Message to my fellow DUers on the eve of NH - from a Kerry Supporter

[cindyw]

Well, I will probably get roasted by my fellow Kerry supporters for saying this, but it doesn't matter who we nominate, it's going to be a very hard fight. As soon as it looks like we have a presumptive nominee, the attacks will start. To some degree they already have against all the candidates. For Kerry they have called him a liberal. Bush made fun of him for voting for the resolution and then not supporting the war. They have threatened with a "file". It will be the same crap for anyone we nominate. But let me tell you that it is a fight I am ready for, no matter who the nominee is.

In the past I have said that I would never supporter Dean. I am taking that back. I will continue to support Kerry to the end, but I will fight for whomever wins the nominaion. I can feel the end coming for Bush and I want it. After seeing that 12 year old snot in Dixville say "Not in NH", I wanted to smack that smirk off his face. And it hit me. I want to smack that smirk off Bush's face. (figuratively speaking of course, I'm a nice lady). We all have it in out hands to get rid of him and his cronies. NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT OUR NOMINEE. WE WILL NOT LET THEM DEGRADE WHO WE ARE.

Take this pledge with me:

-We will not let them say "liberal" like a dirty word.
-We will remind them that we have children and spouses and parents and friends who we want o be safe. We want the protectors and teacher of our towns to be paid like the professionals they are and we want them to have the means to protect us.
-We will not let you threaten us with your power. We outnumber you. You have abused it and lost the trust of the nation. Those who do not see you for who you are will soon.
-We will also work to put more democrats in the Congress because we understand that no matter how much we scream for our Dems in Congress to "DO SOMETHING" they are powerless without numbers.
-We will not let Bush have the flag.
-We will not let them blind us or confuse us with petty arguments about non-scandals. We are nominating honorable people and we don't care who they dated, who they are married to, who fired them, how much money they have made or what they look like.

These are my pledges. I would love to hear yours. May the best man win.

[Padraig18]

1. I'll take that pledge!

:hi:

[lancdem]

2. Me, too

Cross my heart! :)

[Justice]

3. Please Ask Senator Kerry To Stop Degrading The Other

democratic candidates.

When Kerry does that, I will sign on to the pledge.

I saw Kerry's campaign materials - he is very disappointing. He has riden the negativity about Clark - practically embraced it.

[lancdem]

5. Um, other candidates are attacking Kerry, too

It's not a one-way street. That's the way politics works.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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

[CWebster]

6. no pledges

in the hopes of rallying everyone around your candidate after you participated in building up your candidate by destroying others.

No. Kerry will receive his due.

[cindyw]

8. Prove that I did that.

I have only ever said that I did not support Dean and that I would do what I could to stop him. The truth is the only I have ever done is try to point out that Dean was no different than the others when it cam to IWR. So bring it on. Show me where I said something against Clark, Edwards, Gephardt, Sharpton, Kucinich, or CMB. I have not. I have fought for the ideas of my candidate. I have not participated in bashing. I for one have been honorable. Have you?

[emulatorloo]

7. Here Here! I take the pledge -

EOM

[pnziii]

9. It doesn't matter

We can take all the pledges we want, but Liberal is viewed as a dirty word in the general public. It's from years of Limbaugh and Hannity and others. Face it I think Bush/Rove would love to go up against Kerry.
They will paint him as another Dukakis from Taxachussets.

They already have started with Kerry being more Liberal than Kennedy.

Dean was the one candidate they couldn't paint as a liberal (though they tried) his record in Vermont was more conservative then Bush's.

[cindyw]

10. Are you kidding me? They have already painted Dean as liberal.

Conservative record or not, the perception already exists that Dean is liberal. If he wins then we will have to defend that attack against him also. Face it, they would call Lieberman liberal if they get the chance.

We have to make it not a dirty word. Dean would be ashamed of the idea of not doing that. Remember, he is the one who said "The democratic wing of the democratic party". Wellstone was a LIBERAL.

[vi5]

11. They couldn't paint Dean as liberal?

I agree that he's not, but the fact is that the general perception is that he IS too liberal. I even know somewhat informed Democrats who think that way. Unless any of us own a tv station or a newspaper, unfortunately that perception will continue.

[Duder]

12. Reap what you've sown...

A pledge at this stage is meaningless.

[cindyw]

14. I didn't ask you to pledge to support the candidate.

I was asking for a pledge that we would make liberal a good word. That we would make the election about issues not scandal. That we wouldn't let Bush use his power to seize the white house again and that we would show that we want real security and respect for our protectors. That we wold kick repubs out of the congress. What is so wrong with that? You don't have to support the nominee to do that. I am not asking for a pledge of ABB. I wouldn't do that.

[oasis]

13. My sentiments exactly. (eom)

[dolstein]

15. Sorry, but Kerry IS a liberal -- the charge will stick

Kerry is one of the most liberal Democrats in the U.S. Senate. His voting record is even more liberal than Ted Kennedy. Those are the facts, and there's nothing Kerry or anyone else can do to change them.

[cindyw]

16. I'm not arguing against that. I am asking people to help us make it a

good word. I am a liberal and proud of it. I think that if Kerry (or anyone because repubs will say it about all of them) can redefine what a liberal is. Liberal has not always been a bad word. In the last century liberals have been progressives, civil rights fighters and protectors of the country. WWII soldiers were more traditionally liberal. Who cares if they make it stick and people look at him and say if he's a liberal, I like liberal.

[bigtree]

17. good post

It's something to consider. A call for unity. I like it.

[cindyw]

19. A call for unity not as in getting behind one person. I don't like that

when people ask others to bow down and support their candidate especially when we are still in a primary process. This is a call for unity as Dems. That we will fight for the things that will really make a difference against Bush and his cronies.

[Adjoran]

18. I'm with ya - BUT

It's too late to rehabilitate the word "liberal." That's why we've been using "progressive" for the last ten years.

I don't care what the terminology is, as long as the policies are sound. I find that when I talk specific issues, most people don't get hung up on the ideological aspect, they care about what affects them directly.

[onecitizen]

20. Your pledge sounds alot like.........

Dean's message. He's been saying these things all along. He's the guy who SHOULD get the nomination.

[cindyw]

21. For me message is trumped by life record of dedication to these things.

But I recognize that Dean has been saying these things and I respect your opinion. I'm still sticking with Kerry, but point well taken.