The time for unity has arrived

[saoirse]

Like many of you, John Kerry was not my first choice to be the Democratic nominee. I joined the Kerry camp after my candidate, Wesley Clark, dropped out of the race. I appreciated the primary process for providing an arena where the candidates could present their ideas and positions in a civil manner and compete for the support of voters. That is the essence of democracy. Now the voters have spoken, and if we claim to respect democracy then we must also respect the choice the voters have made.

I am a Democrat without reluctance, reservation, or apology. I want my party to win this election more than any other I've lived through. And the only way we'll do that is if we support our candidate. Many on the other side have all sorts of problems with their guy, but they realize that if they fail to close ranks and support him they're only increasing the possibility that the other side will win. That's what unity is all about. We've been through the time of debate, and now that time is over. It's time to support the candidate our party has chosen, and do so with a level of enthusiasm that reflects how strongly we really want to get rid of Bush. That is our option now - Kerry or Bush. To me, it's a no-brainer.

Rest assured that Kerry will suffer many slings and arrows of the right wing mean machine over the next eight months. The last thing he needs is for those of us who oppose Bush to help Karl Rove do his dirty work. So I ask those of you for whom John Kerry is less than the ideal to at least consider who you are helping with your words and actions. And to consider how you would feel if your candidate had been the nominee and was being subjected to attacks from people who claimed to be on the same side.

This election is to important to go into any way other than completely unified.

[tom_paine]

1. Kick! from this former Clarkie!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

Go get 'em, Kerry! We need you to FIGHT and WIN!

[Maddy McCall]

2. After reading this, it is mandatory that we come together...the enemy is..

no longer within.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x434121

[tom_paine]

4. Love that picture in your sig!

Awesome.

[Maddy McCall]

15. Thanks!

:-)

[BruinAlum]

3. The key is not to help Karl Rove do his dirty work, indeed.

Nice post. Time to go after the true enemy, which is Bush.

[Ladyhawk]

5. Go John Kerry!

He wasn't my first, second, third or even fourth choice, but he's the nominee!

The gloves come off.

[rbnyc]

6. There are valid reasons for people to support other...

...candidates until the primaries are actually over, despite the fact that Kerry will be the nominee. But that doesn't have to mean that we aren't united and working together.

I recently spoke at a meeting of a local Democratic club that had endorsed Dean. They were deciding whom to endorse since Dean's withdrawal. We all had many reasons for supporting one of the remaining 4 candidates (there were still 4 at the time) and we had a passionate debate, but there was never any question that we weren't all on the same team, united around many common values, and committed to strengthening our party and defeating Bush in '04.

I think the time for unity never left us and I hope we will get better at voicing our different points of view while remaining unified.

[Adelante]

7. I'm ready for unity

:thumbsup:

[widowson1]

8. Call To Action

This just in:




AP Poll Finds Bush, Kerry Tied in Race
15 minutes ago

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - In the first poll since John Kerry (news - web sites) locked up the Democratic nomination, Kerry and President Bush (news - web sites) are tied while independent Ralph Nader (news - web sites) has captured enough support to affect the outcome, validating Democrats' fears.



Ok, what do you want to do about it? One thing we can do is attend Nader Meetups and give them pieces of our minds. Meetup format does not allow them to ban people from the events. Another thing we can do, better still, is join Nader Meetup, and then promote and vote for really bad venues. They meet on Thursdays. We should probably send them to places with loud, live music. Or crowded restaurants with no bar. They meet on Thursdays, so venues will be a problem (just like Kerry).

We need to get militant about this, people. Would you rather be polite and deal with another four years of Bush?

Go to Meetup and find Nader. Right now their next Meetup is scheduled for March 11, and the leading San Francisco venue is the Café Royale--that's our back yard, Clarkies. I intend to go there and mess with them, but good. I want their names and addresses. I want them to feel threatened. NO MORE MISTER NICE GUY. That jerk Nader and his ego are helping Bush destroy this nation, this world. We cannot allow it. We need to mobilize this effort on a national level.

Who will join me at a Nader Meetup?

Who will sign up to vote on my nominees for Nader venues? I will pay the money and nominate bad venues, IF I get some support. I urge all of you to do the same in your local venues.

These bastards have forced us into a two-front war, and we need to win it--both fronts. Who's with me?

Bill

To help my campaign against "The Nader Fifth Column," email me at:
[e-mail]

[newyawker99]

19. Hi widowson1!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[KissMyAsscroft]

9. Former Deanie...

And I am 100% behind Kerry. This asshole needs to go.

[BL_Zebub]

10. Dragonshit.

Unity (unconditional Kerry worship) now means that the wrong people (PNAC "lite" PPI/DLC) get to write the entire party platform. Unity after the convention is a noble idea even the Devil can support. But between now and then, Kerry and the party have to PROVE they are worthy of support to a lot of people. And those people are not wrong for saying so.

[Debi]

11. I'll vote for Kerry

in the General - but don't expect me to bleed JFK blue - there were reasons I didn't like him in the primary, and those concerns have not gone away. He's a hell of a lot better than Bush and will make a good president...just don't tell me I have to go stand on a street corner and sing the guys praises...not gonna happen.

[info being]

17. I feel the same way.

[KenLayedOff]

12. He can have my vote

It sure didn't count in 2000.

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. May I please have an opportunity to vote for Dennis Kucinich...

..in my state's primary? It is NOT until March 16!

[saoirse]

18. Absolutely!

That's what democracy is all about.

And then I sincerely hope you'll join us in the effort to kick George W. Bush out of the White House he stole four three and a half years ago.

[Frederic Bastiat]

14. Clarkies are such a pragmatic bunch!

We will not rest until Bush is out of office!

[tom_paine]

16. F*cking eh!

Gonna miss Clark's fire, honesty, but most of all his "challenging the Matrix".

He would make a GREAT SecDef!

[Crunchy Frog]

20. I agree with you on his

fire and honesty, unfortunately, he cannot legally serve as Secretary of Defense. You have to be out of the military for at least ten years.

I hope he will have some role to play in the Kerry administration. Otherwise, I expect he will be working in some capacity to light fires under peoples butts, and fight the RW.

[MODemocrat]

21. I surely do miss seeing Clark's handsome face & Howard Dean

The majority of the people have spoken and chose John Kerry as the nominee who will represent us in the general election. He will be a good president, and I really do like him more each time I see him out there working in my behalf. Bush needs his lying ass kicked and he
needs to have to answer to the terrible way he has raped our country.
I for one, believe that John Kerry can handle the Bush gangsta.

:toast: :thumbsup: