Drinking the Kool-Aid
In this Presidential campaign, I'm watching from the sidelines as a non-voter (Canadian, natch) and marveling at how nasty the race has gotten, mostly because of the lack of thought that goes into it. I expect such things out of most conservatives - though there are some conservative commentators that I consider more civil and less venomous - but when this comes out of the Democratic-minded pundits, I have to wonder why their collective anger at the Bush Administration is suddenly turned inward.
People are falling lockstep behind Obama or HRC, yet forgetting why they've done so. It's though they're falling for the charisma or the fame or even just following the media on this, and forgetting that a candidate is little more than a job applicant for office. Yet, we root them on as though these people were our favorite faces and heels at Wrestlemania, which is a funny way of looking at it until one realizes that the MSM has framed the Democratic fight under such a narrative, and it's so effective that even those within the media are falling for it.
For example, there's entry in Katha Pollitt's blog over Nader's insistence that Clinton keep running until she decides to stop. Naturally, I'm behind Obama because he's the least repulsive of the remaining candidates (though I understand Nader will be throwing his hat in very soon), as is Pollitt, but what strikes me is the vehemence in her post.
My response is as follows:
Why translate it? Nader wrote it in English, so quote down what he wrote, not what you think he said. As much as I want HRC to throw in the towel, I also have to accept that she can keep going as long as she wants to, because that's her right, and I have to acknowledge that, even if I don't like it.
Again, it's a democracy, and even when the rules and principles work against you, you still have to observe and respect them; there's a reason some of us oppose fundamentalism in all its forms, torture from any quarter to any party, and tyranny, even when it's supposed to benefit us.
It's the principle that matters, even beyond what people think is logical. If you deviate from those principles for a good reason (like you're unpopular), soon you'll find bad reasons acceptable, and later on, it might be any reason at all.
Besides, in the end, while every candidate may have the right to run, this does not mean that they have the right to win. All Obama has to do is continue fighting the good fight, and the results will speak for itself.
There is no argument in her post, simply pure hate towards Nader who, as we all know, has done a tremendous service to society, yet her animosity is based purely on her supposition that Nader somehow acted as a spoiler in Gore's campaign ( which I've commented on before). Thing is, Nader also ran in 2004, yet nobody blamed him for that that.
Also, and this is somewhat disappointing to me personally, despite the MSM's predictions of doom and gloom for the Clinton campaign, HRC isn't that far behind Obama in delegates. Obama simply can't lock down what's needed at the moment, and this is going to be a problem for the Democrats because HRC is literally holding those delegate votes hostage, and unless there's a mass exodus to the Obama camp, this in-fighting will continue.
That doesn't mean there has to be a lot of screaming and name-calling, however. We can save that for the campaign against McCain.
People are falling lockstep behind Obama or HRC, yet forgetting why they've done so. It's though they're falling for the charisma or the fame or even just following the media on this, and forgetting that a candidate is little more than a job applicant for office. Yet, we root them on as though these people were our favorite faces and heels at Wrestlemania, which is a funny way of looking at it until one realizes that the MSM has framed the Democratic fight under such a narrative, and it's so effective that even those within the media are falling for it.
For example, there's entry in Katha Pollitt's blog over Nader's insistence that Clinton keep running until she decides to stop. Naturally, I'm behind Obama because he's the least repulsive of the remaining candidates (though I understand Nader will be throwing his hat in very soon), as is Pollitt, but what strikes me is the vehemence in her post.
My response is as follows:
Why translate it? Nader wrote it in English, so quote down what he wrote, not what you think he said. As much as I want HRC to throw in the towel, I also have to accept that she can keep going as long as she wants to, because that's her right, and I have to acknowledge that, even if I don't like it.
Again, it's a democracy, and even when the rules and principles work against you, you still have to observe and respect them; there's a reason some of us oppose fundamentalism in all its forms, torture from any quarter to any party, and tyranny, even when it's supposed to benefit us.
It's the principle that matters, even beyond what people think is logical. If you deviate from those principles for a good reason (like you're unpopular), soon you'll find bad reasons acceptable, and later on, it might be any reason at all.
Besides, in the end, while every candidate may have the right to run, this does not mean that they have the right to win. All Obama has to do is continue fighting the good fight, and the results will speak for itself.
There is no argument in her post, simply pure hate towards Nader who, as we all know, has done a tremendous service to society, yet her animosity is based purely on her supposition that Nader somehow acted as a spoiler in Gore's campaign ( which I've commented on before). Thing is, Nader also ran in 2004, yet nobody blamed him for that that.
Also, and this is somewhat disappointing to me personally, despite the MSM's predictions of doom and gloom for the Clinton campaign, HRC isn't that far behind Obama in delegates. Obama simply can't lock down what's needed at the moment, and this is going to be a problem for the Democrats because HRC is literally holding those delegate votes hostage, and unless there's a mass exodus to the Obama camp, this in-fighting will continue.
That doesn't mean there has to be a lot of screaming and name-calling, however. We can save that for the campaign against McCain.