My son was once sent home from school for punching a boy on the playground. He said to me, "He pushed me down first!"
I replied, "And you got caught, and you were punished for hitting him back. Learn from that."
I don't care who uploaded the video with suggested-reading subtitles. I don't care what people are convincing themselves they've heard. I don't care if it was a plant from an opponent's campaign preying upon the naivete of enthusiastic supporters with little political experience who never watched The War Room before.
I care about how it's perceived in the media, and I will not be party to hysteria. I care about whether Democrats can argue clearly and forcefully for the validity of the principles upon which the party is founded. I care about the progressive agenda emerging as the clear-headed and inclusive policy platform for the 21st century.
Many supporters over the weekend are going to experience the "learn from that" moment.
I went out and rented The War Room this morning when the clips began to circulate. I'd seen it years ago and didn't remember anything even remotely negative toward voters from that scene, but it was a long time ago and I was willing to go straight to the source for consideration.
Kantor, referring to the people who expected to win Indiana, clearly states, "Those people are shitting." And yes, they were shitting. Clinton was winning. You wouldn't have wanted to be in the White House then either.
Let me quote from Joe Andrew, who only yesterday gave us the most significant and uplifting moment in recent memory:
As Democrats, however, we risk letting this moment slip through our fingers. We risk ceding the field to the Republicans and allowing the morally bankrupt Bush Agenda to continue unabated if we do not unite behind a single candidate. Should this race continue after Indiana and North Carolina, it will inevitably become more negative. The polls already show the supporters for both candidates becoming more strident in their positions and more locked into their support. Continuing on this path would be a catastrophe, as we would inadvertently end up doing Republicans work for them. Already, instead of the audacity of hope, we suffer the audacity of one Democrat comparing John McCain favorably to another Democrat. When that happens, you know it is time for all of us to stop, take a deep breath and unite to change America.
We must act and we must act now.
How quickly we forget.
Move forward if you are progressive. Linger on past wrongs and seek revenge if you are regressive. But make up your mind. What you choose defines who you are and who you see the party to be.