Let's all agree to be equal-opportunity critics of Democrats

[ProSense]

Celebrate them, point out there their flaws, and call them out when they miss the point. It's healthy is Democratic, it's not Republican.

You'll never hear me criticize Hillary Clinton for voting for the IWR, my views are known. I will criticize her for not speaking out more forcefully since, for voting against Kerry-Feingold, and for that jab she took at Kerry during the RW smear at the end of October.

I don't like members of her team, like McAwful and Carville, and I don't like some of her tactics.

Don't try to stifle criticism, refute it with facts.

And for goodness sake, let's not whine.



edited: wrong word.

[blm]

1. Oops - need to point out a flaw....

"point out THEIR flaws"


heh..... I am fine with anything TRUTHFUL - but the RW talking point attacks have GOT to be dropped from EVERY Dem campaign.

Clinton should stop sounding like Bush on the campaign trail, and Obama camp has to drop the Lincoln Bedroom line. If his camp was REALLY smart they'd look deeper into the Marc Rich remark and how Rich is linked to almost everything happening today, including the Plame outing.

[ProSense]

11. Thanks. Good

post

[Talya in CT]

2. question, do you criticize her for supporting THE WALL ?

[cleveramerican]

3. She has to sharpen her statements on the war

and stop the hair-splitting, vague non-references.

[longship]

5. It's called equivocation.

And it's the numero uno reason why come 2008, I probably will not be supporting the good senator. (And she *is* a good senator. IMHO, that's where she should stay.)

[PresidentObama]

4. Criticism is fine.

It's when candidate supporters goe after other candidates with kitchen knives, and turn it into a full time gig here on DU. Thats when he crosses from criticism to bashing, and from bashing to being absolutely insane!!

I don't like Hillary's team either, but I like Hillary. And while she isn't among my first four choices, if she gets the nomination...I'll support her gladly!!

I don't think anyone is trying to stifle criticism.

[ProSense]

6. Sorry, but I'm not referring to "kitchen knives." Nothing in the OP implies that.

If she's not among your first four choices and you don't feel the need to criticize her fine. Others may chose to engage the Democratic process with less passivity. Telling people to stop criticizing or complaining about the criticism is trying to stifle it.

[PresidentObama]

7. I didn't say your OP implied that.

But unfortunately thats the strategy of a lot of DUers lately.

And I don't think anyone is/could try and cut off criticism of any candidate. But when I'm going to the board and seeing people say we should send Hillary to Iraq for her IWR vote, and saying she cost Gore the election.....I begin to wonder how far this can go!!

BTW, I wasn't aware Gore lost? :shrug:

In any event, I agree with parts of your OP. Mainly the part about criticism, but the line is crossed too often my fellow Kerrycrat. And I know how many feel about Senator Clinton, and thats fine. But it's the small minority (and I'm not saying it's Kerrycrats--not at all) that take it too far, and above the norm of typical DU criticism of candidates.

[AJH032]

8. Democrats-->Hillary

"equal opportunity critics of Democrats"

I agree. So let's maybe not single out Hillary then?

[ProSense]

9. Are you saying Hillary Clinton is the only one criticized on DU?

Really?

[cleveramerican]

10. The biggest target

will always take the most hits

[AJH032]

12. no

I'm saying she's the only one you mentioned in your post (and she is by far the most criticized on DU).

[ProSense]

13. For good reason: those stated n/t

[ProSense]

14. Just my opinion. n/t

[TayTay]

15. It's a primary, there will be harsh criticism

It's nice to wish for a fairy tale world in which everyone talks about just the issues and policy and the budget. But it's not going to happen. It never has. Elections are about something so they engender harsh campaigns and harsh rhetoric. This is how it is supposed to be.

The primary season is very long and this allows for the real characters of the candidates to come out. It will happen in this one too. I think that everything including the kitchen sink will be thrown during the campaign. This is as it should be. This is not about who gets to be 'Ms. or Mr. Congeniality' at a beauty pageant. It's about who gets the most powerful job on earth and all the power and responsibilities that go with it. I think we need to grow up in here a little bit, understand that people are not going to make nice and that they shouldn't have to. Politics is a very nasty business. It always has been. People who run understand that.

Let 'er rip and may the best soul win.