Some of us were Democrats before being a Democrat was cool

[bluestateguy]

Some of us stayed with the party even through the catastrophes of Mondale and Dukakis (I was just a kid); and the wipeout in 1994, and for 10 years failing to win back either chamber of Congress, sometimes by the barest of margins; the stolen election in 2000; the maddening 2002 midterms (I call that cycle the "McAuliffe Midterms"); the bullshit California recall in 2003; and of course the Swift Boat election of 2004.

But look now! Suddenly it's cool to be a Democrat again! And a lot of fairweather people are trying to latch on to the train, lest it pass them by.

But we remember who was a Democrat during the darkest days of Karl Rove's "permanent majority" and who was not.

[northofdenali]

1. I've been a registered Democrat since I turned 18.

In 1972. :P

[Staph]

4. 1972

was a very good year for an 18-year-old to register as a Democrat. (And my then 23-year-old sister was severely put out that she and I would be voting for president for the first time at the same time!)

[peace frog]

21. I was 20 when I registered that same year

and have been a registered Democrat since. My mom was so pleased to vote with me that election year as we proudly cast our votes for Shirley Chisholm in the primary. Happy Mother's Day, Mom, you taught me well!!! :loveya:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I've been a Democrat since middle school...

I used to argue with my (then Republican) parents!

They finally saw the light, BTW, and re-registered as Dems the year before the primaries.

It is cool to be a Democrat!

:toast:

[jobycom]

3. I feel some vindicated pride in that, but I also will take every vote we can get.

Recent convert or long-time believer, just vote the right way and I love ya, man!

[Vickers]

5. Actually, Dukakis ws my first vote for a Democratic president!

:crazy:

FTR, I welcome with open arms ANYONE who wants to "latch on to the train" at any time and for whatever reason they want.

[northofdenali]

6. Me, too, Vickers -

I helped "convert" a bunch of independent/repub lite voters before last November!

[DainBramaged]

7. OH, you mean back when Democrats supported AMERICAN industry

and (God forbid) didn't own anything that wasn't made in America? Yeah, some of us are still like that.

[OHDEM]

8. It's still not cool to be a Democrat where I live.

I'm near Cleveland, but most people I come in contact with are GOP/Fox News/Limbaugh types. Many loud and obnoxious about it, too!

I've always been a Democrat. I grew up in a house with a Dem Mom and Independent Dad. I can say that right now is a time when it's easy to be proud to be a Democrat! Hell, I'm proud to be an American again.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

9. You are old enough to know something else,

I was old enough to vote in the 72 elections. In fact,I did. And there was a different war being fought in those days. That war was being fought at home . It was a continuing battle between country music and rock and roll. And believe this, there were fierce battles fought.

There was a music preformed by musicians that had crossed over from the rock scene to the country scene, such musicians were referred to as country cross overs. Their music was not excepted by the country hard liners. In fact the music and the musicians were hated.

The conflict itself was stupid and senseless,but it would not seem to cease.

Today the Peace movement is very in, and very cool,but it was not always the most popular scene to be a part of. There were plenty of down right mean and heartless exchanges of words between persons of both sides in the conflict. And there were no real reasons for it. Did you know that country music radio stations were kicked out of California as a result of the war?
We do not need those kinds of confrontations,confrontations that are rooted in hate or a hate base.

This is to say,it is perfectly OK for cross overs to cross over,and you damn well better be prepared to receive them . Because there are plenty of up hill battles to be fought,and we are still in need of more troops. What ever you do, do not become over confident. Remember that.

[Lint Head]

10. My Father was born in 1912. I was born very late in his life. He

was a life long Democrat and so am I!
:dem:

[rucky]

11. OMG I'm finally cool!

:bounce:

[abq e streeter]

12. My family has been Democrats since arriving in the US 100 years ago

that is, the ones that weren't socialists ( or sometimes one and the same). I have always been a liberal/leftist/progressive etc. and the only times I've not been a registered Dem and/or voted for non-Democrats were when I thought my party /candidate was not progressive enough ( unfortunately more and more often as the years have gone by, but I pick my spots; I only vote Green etc when the Democrat is either a slam dunk or on rarer occasion, so pathetic, I just can't vote for them--actually that was only once). I've voted for exactly one repub in my life---a local RINO who was shunned by the Dem. party machinery and ran as a repub to tweak their noses, and won.

[Uben]

13. I was a democrat on the Ark

....and I was all by myself (Noah was an independent). SO, let's lay this to rest! Back then, they called me Democrates.

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Yeah, I cast my first vote for Dukakis, too.

I'm not worried about what's "cool", I'm worried about what's RIGHT.

I've watched some of my favorite bands go from uncool to cool back to uncool again. Same band. Sure, sometimes the tickets are easier to get.

But we're talking about winning elections, not getting close to the stage. The more the merrier, if you ask me.

...and unless you're a Flat-Earth Fundamentalist nutjob or an Ayn Rand fetishist, the Democratic Party is the only game in town for sane voters invested in their country and planet's future. I say "welcome" to all our new fellow Democrat Friends. :hi:

[Are_grits_groceries]

15. Voted Dem in 1972.

Yellow Dog all my life.

[oldlib]

16. First Vote

My first vote was for Adlai Stevenson in 1956. Ike was a popular president and the Democratic Party was focused on defeating the GOP vice presidential candidate, Richard Nixon. I have been a rock solid Democrat all my life.

[murielm99]

19. That election is one of my earliest political memories.

My parents took me with them to distribute literature for Stevenson in 1956. Also, we had just gotten our first television. I remember watching some of the convention on TV and some of the election coverage before I was made to go to bed.

My first vote was in 1972. I was twenty in 1968, so I missed being able to vote as an eighteen year old.

I come from a family of yellow dog Democrats.

[oldlib]

24. First Vote

I stated in my earlier post that, "I have been a rock solid Democrat all my life". This is not altogether true. During the early sixties California had a Republican Senator, named Tom Kuchel. Tom was very liberal and I, along with a majority of Democrats, voted for Tom, to keep his seniority within the US Senate. The GOP destroyed this in the primary, of what I believe to be 1962. That year they pushed a right wing conservative, John Birch Society member, named Richardson. Richardson won the primary and Tom's career was over. Richardson lost the national election and never became Senator.

[cherokeeprogressive]

17. My first opportunity to vote came in 1980, and I've voted a straight Democratic ticket ever since.

When did being a Democrat become cool, in your world?

You remember who was a Democrat during the darkest days? Do you have a list? Who was not? Personally, I think that's some scary shit to be claiming.

Stop with the hyperbole. We get where you come from. The other shit isn't necessary. We ALL hate GWB. We hate KKKarl.

[Joe the Liberal]

18. We certainly have come a long way...........

My first vote went to Obama and I will continue to vote for dems for a very very very long time. Funny how things turn out, in a way we have kind of "pulled ourselves up by our boot straps"! :rofl:

[Maru Kitteh]

20. I was a Democrat in RURAL Nebraska in the 1970's.

You have no idea.

[Echo In Light]

22. My first vote was Clinton's first term, I've never voted repub, but have been an indie for ten yrs

[stray cat]

23. Democrats would never have gotten a majority without these maligned fairweather friends

and if dems are going to stay in power they better maintain these friends better than the GOP. The GOP have been smarter about getting moderates to vote with them in the past - we are lucky they don't seem to be trying too hard lately.