Story about Dean visit in my local paper

[maxanne]

Many of you saw Howard Dean on C-SPAN Thursday night at a town hall meeting. It was in my town. Our small, local paper had a front page story the next day.

The story was actully not too bad, for this paper. The owners are pretty conservative. What was really alarming about the story was this statement:

"Some said they had been registered Republicans, but changed registrations to vote in the Democratic race in the upcoming NH primary elections in order to have a "say" in who Bush will face in the national election in the fall."

Fellow DU'ers - while we savage Dean, and the other candidates, this is what the Republicans are up to. Our internal sabotage of Democratic campaigns is going to destroy our chances of beating Bush.
While we bicker over the "truth" of every single statement ever uttered by a candidate - they are marching forward to crush us by underhanded dirty tricks. And what are we doing? We're ignoring them completely - and destroying ourselves.

I am scared to death by what I see Democrats doing to Democrats. WE are handing them a victory and we're too stupid to see it.

[poskonig]

1. This post stinks of fear.

We're going to throw the kitchen sink at the GOP this year, and if we don't get'm in 2004, we'll get'm in 2008.

[Raya]

5. Does anyone have Source. Have heard it re this and other Primaries. Facts?

[maxanne]

6. Raya

Were you asking me? What are you looking for?

maxanne

[Scott Lee]

2. This is why I favored a new Dem logo - a bullet going through a foot

Which sadly describes what we're doing lately. Thanks for your story, hopefully it will hit home with those that are awake.

Unfortunately, for many it will not....as they are surely now madly click clacking away at an anti-Dean response.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. It wouldn't surprise me

if some of the flame wars started at DU were begun or fueled by posts by Repug infiltrators. The GOP works dirty, and has ever since Tricky Dick. We need to start looking at the GOP threat of dirty tricks instead of arguing amongst ourselves. This only helps them.

[maxanne]

4. thanks Scott Lee

I fear you're correct.

Postkonig - I am afraid. I'm more afraid of us than them.

[eileen_d]

7. I don't get your point exactly.

You seem to be blaming criticism and "bickering" amongst Democrats for something that is clearly the fault of Republicans.

Will any of these Republicans you speak of stop changing their registrations if we stop bickering? Can Republicans registering as Democrats be stopped?

[maxanne]

8. you're right, eileen

you aren't getting the pint.

The point is, that unless we stop fighting each other and start fighting them, they are going to cream us.

[eileen_d]

9. How can we fight Republicans who switch registrations?

Honest question here - isn't that what you are talking about?

[maxanne]

10. no

the point is that while we waste time fighting each other, they're engaging in these dirty tricks - and we're so busy savaging ourselves that we aren't paying attention.

Of course we can't stop them from doing this. But we aren't even aware it's happening, because we're busy slapping the shit out of each other.

We need to remember who the real goddam enemy is.

[eileen_d]

11. OK, then

I think most people have an eye on both things - both the struggle to get one's preferred candidate the Democratic nomination, and the larger fight against the Republicans in 2004.

Thanks for the information about Republicans registering as Democrats, it is important for us to know even if there is nothing we can do about it. The problem is, if I focus on things the opposition does (such as R's registering as D's) that there is nothing I can do about, I end up feeling powerless and apathetic.

I guess that was my point (if I had one). But your point is well taken.