This is not the first time we have seen the supporters of a candidate all fired up in the primaries. But as the leaves turn golden and red, cooled by the October winds, into November so does the fervor of the supporters. By the time Election Day rolls around, the candidate falls short, and theres an apologetic round stretching for up to a decade afterwards of what went wrong.
George McGovern in 1972....Walter Mondale in 1984....Michael Dukakis in 1988....Al Gore, Jr. in 2000 and John Kerry last time in 2004. All of these are good men who would have made great Presidents. All of these men eventually were or will be vindicated by history. All of these men LOST.
If McGovernites had reached out to Hubert Humphrey and Scoop Jackson's people in 1972. If Mondale had reached out more to Jesse Jackson and Gary Hart. Etc....the apologetics come out. The fact is these guys lost and their supporters contributed to that loss.
Obama Supporters have ravaged my last two diary entries. Yet it's people like myself who do doors, passing out brochures, contributing time, money, energy for the ticket that helps elect Democrats. I am a veteran of working the streets for the ticket. But lets be honest do you want to work for someone where you do not feel welcome?
Listen up Obama Supporters....your comrade in arms have been boasting about how they will take over the Democratic Party. I have heard about it in Nevada, South Carolina, Iowa, and Arkansas. Its going on and your "fervency" for change is alienating who can help you and your candidate to win.
These attacks on Clinton are baseless. If it wasn't for the FIRST Clinton Administration we wouldn't have had a lot of good things, economically and foreign relations wise. Also, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has proven herself in the Senate. She has been an advocate for the families of 9/11, the GLBT Community, the Latino American community, small business, and for farmers. Now thats a unique coalition. She's been a fighter and she's proven herself.
I speak as just one Democrat but I am not the only one. I hear great speeches from Obama but don't see programs, initiatives, a RECORD to back that rhetoric up. Honestly, talk is cheap and I am not comfortable with Senator Obama yet.
I want to see us hold the Senate and House. I want to see a great Vice President take over and fumigate that office from the ilk of Dick Cheney. I want to see Israel protected from the propaganda of the Arab world and the pro-Palestine effort that seems so "en vogue." I want to see a President finally stand up, speak out, and defend the GLBT Community. I want to see the Record match the Rhetoric.
So rather than dashing myself and other Clintonites on the rocks you should be trying to attract us in.
Senator Barack Obama has 1,375 delegates but Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has 1,277 delegates. She has earned just as much chance at the nomination, if not more in my opinion, then your candidate. So if you want to win....I suggest not alienating Clinton Supporters because if you do, you can't win in the fall!
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FYI - I am not running for U.S. Congress. I was hoping I could stir interest and try to help my brother in his bid. It didn't work and thats fine. I wish we as progressives could learn to work together rather than getting personal.