(if you are here to argue the merits of your candidate of choice, be that candidate Bernie or Clinton or John Freakin’ Edwards, please just keep on walking, I’m simply not interested. This isn’t the diary for that and I’m going to respectfully ask you to keep it out of my comments section, there are far too many diaries available for you on the rec list.)
This has been, and continues to be, an unusually bloody primary. I don’t quite know why that is. I’ve been trying to figure that out but I can’t, really. Both of the candidates, despite a few gaffes and foot-in-mouth moments, have been fairly respectful to each other, especially compared to the GOP primary (“Lyin’ Ted,” lol). They aren’t extremely far apart on core issues, with a few exceptions, although they are fairly far apart on what they stress in their stump speeches. But overall, they’re both two good, yet flawed candidates (yes, both are flawed, like all people are — if you’re here to tell me that your candidate of choice is the incarnation of Buddha, this is not the diary for you).
So here’s my problem. Why are we all ripping each other apart here? What is this accomplishing? The 2008 primary was contentious, to be sure, and included some moments where things could’ve seriously gone off the rails, like Edwards imploding and the nascent PUMA movement, but, with some notable exceptions (I was here then, I remember them), the majority of people were well behaved.
This year, I will unequivocally state that most people are not behaving well at all. The insults are flying left and right. HilBot, BernieBro, Hilsplainer, Berner, I could keep going but my doctor wants me to keep my blood pressure under control.
I reached a snapping point recently when a commenter who I like and respect, who is normally calm and level-headed, referred to all Bernie supporters as “Berners.” I’m not going to call that commenter out and I still like and respect the commenter — I’m an endless optimist and I think that some of the people engaging in gladiatorial combat will probably come to their senses. And before I get called out for favoring one side, lemme tell you, Bernie supporters’ shit most assuredly does not smell like roses, oh boy does it not smell like roses. I mean, come on, I’ve seen Vince Foster conspiracy theory comments lately. VINCE FUCKING FOSTER?! For real?! Come on folks. Earth to Daily Kos, Earth to Daily Kos.
So, here’s the simply reality of the situation. This primary will, at some point, end. Thank God. It will most likely end before the convention, but there is the improbable chance that it could go to the convention. Regardless, after the convention, it will be over. We will have a nominee. That nominee, be it Sanders or Clinton, will be a great candidate, but, as is the case when two experienced politicians will be running, will probably also be flawed in some very frustrating ways. This is not 2008, when we can coalesce behind a candidate with a very short track record and a gift for words. With all apologies, neither of our current candidates is gifted for words the way President Obama has, and they have both said and done some stupid crap during their careers. Frankly, all of us have probably done stupid crap during our careers. If you haven’t, please open a consulting business.
Stop with the insults. If you want Bernie supporters or Clinton supporters to volunteer come the general election, remember, not everyone in that general election office supported the same candidate. When that day comes, be kind, be gracious, don’t trash-talk the loser. And don’t trash-talk the winner either. Neither of those things help. Berner, HilBots, BernieBros, Hilsplainers — words like that should be excised from our vocabulary starting from today. The schoolyard insults have seriously got to stop. Also, enough of the purity tests — let’s borrow a rule from Wikipedia and assume good faith, assume that other commenters here will vote Democratic in November unless they say that they won’t. If they say that they won’t, pile on, go ahead, be my guest. But the purity tests have been going both ways lately, with Hilary supporters replying all too often with insinuations that we won’t vote in November, and Bernie supporters all too often attacking Hilary supporters for being Republicans in disguise. Seriously, knock it off. Save it for the occasional Republican troll that wanders over here.
Finally, I know that Kos has become basically an absentee landlord, and the site is suffering for it. But I wish Kos would admit that it was an enormous mistake to try to end the primary on March 15th. It didn’t work, and it resulted in some Clinton supporters treating it as open season on Bernie supporters, and some Bernie supporters treating every comment as an attack on their right to exist. Kos, it simply didn’t work. Don’t do that again, and if i were you, I would apologize for the chaos that it created and start thinking about a real way to unite this site, because if we keep ripping each other apart after the primary voting is over, I’m outta here. The past few weeks have gotten ridiculous.