Reports Of The Democratic Party's Death
Oh, please.
For the first time in decades we actually have a real battle for the nomination, and the airwaves, internet, and print media are filled with the rhetoric of concern trolls about the certain demise of the Democratic Party.
Look, it's a battle, and while I've not been thrilled with some of the crap being lobbed by both candidates and their teams, at least the campaigns have generated some interest in one of the most important and, sadly, most neglected elements in a democracy: elections. Democrats have been turning out for the primaries and caucuses in numbers we haven't seen in years.
The past 7 years have been devastating for all of us. A cat fight for the nomination isn't going to change that if whoever gets nominated starts actually fighting the real opposition, John McCain, who I guarantee you will continue in the Bush tradition.
But the media is most definitely not going to help us out. Here's a very partial list of the articles that have come out in the past couple of days:
The latest Maureen Dowd heatherish op-ed piece in which she pontificates on Sen. Obama instead of Sen. Clinton. Sorta kinda.
Mario Cuomo's (egad, he's still alive? who knew?) op-ed piece on saving the party by putting both candidates on the ticket, determining the order presumably by flipping a coin, so as "to avoid a Democratic disaster."
An article in the Los Angeles Times on the heat emanating from the Texas district conventions. Here's a taste of this sure-fire Pulitzer prize winner:
Democrat-on-Democrat clashes over delegates have been playing out in Iowa, Colorado, Florida and other states -- the latest indication that the feel-good nomination race of the era has veered into a political ditch.
Frankly, and this is very difficult for me to admit, I agree with most of this Washington Post editorial. The long campaign can be a tremendously good thing insofar as it offers both candidates a chance to showcase their strengths and the strengths of their visions for the nation.
I know, the nastiness, if it continues, might very well turn voters off. There's this insane meme rushing around that each of the candidates' supporters have promised to vote for McCain if their candidate loses. I think that highly unlikely. I do admit it might be more likely that the punishment will take the form of some disgruntled whiny ass titty babies (pace, 4legsgood) simply staying home on election day. But that need not be the case, especially if the candidates themselves point out what that could mean.
One of the most intelligent, even brilliant analyses I've read on the subject comes from a post Trifecta put up at New Pairodimes. He lists what the ages of the current Supreme Court justices will be at the end of the eight years the next president will serve. It's pretty illuminating.
He concludes with the following:
For those Obama or Clinton supporters who suggest that they will vote for McCain to teach everybody a lesson, you can kindly go kiss my white ass.
This is ignoring the fact that since 1980, Republicans have been nominating judges for 20 of the last 28 years. getting McCain elected would make it 28 of 36 which is even better!
Well said, Tri.
Me, I'm optimistic. I'm old, but I'm also old enough to have lived through 1972.
For the first time in decades we actually have a real battle for the nomination, and the airwaves, internet, and print media are filled with the rhetoric of concern trolls about the certain demise of the Democratic Party.
Look, it's a battle, and while I've not been thrilled with some of the crap being lobbed by both candidates and their teams, at least the campaigns have generated some interest in one of the most important and, sadly, most neglected elements in a democracy: elections. Democrats have been turning out for the primaries and caucuses in numbers we haven't seen in years.
The past 7 years have been devastating for all of us. A cat fight for the nomination isn't going to change that if whoever gets nominated starts actually fighting the real opposition, John McCain, who I guarantee you will continue in the Bush tradition.
But the media is most definitely not going to help us out. Here's a very partial list of the articles that have come out in the past couple of days:
The latest Maureen Dowd heatherish op-ed piece in which she pontificates on Sen. Obama instead of Sen. Clinton. Sorta kinda.
Mario Cuomo's (egad, he's still alive? who knew?) op-ed piece on saving the party by putting both candidates on the ticket, determining the order presumably by flipping a coin, so as "to avoid a Democratic disaster."
An article in the Los Angeles Times on the heat emanating from the Texas district conventions. Here's a taste of this sure-fire Pulitzer prize winner:
Democrat-on-Democrat clashes over delegates have been playing out in Iowa, Colorado, Florida and other states -- the latest indication that the feel-good nomination race of the era has veered into a political ditch.
Frankly, and this is very difficult for me to admit, I agree with most of this Washington Post editorial. The long campaign can be a tremendously good thing insofar as it offers both candidates a chance to showcase their strengths and the strengths of their visions for the nation.
I know, the nastiness, if it continues, might very well turn voters off. There's this insane meme rushing around that each of the candidates' supporters have promised to vote for McCain if their candidate loses. I think that highly unlikely. I do admit it might be more likely that the punishment will take the form of some disgruntled whiny ass titty babies (pace, 4legsgood) simply staying home on election day. But that need not be the case, especially if the candidates themselves point out what that could mean.
One of the most intelligent, even brilliant analyses I've read on the subject comes from a post Trifecta put up at New Pairodimes. He lists what the ages of the current Supreme Court justices will be at the end of the eight years the next president will serve. It's pretty illuminating.
He concludes with the following:
For those Obama or Clinton supporters who suggest that they will vote for McCain to teach everybody a lesson, you can kindly go kiss my white ass.
This is ignoring the fact that since 1980, Republicans have been nominating judges for 20 of the last 28 years. getting McCain elected would make it 28 of 36 which is even better!
Well said, Tri.
Me, I'm optimistic. I'm old, but I'm also old enough to have lived through 1972.
Labels: Election 2008
posted by Diane at 10:00 AM
1 Comments:
Good post, Diane.
I think this helps the Democrats immensely. Both campaigns are front and center in the news and McCadaver's is not getting much attention.
The back and forth is just politics. I think the stakes are too high in this election for the voters to be turned off.
I wanted to tell you I met your blogmate and her son this weekend in Philly. Ruth is a lovely, charming lady and her son is a fine young man.
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