The Democrat Party power struggle in play this campaign year.

[Cascadian]

Or the Clinton/McAulliffe Democrats (Clark-Edwards-Gephardt-Lieberman-Kerry) vs. Renegade Democrats (Dean-Kucinich-Sharpton). It appears to me that this current Democratic presidential campaign boils down to not Democrats against Bush but Democrats against Democrats. It is about the worst display of mudslinging I have ever seen in a election year.

It would also appear that the forces who want to keep the DLC and the semi-conservative are being challenged by the Democrats who either want the Democratic Party to return to it's left of center roots or want it to stand up to the neo-con Republican Party. Regardless of the outcome of who gets the nomination, I get the feeling that the Democratic Party will never be the same after this. You may see a very fragmented party even after the nominee's name is announced. This cannot be good and could become a boon for Karl Rove and the Bush Crowd. There could be a lot of sour grapes passed around after the Boston convention this Summer.

I hope there will be some party unity but as time goes on and the mudslinging intensifies, that possibility maybe slim to nil.

John

[xray s]

1. Umm...

Do you really believe Kerry is "semi-conservative" and Clark doesn't want to stand up to the neo-cons?

I see far more common ground between the candidates. Some of the tactics have been despicable. My only hope is their steel is tempered in the fire, better to cut Bush down in November.

Let the best candidate win. Whoever it is has my support.

[Cascadian]

5. I was referring to those who want to keep at the middle of the road.

I am talking about those who voted along for Bush in the War, The Patriot Act, and the pro-upper class tax cuts. Those who do not stand up to Bush. Those are the Clinton/McAulliffe Democrats I was referring to.

John

[blm]

13. Kerry pulled left all those years Dean was pulling the party right.

I'll stick to the liberal with a 30+ year record of fighting for progressive causes and exposing government corruption.

YOU can stick to the guy who used his power for 11 years to align with Republicans and govern as a cautious, compromising centrist.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

14. Clark didn't vote for the war, The Patriot Act, or the tax cuts

Dean is further to the right than all of the others EXCEPT Lieberman....

[Cascadian]

8. Kerry supported Bush in the Iraq invasion and the Patriot Act.

Didn't he? He also failed to vote against the AARP/Drug company inspired Medicare bill? He should have stood up to Bush from the get-go.

John

[blm]

15. Kerry supported a resolution to get Bush to the UN

before he used force. Same as in the resolution Dean supported for use of force.

Dean SUGGESTED a Patriot Act 3 days AFTER 9-11.

Kerry fought as far as he could on the Medicare bill during the filibuster. After that failed he left DC.

Dean is more cozy with the big pharmas and against medical marijuana. Kerry is for legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing it for users.

[JasonDeter]

2. According to who!!!!? The only people I've heard say anything about that

are republicans and speculators. No facts to back it up. In fact I've heard Clintons spokesman say Clinton was going to work hard for whoever gets the nomination. So any links to back up this spin?

[Cascadian]

6. These are simply observations.

I am just stating my own opinions. You cannot deny the Democratic Party is fragmented at the moment.


John

[Cascadian]

9. I hope you are right.

I hope Clinton does back the Democratic nominee whoever they maybe. I hope party unity does happen after Boston.


John

[jsw_81]

3. It's called the DEMOCRATIC party, not "Democrat" party

[Cascadian]

7. I DO call it the Democratic Party!

n/t


John

[sandnsea]

4. OR

The old time Democrats want to keep their taxpayer gravy trains rolling and don't like the New Democrat balanced budgets and cuts to corporate ag programs and the like.

OR

Every Democrat does exactly what he thinks he should on every single vote and there's no conspiracy.

OR

There is a split between the Clintons and the rest of the party. But Howard Dean is so much to the right of Clinton that it's not going to make a hill of beans difference in the end anyway.

OR

Make up your own propaganda here.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[blm]

11. Kucinich always loved Clinton. He's not interested in bashing him.

Don't group him in with Dean. And I doubt Sharpton wants to group in with Dean, either.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

12. Both Kucinich and Sharpton are not "teamed" with Dean... far from it

n/t