I don't have a preferred presidential candidate at this point. I have not seen enough from our frontrunners, particularly on Iraq, to lead me to choose one over the others.
But Hillary Clinton is the clear frontrunner. What we don't need from a Dem candidate, in my opinion, is more saber-rattling. Her Kyl-Lieberman vote was just flat out wrong. And dangerous.
I will keep posting diaries critical of policies of our clear frontrunner, particularly when it comes to the issue of sending our fellow citizens off to die in reckless engagements. (Obama isn't much better, in my opinion, and I don't know what to make of Edwards.)
See, here's the thing...
It is primary season and this is the time for criticism of our candidates if we believe they are not measuring up. Like it or not.
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Hell, I was called all kinds of names in my previous diary, from "Nader voter" to "purity troll" to "asshole." Well, here's some news for those who may not have been around here in `04:
This stuff is par for the course during primary season.
We now pause for a brief Daily Kos history lesson...
Back during primary season of 2003-2004, the candidate wars here were legend. The "Deaniacs" (as they were called, disparagingly, by "non-believers") attacked and were attacked on a daily basis. Every day brought a torrent of vicious words, with Dean supporters claiming he was the only candidate who could win and many of the anti-Dean folks (particularly, the Clarkies - Hi, Armando!) predicting that Dean and his supporters would desert the Democratic Party if he lost the nomination, run third party, and hand a victory to Bush. And, of course, practically no one liked Kerry.
Of course, in the end, the folks who busted their rear ends for Dean became some of the hardest workers for Kerry in the general election. All of the hand-wringing about Dean running third party and his supporters bailing on the party not only did NOT come true, Dean went on to become head of the DNC -- with the help of the very group of grassroots supporters who were supposedly going to flee the party in droves.
Kerry lost, but it was not for lack of effort on the part of about 90% of the posters here.
We now resume our regular programming.
Hand-wringing and complaints about "circular firing squads" are par for the course during primary season. One reads time and time again claims that criticisms of Dem candidates on Daily Kos:
- Echo Republican talking points
- Will be used against Dems in the general election by the enemy (as if the Rove-bots couldn't or wouldn't think of even worse attacks on their own)
- Supporters of Candidate X or detractors of Candidate Y will probably vote Nader if their preferred or disfavored candidate isn't or is nominated
... and so on.
None of that proved to be true in 2003-2004 and I don't think this year will be any different.
[IMPORTANT NOTE: During the super-heated primary season, diary poll questions asking, "Would you support Candidate X in the general election should s/he win the Democratic nomination?" are highly unreliable. Emotions run high. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.]
So, for better or worse, candidate criticism during primary season is here to stay. And the frontrunner is the biggest target, particularly a target with as dominant a lead as Hillary Clinton.
And one person's "attack" is another person's "policy discussion."
For example, I'd like to take the Clinton supporters' word on it that she just voted for Kyl-Lieberman to appear tough or to appease Israel or to apply additional diplomatic pressure to Iran. But her AUMF vote and her support for the war (up until public opinion turned 60%+ against) -- while criticizing the Bushies' conduct of the war -- leave me with deep reservations about her.
I will continue to voice those reservations.
As for what diaries make it to the Rec list, take it up with the management. Those who are unhappy can bring it up at the next board meeting which is scheduled for... never. (And that is a meeting I would never want to attend.)
So, welcome to primary season on Daily Kos. Hope you have a thick skin, ASSHOLE!