Please DU, I beg you, don't use the firing squad.

[TayTay]

We only hurt ourselves with this.

I like John Keryr. I am one of the peole that get complained about because I show up on threads and defend him all the time. Fine. I have had heated discussion with people at DU on all sorts of things and even some heated arguments. Fine.

Okay, as a Kerry person, I am begging you, don't join the circular firing squad and don't dump on other Dems. I know, damn I swear I really know, that we all want the Dems to stand and fight. But we need that Democratic Congress, we need each seat in the Senate and the House, for the good of this country. There is this war on iin Iraq and a Democratic Congress might just get a few of 'our kids' home a little bit sooner. That means everything.

I beg you, don't do this. Kerry is off the national stage for the rest of the week precisely so he won't hurt any Democrat in any race and force any Deomcrat to answer press questions about Kerry istead of the Dem issues in this race. This is a good thing to do, regardless of whether you think the comments were pro or con.

I gave money to Harold Ford through the Kerry e-mail. I gave money to Cardin, Casey and Webb, Akaka, Tester and McCaskill as well. I don't regret it for a second. We must have a Dem Senate.

So please, don't stab other Dems in the back. Not now, not so close to what we all want so badly. I am asking you to let it go, until Nov 8th, and step back and 'take one for the team.'

Please! I beg you, for the sake of all those kids in Iraq, the ones who were lied to and who we need to start to bring home. Cuz it ain't gonna happen under a Repub Congress.

Thanks!

[enough already]

1. Perhaps you should direct this to Ford, Cardin and Tester n/t

[Justitia]

2. Sell it to Harold Ford Jr., he's the one all over the news now. Thanks Harold! -eom

[tcfrogs]

3. Looks like you can include Hillary also n/t

[Justitia]

5. I'm seeing this assertion in multiple threads w/NO SUPPORTING LINKS. -eom

[MercutioATC]

4. There's a difference between realizing weaknesses and "circular firing squads".

Taking issue with how Kerry handled this situation doesn't have to be a harmful thing for Dems.

IMO, it's the "never criticize our own" mentality that's put us in this position (much as the "don't tell on our own" put Repubs where they are now).

[TayTay]

6. Don't you know anyone with people in Iraq?

Don't you understand the stakes of this election. Let them get this out of their system. Let them make their grand pronoucements for how much they adore the Troops and all that. Let them lecture a man who has done more to stop war than they will ever dream of doing. Kerry will have his defenders as well.

But dammit, we have to have that Democratic Congress.

Have you stood with you kids at a graduation and seen other high school graduates get their Marine Corp letters and then be worried sick about what will happen to them in Iraq? I have.

Have you talked to a family member who told you that his friend, 48 years old, was called up from the Reserves to go to Iraq. 48 damn years old and not exactly in the best physical condition of his life. Called up to Iraq because this Admin bungled the war effort and is taking it out on 'our troops.'

John Kerry is a big boy and he understands how this 'game' is played. That's why he took himself out of the fray. He is continuing to raise money for these people, because, I think, he understands this issue is more important than anything else right now.

So please, we can bash these people next week. Sen. Kerry can make his case separately for what he said, but please, don't join the circular firing squad. It will only hurt us.

[Pithy Cherub]

7. Strawman argument.

A family full of marines and vets here. You are saying stop exercising your right to free speech. It's what they fought for in the service. A circular firing squad is a characterization, not what has to happen when people discuss current events. Like it or not, it is a current event and people are able to use the First Amendment as they see fit. Or would you prefer they stop being American too?

[StoryTeller]

8. You're right, TayTay.

This isn't the time to get bogged down in the particulars of who should have said what or whether certain people should defend or criticize other people. We have work to do.

We need to look at the big picture--do we or do we not want to have a Democratic Congress? If we do, then we need to not get distracted about what we think about John Kerry, Harold Ford, Hillary Clinton, or anything else. We need to work to get the Democratic candidates elected next week. Everything else can wait.

Tay, I appreciate your reasonable and wise encouragement. Thank you.