Rant: Can we please stop refighting the primaries already?

[bklyncowgirl]

As someone who enjoys coming to DU, doing alot of reading and a little posting, I've noticed in recent weeks alot of flamethrowing between supporters of the various former presidential candidates. You know what I mean. Someone will start a thread about one of the former candidates--usually positive. Somewhere along the line the thread will degenerate into things like "Dean is not a liberal", "Clark is a Republican", "Kucinich is the only true progressive", "Kerry was a lousy candidate", "Clark would have beaten Bush", "No, Dean would have beaten Bush" and so on and so on and so on. It's the same old crap over and over again.

This is nuts folks. The primaries are history. Analyzing what happened and trying to learn from events is one thing but flinging the same baseless assumptions out over and over again is not productive.



What's really amazing is that there's nothing that I've seen in any of these former candidate's public statements that would make them the leader of an angry mob planning to rip other candidates to shreds.

Dean got screwed, true, he's also gotten over it and became one of Kerry's strongest defenders during the general election, founded DFA and helped get Democrats elected around the country and is now a leading contender for DNC chair.

Clark got used, and then dropped, true, but he's become a major foreign policy and defense policy spokesman for the Democrats and one of the few progressives who can articulate these issues in an authoritative way.

Kerry was robbed, true, and he disappointed many by conceding the election so quickly. Since then, he's been slowly but surely finding his voice and I think in the next few months will emerge as a major spokesman for progressives.

Kucinich was ignored, true but he's still speaking out and that's a good thing.

My point is that these guys are all on the same team. Sure there's differences between them on the issues but they're all rather close compared to the Republicans. Also, all of the Democrats who ran for the nomination in the last election are human--that means they are not perfect. Shall I list a few of their faults; Kerrys indeciciveness, Dean's occaisional brain to mouth disconnect, Clark's inexperience in matters political, Kucinich's seeming disconnect from political reality (I love that about him, by the way)--all of these faults pale in comparison to Bush's faults of arrogance, cruelty and dishonesty.

By attacking each other and harping on the differences in political purity, we are acting like the very caricature of liberals that the right wing loves to promote.

I am donning my asbestos suit and signing off now.

[TrueAmerican]

1. Let me guess

You were a Kerry man/gal all the way.

Well, we tried to tell ya.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. Actually I was largely undecided between Dean and Kerry

I donated to both candidates. I had admired Kerry going back to the Iran Contra days but was put off by his support for the Iraq war. I liked what Dean was saying but was a little cautious about his lack of foreign policy experience and as I mentioned--occaisional disconnect between brain and mouth.

In the end I would have voted for Dean had he been on the ballot in New Jersey. I thought that his behavior in defeat showed that he had a great deal of character.

I'll admit I did not appreciate Clark at the time but since then have developed a real appreciation of his knowledge of the issues particularly as regards foreign policy and military affairs.

I don't do hero worship of politicians.

[TrueAmerican]

6. Well, you should of went with Clark

That what my gut said and it was right. And I tried to tell people, but it fell on death ears. Maybe next time.

[rooboy]

2. I STILL believe in 'Joementum' n/t

[bowens43]

4. So you're new to the Democratic party?

This is business as usual.

[bklyncowgirl]

7. Actually, no. I'm well aware of the traditional circular firing squad

My point is that in the last few weeks it seems to have gotten worse than usual at least here. Maybe it's because Dean's running for DNC and maybe it's because we're all tired and pissed off. I don't know. I'll admit I didn't start coming to DU until the primaries were pretty much over so I missed alot of the infighting.

Obviously it's hard for some people to let go.

[CWebster]

5. Who is Clark?

:hi:

[robbedvoter]

10. Glad the conciliatory tone of the thread is overcoming all

And it's why "can't we just get along" will never work.:spank:

[NVMojo]

8. I agree, we need to move on to more important issues today ...

[babylonsister]

9. Thanks for your thoughtful post, and I agree.

Time to move on, not rehash coulda/shoulda/woulda.

[TOhioLiberal]

11. No flames here...

I agree whole-heartedly.