How to stop Carol Mosley-Braun

[WillyBrandt]

The question that needs to be on every non-CMB supporter's mind is: what strategy can my candidate use to stop Braun, while simultaneously (1) keeping the base; and (2) keeping the swing-voter appeal needed to beat Bush.

I doubt any of the candidates can square this political circle. Braun will be our nominee.

[arewethereyet]

1. the juggernaught rumbles on

n/t

[rwheeler31]

2. When will we get to a time

when Carol can be our world leader? O what a world it would be.

[cprise]

3. She wasn't a successful governor, so we'll keep her.

But that Dean: He's so negative. Yep, definite CHARACTER ISSUES (just like Gore, wink wink) when you go negative on a bunch of insiders who promoted an unjustified war.

We have BLOOD EVERWHERE... We don't need NEGATIVE people.

Yep, Dean started it.

[oasis]

4. I think she'll stop herself if she ever says something like "Dems are in

trouble if I don't get the nomination, my supporters may go elsewhere."

[nancyharris]

5. She just might be right.

<"I think she'll stop herself if she ever says something like "Dems are in trouble if I don't get the nomination, my supporters may go elsewhere." >

If the Democratic Party continues to ignore the voice of African-American candidates, continues to marginalize their campaigns, continues to take for granted their overwhelming support - then she might indeed be correct in predicting a revolt.

[WillyBrandt]

6. But she has no campaign to marginalize

She has not been running a campaign! She's just been showing up for the debates.

Jesse Jackson she ain't.

[windansea]

9. right on n/t

[oasis]

13. My CMB hypothetical scenario was in response to a candidate who

did say something similar and that was a dig at him.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Hey Villy

You're not the former chanceler of Germany perchance?

[WillyBrandt]

8. I am actually Joschka Fischer, under a handle

The most illustrious member of the Good Green Party, not our hateful phony progressive one.

[Brian_Expat]

10. You know. . .

Clark people bristle with indignation when their candidate's distant second-place status in the polls is noted. You'd think they'd accord some of the same respect they demand to other Democrats, especially someone with as long and distinguished a history of service as a real, honest, hardworking Democrat like Carol, who unlike some other candidates, is not a newcomer to the party nor believes that Bush's foreign policy team is "great" and that "we need them there."

Food for thought. . . cheap shots go both ways.

[WillyBrandt]

11. No. She is not running a campaign. She deserves derision.

It is not a cheap shot. Every other candidate, Sharpton included, are running campaigns with energy. Their positions and prospects, of course, vary wildly. But at least they're running.

What is CMB doing? Showing up for the debates, getting a few C-SPAN appearances. It's as though she's moonlighting, and has another real job taking up her time.

She's a perfectly nice woman, a wonderful Democrat, has positions I believe in and agree with.

But she is "running" for President in only the most superficial sense. (She hasn't even been getting her names on all of the states' ballots!) This is an absolutely crucial primary season. The futures of billions of human beings, the course of history itself, truly depend upon what comes out of our Party's nomination process. (Melodramatic? Yes. True? Yes.) This isn't a goddamn joke.

Anyone who runs for the nomination and does not treat the process with total seriousness deserves derision.

[Brian_Expat]

12. CMB is running a campaign

I believe that the derision for her comes from the fact that she's black, a woman, and not doing so great in the polls. She has not been able to raise money, but she has been on the trail, held rallies and given interviews, all of which qualify as running a campaign.

The utter contempt for her as a person and her campaign disturbs me. Carol and people like her are the backbone of the party, and you do yourself and your candidate no good by attacking her.

It seems to me like Clark afficianados just want him to be crowned, and that anyone with a more liberal or tolerant viewpoint is "unelectable" or a "freak." They've already worked hard to savage Dean -- I won't let them sling mud at Carol as well. She, unlike Clark, has a long history fighting for Democratic Party values and diversity of all types.

[oasis]

16. My sense is that she was encouraged by the DNC to neutralize Al

Sharpton. The strategy is to take away some African American votes from Al and he will have less clout as the convention nears.

[Brian_Expat]

17. My sense is that she's trying to inject issues into the campaign

Rather than "electability" or photogenics.

[oasis]

18. She's doing a fine job of representing democrats and addressing

their issues. She has a little added mileage with her backing from NOW.

[shivaji]

14. Brilliant post...Brian

[Brian_Expat]

15. This sort of anti-CMB stuff annoys me

Long after Clark has quit the Democratic Party he was a member of for less than a year after he comes in second in the primaries, Carol will be out there fighting for our values. Undermining Carol and her message/supporters will do Clark no good -- it will simply send more votes for Carol to Dean, along with support from women and people who believe in diversity.

Dean has accorded her quite a bit of respect, understanding her role as a key member of our party coalition, even as the Clark campaign slams her. I have long encouraged the Dean campaign to bring CMB on board in a key cabinet position if he's the nominee.

I think she would make a brilliant VP candidate too.

[tritsofme]

19. If she's the VP candidate.

be prepared to spend a lot of money in Illinois where any other campaign wouldn't have to.