Come To Your Senses, Folks

A very good thing about the polling so far is that overwhelming numbers of the supporters of both Clinton and Obama indicate they would also be happy if the party winds up nominating the other candidate. This contrasts with a lot more of the "rule or ruin" types over on the Republican side saying they will sit on their hands, or vote third party, or in extreme cases (like Ann Coulter) even claiming they will vote for Democrats instead if their own favored nominee doesn't win.

Unfortunately, we also have a few of these kind of cut off your nose to spite your face types over here. Not surprisingly, many of them are doing this ranting on the web. Long ago we noticed that folks are more willing to talk nasty by email or on blogs than they would be to engage in such rudeness in person. This is just another example. A good rule of thumb is not to post any criticism you wouldn't say to the target's face. (Okay, I'll make an exception for reviewers of books and movies and such, but even there the focus should be on the product, not the artist.)

Predictably, some of the loudest "my way or else" folks turn out to be the kind that either never vote (out of "purity"), or supported Nader in 2000 (or worse, even in 2004), or otherwise denounce the Democratic Party more often that they attack the Republicans. These ranters can and should be discounted. They are not our friends just because we may agree with them on some issues.

Unfortunately, some of the poison they spew has spread to otherwise level heads. One hopes they will get over this childishness that only plays into Republican hands, and come home this fall whomever we nominate. Clinton and Obama are not very far apart on anything -- compared to McCain and the other Republicans. My rule of thumb: when any otherwise sensible Democrat says they'll not vote for either of our candidates if the other wins, stop listening to them and ignore their silliness. Either their better natures will bring them back to their senses or not. Your job is not to be their therapist.

The old saying was that Democrats are like cats: you hear them fighting all night, but the next day there are only more cats around. A good clean fight over issues and visions can only help us. Look how huge the turnout has been in our primaries compared to the Republicans. Contest strongly, but remember the bottom line: we need to unite in November to remove the greatest political threat to the peace, prosperity, and freedom of the American people in our history.