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Edited on Thu Mar-13-08 10:36 AM by Coyote_Bandit
Ego and emotions are invested. Reason and practicality are being largely ignored. The nomination has become personal to lots of folks other than the candidates. We are already seeing a lot of repeated persistent aggressive behaviors by supporters on behalf of candidates and campaigns. Behaviors that simply do not respect the rights of others to have differing opinions and conclusions. Behaviors that suggest a particular outcome is expected - and perhaps even a matter of entitlement. That kind of overt disrespect of appropriate boundaries is the stuff of disruption, disunity and long term division.
There seems to be an implicit assumption that whoever secures the Dem nomination will win in the general election. With that comes a presumption that the party will unify to defeat McCain. Regardless of who gets the Dem nomination, I'm not so sure that will happen. Too many have deep personal investments in their chosen candidate - and their loyalties will not easily or quickly transfer to a competitor. There are Dems who will choose not to vote and Dems who will vote for McCain. And there most definitely are Dems who will vote for Nader. There's the possibility that the candidate who does not get the nomination will run as a third party candidate - or that his supporters will write him in in the general election. None of this bodes well for a win in the general election. And make no mistake about it, if Dems lose they will have only themselves to blame.
Unless some arrangement is made before the convention it will be well documented and historic in its scope and long term implications. Personally, it would be hard for me to resist that kind of first hand view of history being made. The dynamics are different than in 68. I don't expect violence on the same scale. But I do expect disruptions, perhaps a few instances of physical or violent aggression - and lots of nastiness. I'm inclined to think there will be walk outs and no shows that result in a loss of quorum and the inability to proceed with business. I do think security personnel will maintain high visibility and will respond quickly and decisively to aggression. The persistent racial allegations could be the tinderbox that ignites a larger physical confrontation. Race is an issue in our society - and in this election. Too bad we can't have a civil discussion on the matter. The same could be said about gender, age, faith and nationality.
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