I hope you realize what you're doing.

[liberalpress]

I understand, that like any other elimination contest each candidate has to display his or her wares, so the public can chose among the various candidates.

But keep on knifing each other, keep on blindly flailing about and come November, the only candidate left standing will be GWBush.

From this moment on, I will gladly debate domestic policy, foreign policy, or any substantive issue. But I will not trash a Democratic candidate, and I will support and encourage all Democrats to support the eventual nominee.

Our only chance to survive as a political force is to unite.

If we continue these internal flame wars, the lection of 2004 will be our last. And George W. Bush (or a designated successor) will rule forever over what was once the greatest republic the world had ever known.

DON'T, BY YOUR ACTIONS, SHOVE AMERICA ON THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY.

I thank in advance, the four of you who will agree with me.

[mistertrickster]

1. It'll be over soon. NH, Iowa, and SuperTuesday and we can quit

fooling around and get down to business.

On edit--but I agree, all this "my candidate is more of a true liberal than your candidate" is just plain dumb. We all know

1. we will back whoever the Dems nominate because we are true patriots who want what is best for our country (and that means anyone but *).

2. that it will be Dean, Clark or Kerry, and the others have some wonderful ideas etc. etc. but so did Jerry Brown and Eugene McCarthy and it just isn't going to happen for them this time.

[Lindsey]

3. Right on!

N/T

[Kanary]

6. Keep rationalizing

These rationalizations are going to taste soooo good as you're chewing them next Nov 3.

[Serial Mom]

2. I agree

:kick:


I never have and never will openly trash a Democratic candidate.

[calimary]

4. I've been pleading for this for awhile. Like anybody listens to me...

[Droopy]

5. Another "stop the bashing" thread

Hey, I'm all for it but I don't think you are going to get too many people to make a new commitment to unity. I'm ABB but I've lost all hope of converting people to my side. I'm actually beginning to like the flame wars. I'm starting to like seeing people go at each other. I don't think the infighting here on this board has any relevance in the real world. We've got 35,000 people who like to talk politics and we are very passionate about it. In the world outside DU I don't think you have anything like you have here. People might argue with each other about who the right guy is for the job, but they don't yell at each other and call each other bad names because they disagree on the candidate. They don't try to dig up dirt on opposing candidates. A perfect example of this is my mom and I. We both like different candidates and that's ok. We don't go after each other trying to tear each other's guy down.

[NNN0LHI]

8. "35,000 people who like to talk politics?" Whaa? I'm here to pick up girls

Don't tell my wife of over 30 years though. She will whop me in the head with a rolling pin.

Don

[liberalpress]

11. That was probably true once..

.but now that Limbaugh and his ilk are reading these posts to a national audience, the great undecideds are getting an erroneous picture.(You'd have to be stoned to vote republican). It's no longer just among us.

[Zomby Woof]

7. Mr. Sandcastle

Meet Mr. Tidal Wave.

(apologies to WP)

[Tansy_Gold]

9. Am I one of the Fab Four?

Thank goodness for the new DU thread hider, because I've been hiding threads all day.

I've been saying since, oh, about May or June that all this sniping is just playing into the hands of the repukes. And I'm not shy about saying it again, for anyone who will listen --

The sniping will eventually alienate the very people "you" want to bring to your candidate's table, or -- if "your" candidate doesn't get the nod -- it will alienate you from the people you want to join after the convention.

It also alienates a lot of people who are lurkers and lookers, who want to support someone but aren't prepared to deal with the verbal violence.

I fear the media and Saddam Hussein FAR less than I fear the internal bickering and backstabbing I've been seeing so much of lately.

But then, what do I know? :shrug:

[Kanary]

10. You know a lot, that's what

Because I'm one of the newly alienated.

For the first time in my adult life, I feel like what the heck does it even matter..... so what if I don't vote because it's a hassle to go through it all. Between the attacks, the unwillingness to even hear a new idea, and ignoring anyone outside of the candidate wars, I now fully realize that Dems are not my friends. They're not on my side, by and large, and whether they win or not doesn't have much to do with me. They weren't there to begin with.

So, as I've said before, don't go telling me I need to volunteer, to stuff envelopes, answer phones or any other scutwork. You don't have time for me now, because you're too busy hassling with each other? Great. You're on your own. Have fun.

The really humorous thing is that, if anyone even reads this, they'll give the standard lecture, rather than to boether to consider that maybe something really *IS* wrong here.

Again, have loads of fun.

[Selwynn]

12. Guys this is a NORMAL part of the process....

Wait until there is a clear frontrunner, and wait until after NH and Iowa and then everyone will start getting down to buisness. Now IS the time to debate and yes, even contrast the candidates.

[Voltaire99]

13. Yes, the "unity or death!" folks need to get a grip

Give and take. That's the nature of democracy -- and especially of the sometimes bloody internecine contests known as primaries.

I smile with amusement whenever I see these threads crying out for unity, total support, etc. That's not very democratic. But they certainly seem to be a piece with the disturbing trend toward conformity in post-9/11 America.

And no, not all of the Dem candidates are worth supporting in 2004. Lieberman certainly is not. Clark may not be. People who like to think -- not follow -- will decide whether to support the eventual nominee based on a whole bunch of factors.