How Serious Of An Issue Is The Feud Between Kerry & Dean Supporters

[THUNDER HANDS]

Obviously there is a big-time feud here in DU, but I just saw in a poll, of (I have to admit this for caution, FOX NEWS, but it's the channel I just stopped on for campaign coverage) voters in New Hampshire that Kerry voters and Dean voters are almost certain NOT to change to eachother on Tuesday.

So even in New Hampshire, Dean supporters and Kerry supporters don't like eachother's candidates.

How serious of an issue is this, thinking long-term.

An angry, hateful Democratic convention WILL NOT look good on tv and the Republicans are probably salivating at the picture of live coverage of Dean supporters and Kerry supporters getting into fights with eachother and even the eventual nominee being booed by some in the crowd.

I think the viritol in the room could be that bad that night the way things are shaping up here, if we're any indication of the types of people who are going to be in the crowd in Boston.

How big of a deal is this?

Do we really HATE eachother's candidates that bad that we would boo them if they won the nomination and we were in Boston that night?

[jpgray]

1. I think we all hate Bush more than we hate Dean or Kerry

I really, really hope we do, anyway. I think a lot of these threads are just paybacks for negative attacks and/or poll shifts.

[La_Serpiente]

2. I really don't think it is that much of an issue

Kerry supporters and some Dean supporters have been fairly tame I think. Sure, I've seen some ABK threads by Dean and Clark supporters, but that's not really important anyway. The truth is most Kerry supporters will support Dean and most Dean supporters will support Kerry when the election rolls around.

[wyldwolf]

3. I voted for the #3 option BUT...

..since this is the first go 'round for many Dean supporters, they don't realize that politics is often bloody before kiss and make up time.

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. yeah, but the point is that we don't want the bloody time

on national TV.

If two or three of these candidates are going all the way, which is entirely possible this year, then we could see and OLD SCHOOL convention.

Like, when acutal fights used to break out among delegates.

I've seen photos in a documentary on Al Smith and FDR.

I DON'T want to see that this year.

[HazMat]

14. you hit the nail on the head

many of the Deanies are newbies. The first time one gets passionate about a candidate/election is the most difficult -- win or lose.

They forget that Al Gore used the Willie Horton attack on Dukakis before George HW Bush did.. that Jerry Brown was the one who was involved in digging up Jennifer Flowers.. and on and on. This is the process, like it or not. When the nominee is selected it's time to get behind that person, whether you can't stand them or not. I'm sure John McCain hates Bush's guts after what he did to him in 2000 (whisper campaign McCain had a "black" baby in the SC primary, etc), yet he had to stand behind Bush and smile. Politics is the dirtiest game.

[JNelson6563]

45. And for us seasoned veteran Dean supporters

we're horrified at the behavior of the rookies. And I believe there is a campaign that has a much higher percentage of them than Dean's. ;-)

Julie

[MODemocrat]

5. I just signed a unity petition

at Democrats.com.
First of all, even though I'm a Dean supporter, John Kerry made me real proud tonight on 60 minutes. His demeanor was great, and he did not bash the other candidates, which was appreciated. Ed Bradley wasn't able to make a point, though he tried to rattle John.

[seaglass]

6. Put it this way, there are a few Dean supporters I can't

tolerate (well, maybe more than a few) but I do realize this an anonymous board and people say things that they wouldn't necessarily say face to face, so I might like them in person.

The thing is, my feelings about people's behavior on this board has absolutely no effect on the fact that if Dean gets the nomination I will vote for him. I won't cry, rant or rave. He has my vote.

[WilliamPitt]

7. Option #4: DU is not America

[THUNDER HANDS]

9. well, who are the delegates at the convention?

Are they regular people or are they party VIP's and fatcat donors?

[mdmc]

47. Grassroots are not represented at the convention

From what I see as delagates in NY for Edwards, Kerry, Dean.

[MaineDem]

49. Thank you!

:toast:

A point it's taken me a while to grasp but one that is so true!

[dsc]

8. If either of the following are true about Kerry I would have a very hard

time voting for him in the general. If he used anti Semitism and homophobia in push polls in Iowa then the only way he gets my vote is a public apology to not only Dean but every gay and Jew in the country.

If he is behind the Osama ad, and we will find that out on Feb 1, he needs to offer a full apology to Dean. In both cases any person or people should also be fired.

Note I am not saying he did these things but that if he did these things etc.

[jpgray]

10. Both would be pretty strange, since Kerry has Jewish progenitors

Plus he has the exact same stance as Dean on gay marriage (i.e. don't call it "marriage" :crazy:)

[dsc]

15. I have heard it from several sources that I generally trust

but have no direct proof. It would be intolerable if he did it. Bash me for votes and don't ask me for them.

[jpgray]

16. None of that from me. If he has done that, I will be very disappointed

I don't like petty, negative campaigning, and I hate to see Kerry or anyone else engaging in it.

[IndianaGreen]

11. What if the convention is deadlocked

and we have Edwards, Clark, Kerry, and Dean still in the hunt?

I am just warning you that anything can happen!

Hey, Lieberman could be the compromise candidate. What would you do then? I will be there with the "Joe-mentum"!

[jpgray]

12. LOL, my projectile vomit would have "Joe-mentum"

But I'd support him, holding my nose all the while.

[drfemoe]

13. I think you can plan for a *rowdy* convention

Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton have both stated they are going all the way to Boston. (I'm going to post on Al Sharpton's latest news in due time.) There are enough super delegates at stake to make it worthwhile. Doesn't look like any of them want to back down.

It has already been reported that the Miami police department is giving Boston a hand with riot training. :shrug: Party time I guess.

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. I don't think that's going to happen

someone on tv was circulating a rumor that Terry Mac wants to get the candidates who haven't won a primary to drop out by Super Tuesday.

[drfemoe]

25. The Super Tues in 9 days?

The one with seven primaries? That means two primaries choose the *nominee*?

[THUNDER HANDS]

26. no, super tuesday is in March

March 2nd I believe

[drfemoe]

29. That hardly makes immediate action necessary

Maybe you should mention something about that in the OP.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

17. What happened to the feud between Dean and *Clark* people?!?

[jpgray]

19. Kerry/Dean is a more ancient and hallowed feud in DU lore. :-) (nt)

[Cheswick2.0]

22. I disliked Kerry long before I ever heard of Dean

[THUNDER HANDS]

20. Kerry won Iowa

Back meet bullseye

[Upfront]

33. Skull&Bones Vs Skull&Bones

If Kerry wins it will be our first all Skull&Bones election for President. Call me crazy but that bothers me a lot. Read up on the Yale all boys club. It has a long history. You will be supprised at who belongs, and what they do.

[IndianaGreen]

23. We love Wes Clark!

A real war hero that opposed IWR and Bush's criminal occupation of Iraq, unlike Kerry.

[mdmc]

48. Clark?

Dean (Kucinich) supporter with no problem with the Bush lite; better than Bush, right?

[feckerman]

21. Just like Dean/Clark supporters

hate today, love tommorow. its all good in the end. (hopefully)

[woofless]

24. It's not significant at all if you just ignore it.

I have been voting for Democrats for 33 years and I hate to think of all the times "my guy/woman" either failed to get the nomination or be elected. It happens. No one picks all the winners. It is the process. I am feeling pretty good about "my guy" right now, and have been on the bandwagon for months. That said, it is still VERY early and he may not get the nod. Anyone who thinks, would conclude that although their first pick did not win they still need to vote to take our country back. That means get behind the Democratic nominee whomever that is, period.

Woof

[welshTerrier2]

27. Not Much ...

i'm leaning towards Kerry and have mostly good things to say about what Dean has done for our party ...

I wish more could acknowledge that they are both anti-bush warriors and we need both of them in the fight ...

fwiw, I also think that keeping some interest in the campaign for awhile, instead of having it more or less over in a few weeks, will help keep the focus and the media attention on our candidates ... we need all the free air time we can get ...

[patricia92243]

28. I don't hate any candidate. I'm just afraid we will endanger our nation by

making the wrong decision.

[fabius]

30. DU is a bit more impassioned than the general public...

you gotta realize this is not quite as emotional for most people. They just want the best candidate.

In my family: 3 for Dean, 1 for Kerry, 1 for Clark, 1 for CMB, now uncomitted, 1 for Edwards. All of us for ABB. There's been no animosity about this.

I've met Kerry volunteers and find them very fine intelligent people. To most of us I don't think this is a big problem.

[bigtree]

31. I'm not bitter

dean supporters:pals:me

[UTUSN]

32. There is -----------*NO*------"Feud"

In yo DREAMS, Repukes-----------they WISH there were a feud. My dream is of Shrub at the Crawford pig farm, with Brit HUME, DRUDGE, and LIMBOsevic, plus the "lovely and gracious Marta" all cooped up together and despising one another for ETERNITY.

[IronLionZion]

34. As a Dean supporter, I will gladly support Kerry

or any other Dem if Dean doesn't win the nomination. The ultimate goal here is to beat Bush. Too many of my fellow Dean supporters say their vote in non-transferable and I think that is ridiculous. Dean himself has stated over and over that he would do everything he could to support the Dem nominee if it wasn't him and would encourage his supporters to do the same.

[emulatorloo]

35. I love both candidates

And will support, talk up, work for either. ABB, baby, ABB.

[JI7]

36. it's not a problem for me

i have no problem with dean supporters here.

[HuckleB]

37. I suppose it's big.

I look at my issues as being with Kerry, but I suppose his supporters will take that as an affront, so... I dunno. I've simply lost so much respect for Kerry in such a short time, it's hard to put it into words.

[LSdemocrat]

38. If Kerry's the nominee, I'll vote for him, but don't expect me to like him

Right now Kerry's second from last in my candidate rankings (above Sharpton)

I really don't care for the guy, he just rubs me the wrong way.

If he gets the nomination, don't expect me to contribute time and or money to Kerry.

[PatrickS]

39. Oh now it's an issue

Now that Kerry is the front-runner, Kerry supporters don't like the negativity directed at their candidate. Wow. Where were you when there were 175 anti-Dean threads created a day here at DU?

[Old and In the Way]

40. Can speak for all Kerry supporters, but I never participated in any

candidate bashing. Hell, I've contributed to Dean's campaign early on.

But I've always been impressed with Kerry and I just think he will pull more indies and moderate/liberal Republicans into the Democratic column than any other candidate running for the nomination. I want the best chance to beat the Republican Party in November by the largest margins possible. I think we'll need even possible vote to insure that the results cannot be gamed.

[Skwmom]

41. "It happens during all primaries" is overlooking the fact

that many people are tuning into the primaries for the first time this year and will be VERY turned off by all of the dirty campaigning that is taking place and will not write it off as "politics as usual."

[Old and In the Way]

43. I'm afraid that's impossible.

Every candidate has got a huge investment in money, time, and potential rewards. I think it's almost impossible to expect a Marquis of Queensbury approach to US presidential politics. It's been this way for a long, long time.

And we really do need our candidates to bloody each other's noses and toughen the skin. It's going to be a brutal general election. The Republicans have a $250MM warchest and a lot riding on this election....like criminal indictments. We are going to have to be in tip top fighting shape. I beleive this will be the most vicious, ugliest campaign we have ever lived through.

[shawmut]

42. I don't think it's an issue

except for maybe the most hard core supporters of each camp, but this happens with all elections. this will all calm down eventually.

[jsw_81]

44. I will support either candidate

But at this point I just feel that Kerry will have a much better chance of beating Bush in November. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

[mdmc]

46. Kucinich supporter that thinks the rest fail

but not as bad as Bush. Go Dean, Clark, Edwards, Kerry, Leiberman, McCain, whomever. I'm in NY, and will be voting for an anti drug war, anti death penalty candidate. Don't worry, I GET TO VOTE DEMOCRATIC for my Congressman!