deanies to behave themselves. I'll continue to do that.

[TopesJunkie]

8. All Dems should show respect for all candidates.

Period.

[Misinformed01]

9. If I were worried about my delicate feelings

I wouldn't be reading a political opinion board.

BTW, you are placing a bit more importance on the opinions expressed here than actually exists in "real life."

DU is just a meeting place on the internet. It doesn't matter one whit whether we are all flaming each other or warm fuzzying each other to death.

The Fate of the US does not rest on this cyber playground getting along.

[Larkspur]

10. No, I don't want Clark as Dean's VP

Clark is a civilian political newbie and his civilian politcal campaign inexperience would be an albatross around Dean's ticket. You might talk me into supporting Clark as Dean's Sec of Defense, but that is as close to the Presidency I want to see Clark.

I prefer Gov. Bill Richardson as Dean's VP at this point.

[arewethereyet]

11. OK so Clark is up the creek

this only improves things for Edwards

[tom_paine]

12. kick for the truth

:kick:

[Scott Lee]

14. You insinuate that all DU Dean supporters show no respect

to the other candidates.

I think you should take a run back and peruse all of the "deaniac" "deanibots" "deanie meanies" posts before you imply that the disrespect and slimeball fest here has been Dean supporter inspired and driven.

As a Dean Supporter who has praised and positively critiqued the other candidates, I accept your apology in advance.

[Schmendrick54]

16. I humbly disagree.

Hello Scott,

I reread the original post and I humbly suggest that you may have misread it. I do not see anything in the original post that suggests "all DU Dean supporters show no respect to the other candidates." On the contrary, I see some excellent advice for all of us Dean supporters, written by someone who is trying to help make the Doctor our next President. Nor do I see any implication that"the disrepect and slimeball fest here has been Dean supporter inspired and driven." The point seems to be that those of us who want to see Howard Dean nominated and elected President can best achieve that goal by refusing to be disrepectful to the other Democratic candidates and their supporters. I think that is wonderful advice and I intend to follow it.

That does not mean I think there has not been some unjustified attacks on Dean supporters here. It just means that I believe I will best achieve the goal of ousting the usurper by refusing to respond to those attacks and focusing attention on the outrages of the current photo-op driven misadministration.

I commend you for your contributions here where you have "praised and positively critiqued the other candidates", and I hope you continue to do so. I am willing to believe that you have been subjected to "disrespect" here from the supporters of other candidates; I just think that in this case you are seeing criticsm which is not really there.

Just my humble opinion.

Regards and thanks for your support of Dr. Dean.

Schemndrick

[Dems Will Win]

19. I only meant to refer to those who do flame certainly and if I was taken

the other way I do apologize! We are simply telling all Dean supporters in the Congressional district to repect all others. Sometimes, people who have been cool-headed for months hit their pet peeve and they go off. So we tell all.

[Padraig18]

15. Will they be showing respect for Dean, as well?

Time will tell...

[TSIAS]

17. The Convention

A lot of Deanies left because there were rumors that Dean would be speaking at the ballroom next door. That didn't materialize, and it ended up being Trippi that gave the presentation.

[Dems Will Win]

20. Trippi's first mistake--not a huge one

Makes me feel better though. At least it wasn't the people on the floor's fault.

[Patriot_Spear]

21. I've never hammered on the other Dem candidates- well except for Lieberman

Do you blame me?

[Dems Will Win]

23. Completely understandable but We're going to need the Liebermans too!

If you really want to elect Dean, let the others vent and don't even worry about it. They can't hurt Dean and even though it's cyberspace, it actually gives us MORE chances to hurt a fellow Democrats feeling so bad they don't work for your guy in the fall.

Express your opinions of course but try to put yourself in the position of the other person. We might get the swing state that we needed in the end just because you didn't anger 20 other people with some thoughtless post.

You never can tell when elections are so close.

OK, so flame me now. I'm ready and I just don't care. I am serene.

[ulysses]

22. you'll have to pardon me for a bit

if I find a little comic relief in the handwringing and teethgnashing of those for whom Gore was, until tonight, a saint, but for whom Gore is *now* a pariah and a fool. First Molly Ivins, now Gore - what ever will they do if Clinton endorses the Horrible Angry One?

As for the rest, I've largely stayed out of the candidate wars anyway, and I don't think I've ever flamed any candidate except Joe "The Usual Suspect" Lieberman. Like I said the other night, there are quite a few folks here whose opinions I respect who don't like Dean, and I don't expect Gore's endorsement to magically change their minds.