If we keep this up, the REPUGS WILL WIN

[senseandsensibility]

As the great columnist and author Joe Conason wrote to me when I e-mailed him in anguish about the Dems lackluster efforts to fight * and Cheney, bringing Dems together is like "herding cats." So this is not a new problem, and not unique to DU.

Regardless of the reasons for it, we need to overcome it for our own survival. It's that simple. If we don't stop using rightwing talking points against each other, if we keep contributing to an environment of hatred and distrust among fellow Dems, WE WILL LOSE TO THE REPUGS!!!

Can't we stop for our own survival? Isn't that a strong enough motive?

I come from the labor movement where everything is about unity. Because of my background, I find this especially hard to deal with. I expect everyone to have their opinions and express them strongly, but to use the ENEMY'S words against a brother or sister Dem is unfathomable to me.

What will it take?:-( Will we have to lose again in 2008 before we get the message?

[kurth]

1. Let the process play itself out

The primaries are not over yet. And there is a convention.

[BobRossi]

2. Third party time.

Two parties, same shit.

[SoFlaJet]

3. my thread from last night....that went nowhere BTW

Obama AND Clinton Fans; What We REALLY Have To Focus On Is This...

that no matter which one is our nominee and however that ends up shaking out, (which I fear will be ugly) our lives will be so much better for us, for our families and for our country with a democrat in office. I am an Obama supporter right now and I can get down in the mud with the best of them here at DU, but we absolutely MUST come together in November for the common good we all seek and have been praying for over the last 7 plus year. So tonight I say we're all democrats and take a moment and bite your fingers and be civil with each other. Don't flame, don't incite, don't propagandize the board. We need this one guys...

[senseandsensibility]

5. I agree of course

but I worry that coming together in November will be too late. That is an awful lot of time for mudslinging and damaging the Dem candidate.

[dkf]

4. If Hillary is our nominee Repugs will win.

[frogcycle]

7. if Obama is our nominee Repugs will win

note: I have no more nor less justification for that statement than you do for yours. It is indefensible, and so is yours. And just as unproductive.

[Leopolds Ghost]

15. Ergo, Repugs will win.

[SammyWinstonJack]

12. Insert Obama here.

[frogcycle]

6. The problem is

there is no institutional memory. The dems don't "learn" because there are always new starry-eyed zealots coming along putting principle ahead of pragmatism. I can't hold that against people; hell, I've done the same. But just as every teenager feels his/her parents are idiots who don't "get it" many, many dems will go down fighting each other instead of recognizing the real enemy. The damned 1968 convention and its aftermath is a prime example. Hell, Humphrey would have been a great president, probably would have gotten us out of VN. So many dems branded him as an LBJ surrogate and demanded "change" that we handed the election to Nixon. Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot!

"We" have "learned" nothing since then. Nothing.

[senseandsensibility]

10. You make a valid point

And of course the corporate media makes sure that the people have no institutional memory. There is rarely any effort on their part to put things into historical perspective. Of course that's in their best interest, as well.

[AlinPA]

8. While people on DU are trashing our candidates the republicans will be lining up

behind McCain. By September this will be bad.

[senseandsensibility]

11. I guess some people don't see this?

:shrug:

[DS1]

9. stop confusing DU with the voting public

:rofl:

[UALRBSofL]

14. Thank you DSI

There's only a handful of people who read DU.

[Medusa]

13. If Hillary is the nominee, we're going down, again.

Another non-inspirational candidate whose positions have changed so many times the flip-flop label will stick. Not to mention a long history of bitter partisan sniping and a barrrel full of enemies that will come gunning for her (and her for them). If you think the Obama vs. Hillary business is getting ugly, just wait until the GE, it will probably make the Swift Boat business against Kerry look like a stroll in the park. Why do you think the corporate media and the GOP are so damned desperate to shove her down our throats? Because she's their wet dream.