Let's step back and remember who we are for a moment. We are Virginian Democrats. We conduct ourselves in a civil manner. We can disagree with each other without turning our disagreement into personal attacks.
Now let's review some facts.
1. They are all good
Edwards, Obama, and Hillary are all great candidates. I will be happy to vote for any of them in the general election. What made it so hard to many of us to decide who to back was that they were all so good in so many different ways.
Edwards knows that our major challenge is the slide into poverty of the middle class.
Obama has a refreshing message of hope and unity.
Hillary is a proven winner who has dedicated most of her life to Democratic causes.
2. We are allowed to discuss the candidates' words and deeds
Our three candidates are human, after all. If they say or do something that makes our eyebrows raise, we must be able to debate it. And pointing out these faults is not the same as attacking either Obama or Hillary personally.
3. We still have a general election ahead
Whoever wins the nomination will need the help of all of us to win in the general election. We must keep this in mind and measure our words against other candidates. Not only because we don't want these words to haunt us back, but also because the more we engage in attacks in the primaries, the least likely are we going to be inclined to work in the general election if our candidate loses.
And then we can have Insane McCain talking about his 100 year reign in Iraq bankrupting us into oblivion.
Now, we should also face and accept the following realities. It is better to accept hard realities quickly. Then we can think about the future and do something about it.
For Clinton supporters, you must admit that Hillary and Bill have behaved in an atrocious manner, and I like both of them. Sometimes I can't even believe that Bill has said the things he said. And Hillary is using such obvious low rhetorical tricks that most of us can see right through them. Pointing to this behavior is acceptable and completely rational. Maybe you guys can write to Hillary's campaign and tell them how people are getting turned off by her mud slinging.
Obama supporters should face the great possibility that Hillary may win the nomination. If the race stays as tight as it is until the end, the super delegates may end up picking the winner, and chances are that they will pick Hillary. As bad as many of us believe Hillary is, she will be a lot better than McCain. If I were on Obama's side, I would spread hope and unity by living hope and unity.
And we should all try to run positive campaigns for our candidates, regardless of what they do themselves. We should be stressing the good points of our candidates rather than trying to destroy the other one. After all, our current "enemy" may end up being the nominee, and none of us want 8 more years of Republicanism.
At the risk of generalizing too much, it seems to be that it is some of the Obama supporters, and only the Obama supporters, who seem to be saying "my way or the highway" [Not you, Lowell!]
It is their hatred of Hillary, which based on the comments seems sincere and thoughtful for some (although I view stuff differently), and utterly unhinged from reality for others.
I understand it among Republicans. To be a Republican requires an ability and a willingness to take stands and hold positions that are completely contradicted by facts. It just baffles me to see it among Democrats and progressives.
The best historical antecedent I can think of is the hatred leveled at FDR and Richard Nixon, respectively. Even when they were successful in matters of policy, they generated intense hatred and distrust among opponents, even as they enjoyed political popularity.
Bush hatred seems different to me, mainly, I think, because we are uncertain whether he even has a clue about what's going on.