Equal time for candidates other than Gore?...

[election_2004]

I've noticed a disturbing trend here at DU...anytime anyone says the slightest little negative thing about Al Gore, we get tag-teamed by three or four individuals who then tell us to shut up, that we're crazy, that we're idiots, that we're working for Karl Rove, etc...

(FYI: that's probably not the smartest way to attempt to persuade people, in case you've never taken any academic courses in Communication)

Then we get additionally pounced upon by a chorus of other yespeople, who I'm guessing were pointed to DU from a Gore2004 listserve, messageboard, or mailing list.

And everyone else lets them get away with it.

Yet, when people criticize Howard Dean or John Kerry, we hear "oh, let's not fight...you aren't making a constructive case for your candidate by bashing his opponent...."

In other words, when criticizing Dean or Kerry, people keep each other in check.

But when criticizing Gore, the people who do the criticizing are painted by the "Only-Gore-In-2004" camp as a bunch of "undercover Republican" right-wingers. And no one really questions that accusation.

Does the fact that many of us don't want Gore to be the nominee in 2004 really make us so EVIL?

Why is it so hard to believe that there might be better candidates for the job?

Is this how the Gore2004ers hope to accomplish their agenda...by telling voters who disagree with you that we're all "idiots" and by complaining that we're disrupting the system and hindering democracy if we don't support the candidate whom you want us to?

Keep in mind that not everyone is a die-hard Democrat, and you can't convince people by saying "I told you so" or "Don't you feel stupid for voting for him?"

Oh, and one last thing: making blanket statements like "he was robbed" or "he got more votes than any other Democrat in history" or pointing to polls based primarily on name recognition are not going to help your case, especially if you want to get young people excited about voting and bring new voters into the process.

After all, how many of us here actually get to participate in many of those polls?

[lcordero]

1. Could I at least make my candidate look good to you?

:D

[election_2004]

16. well...

Who is your candidate?

[Rocinante]

2. Well heck

I ain't attacked the other candidates- I'll support any of 'em against Chimp & Co. I just think Al deserves it if he wants it, and I'm not sure he does.

[election_2004]

3. gore42004...

I don't know you, but I'll take you at your word. You are most likely not one of the types of individuals whom I was referring to in my post.

Those people know who they are.

[Rocinante]

4. Thanks

I will take you at your word also. I'm proud to be a Democrat.

[election_2004]

5. i know what you mean

I'm proud to be an Independent, and I've found that many Democrats become hostile when they find out you're not a member of their party...as though Greens and Independents have no right to participate in the presidential primary.

I say we do have a right to help determine who the Democratic nominee is, because Democrats aren't the only ones who have a stake in who becomes the next president. Besides, the Democratic Party will be asking Independents and Greens to support their nominee in November 2004, so this decision affects us too.

[Rocinante]

6. Please

just this once unite behind a Democrat for 2004.

[election_2004]

7. uniting behind a candidate

So if the best strategy is to unite behind one candidate, then why does it have to be Gore?

Why can't it be Dean? Or Kerry? Or Gephardt? Or another one of the many great candidates who are running?

[JohnKleeb]

8. I dunno really but

I tell you this I think I like Gore better than Dean or Kerry, heres why, he tends to be more of a populist than Dean, He opposed the war unlike Kerry so in reality I think he combines the best of the projected front runners. Now of course I want Kucinich then again I am an idealist wink.

[election_2004]

9. the war

Dean began speaking out against the war before Gore did (the media just ignored Dean).

And what makes anyone so certain that Gore would have voted against the Iraq resolution if he had still been a U.S. Senator in 2002? (for that matter, what makes anyone think Dean would have voted against it?)

[JohnKleeb]

13. I dont know if he would

I still support Kucinich who is one of the reasons why 126 democrats voted against the resolution in the house. I didnt know that sorry, I do support Kucinich overall though.

[election_2004]

15. Kucinich is a decent public servant

While I think it's doubtful he'll get the nomination, I do value Kucinich's presence in the race, because he'll help put a progressive agenda on the table.

[dansolo]

10. If Gore is populist

Then how can you honestly believe that the people who convinced him to not run in December will want to support him now? This is an honest question. What has changed between then and now? And don't say that Bush now looks beatable, because that's not why Gore stepped down. And if it was the real reason he stepped down, then how can you support him knowing that he lied to all of us who were supporting him? I wanted Gore in December, but I want Dean now.

[JohnKleeb]

12. I am not supporting Gore now

[SweetZombieJesus]

11. I noticed this too, and rather than flame them to kingdom come

I just thought: Eh, fuck it. If they're so deluded as to bash anyone who isn't raring to support a candidate who isn't even running, then nothing I say will get through to them.

This goes for a lot of the Clark people too. Just saying "HE'S MILITARY!" doesn't instill a lot of awe in the guy for me. I got over GI Joes when I was 12.

[election_2004]

14. i agree on one level...

I have no delusions about convincing these people to abandon their rabid, cult-like support for Gore. I am a realist, and I know that some people are already too far gone to be pulled back into the realm of reality.

Yet, the pro-Clark camp isn't nearly as vicious as the "Only-Gore-in-2004" crowd. In fact, I haven't seen many (if any) "Only-Clark-in-2004" propoganda spewed at DU.

I'm not trying to change their minds...I know that nothing anyone says will change their minds.

I'm concerned because they're pulling out all the stops to sway undecided voters and the gullible sheeple, by shifting the focus entirely on their *hero* just because they want electoral revenge.