Why the Democrats' Left Wing Is Muted

[CShine]

Senator John Kerry found himself on familiar ground when he talked about Iraq in a speech on Wednesday: out of step with much of his own party. Once again, Republicans and even some Democrats said, Mr. Kerry appeared on the verge of squabbling with the antiwar base of his party.

But that has not happened, even in a week in which Mr. Kerry rejected calls from the antiwar Democrats to set a deadline for the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq. If anything, Democrats have grown more enthusiastic in rallying around Mr. Kerry, dismissing as inconsequential their differences with him on this presumably central issue.

This turn of events is the latest and what some Democrats describe as the most compelling evidence that the fractious left wing of the Democratic Party is muting itself in this election. The Democratic Party of 2004 is beginning to look like the Republican Party of 2000 when, sensing victory in discretion, conservatives stayed quiet as Mr. Bush emphasized moderate language and positions, Democrats and Republicans said.

"Kerry has less of a problem on the left in the Democratic Party than any Democratic candidate in my memory, which goes back to Kennedy," said Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, referring to John F. Kennedy. "The proof of that is I am less busy this presidential campaign than other ones. I'm not being sent out to calm down the left."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/29/politics/campaign/29dems.html?hp

[demosincebirth]

1. Its usually the ...

left wing and the right wing that lose Presidential election for their party.

[DemBones DemBones]

2. Almost everyone realizes how important it is

to get rid of Bush*, whatever qualms we may have about Kerry.

[baby_bear]

3. A matter of practicality and priorities

Very few of us (whether left-wing or more centrist-tending) got to have a voice in the choosing of Kerry as the nominee. But now that it is apparent that he will be, the goal must be to remove any possibility of the Bush administration to stay in office. We are in a dire, must-not-lose position.

I am willing to mute myself to some extent now, but once Kerry is in office, he will not have a grace period to ignore the opinions and wishes of all of the Democratic party, including those of us who are willing to be fairly quiet now for the good of the greater goal.

We must not allow the Bush administration to remain in office, but we must not let Kerry think that means he'll get a pass when in office.

I suspect he knows that. I hope his tactics bring over some centrist Republicans and undecideds. We need every vote we can get (especially since it appears Florida will once again go to the Republicans regardless of the will of the voters).

s_m

[specialsas]

5. So what you are saying is...

Get elected by fooling the middle voters and then turn hard left after getting into office. What do you suppose these middle voters will do after four years of being lied to? Elect another lying Democrat? Thin k again.

[Cooley Hurd]

6. "Elect another lying Democrat?"

Who are you referring to?:eyes:

As far as wooing middle voters and then taking a hard turn after the election, surely, you must mean the Chimp-in-Chief!

[specialsas]

13. I loath any lying pundit

Run with your heart or not at all.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[specialsas]

12. spare me the speech

No need to jump bad on the messenger pal. If any candidate runs on the middle and jumps either way after winning then they are a liar. Lighten up.

[stickdog]

17. So you'd agree that Bush is a proven liar.

Right?

[specialsas]

19. Yes and I tire of being lied to by all elected pundits

Just tell the truth and stick by it. They all suck so far.

[stickdog]

23. Which pundits have ever been elected?

Just wondering ...

[specialsas]

25. You know what I meant

Obtuse is not becoming of an honest person.

[Toots]

33. Can you name any politician that has never lied?

IMHO the two terms : Politician and LIAR are synonymous. I think Kerry is the one with the least amount of lies to have to defend but they are still there. America as a whole is a nation of LIARS so it should not surprise anyone that a politician would say most anything to get a vote.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

34. Dennis Kucinich. He's got a clean record. Anyone know of lies he's told?

I haven't dug deep but so far I've heard and read nothing that tarnishes his honor in public service, unlike everyone else.

So is Kucinich actully blameless besides clarifying his personal feelings on woman's reproductive choices versus upholding public policy?

It would be inspiring to have atleast one honorable person running for office in the corrupt United States of Amnesia.

[DoktorGreg]

10. Clinton did just that

And it worked brilliantly, and fundamentally advanced liberal causes, as well as centrist causes. So much so, that after 3 years of a Republican administration that isn't any worse than the last three Republican presidents, and the nation is nearly in revolt against both centrist and conservative ideals. The republican party is nearly in ruins, the conservative movement is in ruins, and finished. Also has created an entire generation that will not vote Republican for the next 30 years.

Kerry isn't doing well because he is a centrist, Kerry is doing well because he is a liberal, with a positive agenda. Clinton would have accomplished even more than he did, if liberals hadn't abandoned him over stuff, which in retrospect was silly, banal, and selfish.

It looks to me, that what liberals don't like about Kerry, is that he intends to be president of ALL Americans, rather than just liberals, the way Bush has only been president to just the Neo-cons. The way Dean intended to be a President only to Liberals.

I think what America wants more than anything else, is policies that work. Policies that are just, fair, and produce a bounty. The reality is, neither liberal nor conservative idealogies produce effective policy. That means look at history and take what works, most of the time that is the liberal ideas. If you want to try a new idea, start small and make small changes. Current events in America prove beyond all reason, radical departure from existing policy, produces disaster. Therefore, when proposing changes to American policy, think small, if it works, make it bigger. Conversly, if it doesn't work (think Gitmo) don't make it bigger.

The biggest enemy to liberalism is the defeatest attitudes shared by so many at DU. So many here have been brainwashed by the right that they can't win, and that they shouldn't bother. Once we defeat that attidude we will take our rightful share of justice, and crush the conservatives who oppose us, and America will return to a path of Justice and Bounty for all.

[jdj]

30. so true.

Because, like Al Franken says, most people are liberals. The corporate owned media has made it a dirty word, so most people aren't apt to call themselves liberal. It's just like this generation and feminism; when young women in a survey were asked if they identified as feminists, a minority said yes, but when asked if they supported feminist ideals like equal pay for equal work and reproductive freedom, almost all said yes. So it's like the candidate has to appeal to what the majority of Americans think they are until after the election, then the candidate can freely work for the liberal principles that most Americans hold whether they admit it (or know it) or not.

This right wing admin has given us a tremendous gift; they removed transparency from the right and defined conservativism and it ain't pretty. Two images will define this presidency, the image of the burning world trade centers, and the image(s) of the tortured prisoners at Abu Graib.

[Piperay]

15. Repukelicans

always do that, they run moderate than go completely rightwing once they get in. Sometimes it hurts them like now but then chimp didn't really get elected anyway.

[nodehopper]

21. if things are better, people will reelect the incumbent.

Kerry is in no danger of becoming Poster Boy for Radical Left-Left anyway.

[Submariner]

22. In case you didn't notice, Bush played to the middle

and once elected veered hard right. After 4 years of lying, look where he is now.

[specialsas]

24. No shit Sherlock

That does not make it ok for our guy to do it too. Dig it?

[kodi]

31. bush did the mirror image but if kerry does it its wrong?

the difference is that at least kerry can substantiate his progressive initiatives, bush can't even find a scintilla of evidence his programs are based upon rational thinking processes.

[baby_bear]

32. Nope, that's not it at all

No one is being fooled, except for the hardcore rightwingers who will vote for Bush even if/when he is revealed to be Satan himself. (Some believe that has already occurred.) Everyone else knows what the game is.

The point is to not hand fence-sitters a reason to NOT vote for Kerry.

It's a strategy and I am hoping it works. Kerry has a record and I don't think he will become more or less liberal than what his record indicates. I do think he will be engaged and effective, unlike Bush, and that has nothing to do with being left or right-wing.

There is so much at stake in this election that it is mind-boggling.

s_m

[truthisfreedom]

4. the time to differ with your leader is after you make him your leader.

seems obvious enough to everyone. and there are serious differences between the conservative base's silence with bushco in 2000 and the liberal silence now... we all know that Kerry would never have gotten us into this Iraq nightmare. not in a million years. he would have stuck with containment, bolstered national security here at home, and worked hard in the Mideast for peace, while focusing reducing our reliance on foreign oil.

and kenny-boy lay would be in jail. and he would have helped out California before everything went to hell.

[TahitiNut]

7. Whatever happened to "public servant"?

:eyes: I guess we've even abandoned the pretense. :shrug:

[jpgray]

9. Don't buy Nagourney's bilge

Being pals with Zell Miller and others, he's aiming to use whatever blunt instruments he can to take down Kerry in 2004, and progressives who have a legitimate disagreement with Kerry seem to be one of his favored options. Check out Atrios for details.

http://atrios.blogspot.com/

[the skeptic]

11. because quite frankly, the left is irrelevant in politics today

De-lurking for a moment...

Actually, Kerry has to do very little beyond issuing vague statements and platitudes. Why? Because of the fact the "left" is so hungry for a win nothing will be done to rock the boat. As long as he supports choice on the abortion issue he could take any position he wants and people will vote for him.

He could favor a bigger military, more tax breaks for big business and a foreign policy that continues to recognize the American "right" to intervene anywhere, anytime under any excuse and not hear anything from liberals.

Liberals don't demand enough from their politicians. They tolerate mediocrity and spinelessness. Politicians who repeatedly drop the ball are NEVER punished at the polls. It's the lack of high standards and a chicken little, the "sky is falling" approach to scare people into voting Dem.

It seems like we go through this song & dance every 10 years or so. First Nixon was the man, who if reelected, would end the U.S. as we know it. Then Reagan. Now Bush. This "oh we have to support ***** because Nixon/Reagan/Bush is so much worse" line is the Democrats' greatest campaign slogan & strategy. Sometimes it the only strategy.

With liberals who seem so grateful for crumbs, why would any politician fear them??

P.S. Full disclosure- I say the above knowing I plan on voting for Kerry in the fall.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi the skeptic!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Malva Zebrina]

18. I will vote Kerry also

but it really is annoying to me at this point of the game.

as in an upthread post, it is postulated that Kerry would never have gotten us into this war.

That is magical thinking.


Fact: and let us be perfectly clear about what went down.

Kerry voted to give Bush the blank check to do whatever he, as the unelected president decided needed to be done in order to attack Iraq and any other country. He simply handed it over to Bush to do what he will. And indeed Bush did what he will- he murdered ten thousand innocent people

]with the vote of Kerry sanctioning that.

There is no use in trying to deny it.

We who insist upon NOT ignoring that immoral and unethical vote, do not deny it and wonder why it is that we will practically be forced to vote for a person who supported Bush and his pre-emptive war in Iraq

Should we not be anxious to face this truth instead of trying to gloss over it, to spin it, to put a positive face on it? Have we not had enough of that under this stupid man, George Bush?

I know I have.

[Darranar]

20. So what do you suggest? n/t

[gratuitous]

14. Wow, another Nagourney hatchet job

Color me surprised as all get out.

Both Atrios and Kos have catalogued Nagourney's reportage on Kerry and the Democrats. His stock in trade is to portray Democrats as disorganized, unfocused, or otherwise in trouble.

Hint for Mr. Nagourney on why the Left is "muted": We saw what your employer, the newspaper of record, did to men such as President Clinton and Wen Ho Lee, and its willing compliance with Ahmad Chalabi's peculiar brand of warmongering. Your newspaper ruins lives, kills countries, and wastes America's treasure. We don't listen to you or your paper, Mr. Nagourney. Just because you are personally frozen out does not mean the Left is "muted."

[wellst0nev0ter]

26. I Know What You Mean

May 27, 2004
Democrats Wonder if Kerry Should Stay on Careful Path
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
May 2, 2004
KERRY STRUGGLING TO FIND A THEME, DEMOCRATS FEAR
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

April 8, 2004,
Battles in Iraq Bring Problems for Bush And Kerry as Well
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and CARL HULSE

April 1, 2004
Political Memo; Bad Timing as Kerry Slips Out of Picture
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JODI WILGOREN

March 21, 2004
Political Memo; Some Democrats Say Kerry Must Get Back on the Trail
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER and ADAM NAGOURNEY

March 13, 2004
Political Memo; Testing, Testing. Shrewd Politics or Kerry Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome?
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/5/28/191340/557

I know I will have lived a full life if Adam Nagourney, and the rest of the political media heathers, ever gave this much negative coverage of the Republicans.

[emulatorloo]

27. Repug Reporter - and DUPE THREAD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1686354

You gotta get up earlier in the morning! ;-)

[PATRICK]

28. Another antagonizing article

Thanks to the idiotic cooperation of whomever they are quoting they are throwing sticks into the bear's lair wondering why it's so quiet. The reason that the "left" is "muted" is because in fact it is recognized that Kerry is the left on most issues and the anti-war people are more than the left. Furthermore, any change that is rational will be an ultimate improvement and possibly an ultimate cure. Some of the most important goals of the "anti-war left" in fact will be honestly addressed by Kerry, not incompetent war maniacs lusting for conquest, their hand stuck in the cookie jar.

It is all of a piece. THIS article is further whoring(I have not used that word before myself, I think) by the media to whip up divisions in the scarily united, refreshingly sane Democratic Party. The sea change looks like an ominous tidal wave. The usual tactics here displayed are only irritating now because apparently there are still members of the Party and campaign who DON'T GET IT about how to deal with the pernicious(even if subconscious) media spin.

The "fractious" left wing wants to build the Party. A better case might be made that the dumbness of the "New" Democrats is whittling down and softening support, much less antagonizing its only real base, who really are(not theoretically) committed to its highest ideals.

Since WHEN is John Kerry a Conservative or even moderate? If he talks as a Kennedy style hawk he also has a Kennedy style heart and mind, something completely lacking in the monstrous GOP regime.

Nor will Bush leave any quagmire worth the seduction. Options will be limited to doing the right things and getting out. The thunder all around in fact is being stolen by Bush's failure.

[goforit]

29. We need a NEW Washington 180 degrees......about face!!!

All our politicians are on the WRONG page!!!

They royally SUCK!!!!