Is anyone really crazy enough to think that we're going to "unite" America?

[TwilightZone]

Come on, people. This is the same country where 30-35% of the population STILL supports Bush, even now after seven years of sheer mediocrity and utter destruction, and not a single positive contribution to the country other than the do-not-call list.

That's his legacy. Iraq and the do-not-call list. Impressive enough for a third of the population.

Do you really believe that ANY Democratic candidate is going to sway those idiots?

I appreciate the concept, but reality is starkly different. It's just not going to happen. We need the Democratic Party to rally behind the eventual nominee (which it will) and do what we can to shore up independents. No one is going to put an appreciable dent in the 30-percenters.

[eleny]

1. Is anyone really crazy enough to think that we're going to desegregate American lunch counters?

[aquart]

4. Someday Obama must tell us how he did it.

[eleny]

6. It's really exquisite how you play dumb

[annie1]

20. rotf

[TwilightZone]

5. Some of the 30-percenters probably wish we never had.

Sorry, but those who are suggesting that we should vote for one candidate over another because they "appeal better to Republicans" are simply not facing reality. If a third of America hasn't seen through the Republican bullshit by now, they never will.

[sandnsea]

15. Nobody expects them to

Do you want to get into a shooting war with people who have proven they're never going to change? 150 years later? Turn it down a notch and marginalize them, by uniting the sensible people on common issues.

[elizm]

17. Now that is a productive attitude.

:sarcasm:

[xchrom]

2. it's a word that's lost it's meaning.

and people use it to ''sell'' something.

[MollieBradford]

8. yup

and there is no reason to want to unite with the republicans anyway. I personally think we should kick their ass until they beg for mercy. That is when they will like us, when they have no choice.

[TwilightZone]

12. That's what I'm seeing.

If by "unite", people mean get 55% of the country on our side, then it might be accurate.

That is not, however, my definition of "unite".

[Patsy Stone]

3. No

No one thinks it's going to be 100%. That's un-American. But if the majority of people agree about the direction of the country, and elect normal people to make the changes required, then who cares about them? No one needs them.

[Adelante]

7. Nobody's even looking at that 30%

Independents, returning Reagan Dems, and disenchanted Republicans who feel like leaving their party and joining ours. Not unlike what Clark and Dean talked about in 2004.

[Hippo_Tron]

21. Not to mention young people

Who have less money and are more liberal than their older counterparts.

[bluestateguy]

9. We shouldn't pull out of Iraq. It would be too polarizing.

The neo-cons might get mad. About one third of the country might get very very angry and it would just tear America apart if we pulled out of Iraq. It would just be too polarizing.

See how nonsensical all of this "unity" crap is?

If you are going to do good things for the country, you will end up polarizing some people.

[Big Blue Marble]

10. No one should even try to go after the 30 percenters.

But it is very possible to build a coalition with the middle. That is what FDR did so successfully.
He never got the right wing or even many Dixiecrats. They hated him with a passion. Yet he
was able to be elected in a landslide of over 60%. And re-elected with that coalition 3 times.

40 years later, Reagan did the same thing. Got pubs independents, and many Dems to come along.

You never get everybody to join the party. Just get 60% of the country on your side. You can make
revolutionary shifts in the direction of country.

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. put it this way

Clinton left office with a 55-60% approval rating, and he was hated by Republicans.

Obama isn't hated by Republicans, in fact, he appears to be at least respected by them. Now, if a guy with a 55% approval rating can be hated by Republicans, what can a guy who's respected by them get in terms of approval ratings?

If Obama has a presidency at least as good as Clinton's, he could get a 70% approval rating.

I'd call that uniting the country.

[MollieBradford]

13. so what would be the point

of high approval ratings? This is a perfect concept for the Obama candidacy... it's about nothing. In addition, it is stupid to want to reach out and be conciliatory with the republicans just when the country finally favors democratic ideas.

ps.. you are deluding yourself that they respect him. They are using him because they fear Clinton. Think about it, they hated Clinton and couldn't beat them. They don't want her to be the nominee.

[TwilightZone]

16. Bush had an approval rating of 90% post-9/11.

Did he "unite" the country?

Nope, the event did.

Approval ratings aren't everything. Not to mention that your 70% has no factual basis. It's simply a what-if that applies to every candidate in the race.

[sandnsea]

14. I think we can turn down the volume a notch or two

No, this country will never be 100% united on every issue. But we can at least get to a sense of respect for the value of each human being and stop with the demonization of groups of people.

[TwilightZone]

18. I agree completely.

Maybe I'm just too much of a realist, but I don't see the massive divisions in this country being united simply because we elect somebody president. We're divisive as hell on DU and that's just within a small part of our society.

[sandnsea]

24. That's not the point

Working together with respect is the point. And yes there are people on DU who will never get it. Some people just want the revolution for the sake of the revolution.

[annie1]

19. What does unite america mean?

[killbotfactory]

22. If we get a majority by poaching off the republicans who disagree with their party

the non-30-percenters, we can govern as a majority with a mandate (real, not fictional like Bush's).

We will never get all of them, but the republican party has shat upon the trust of many republicans for the past eight years, if we play it smart we can get a super-majority in congress and steamroll over the gridlock loving republicans.

[annie1]

25. yes. this would be a very good thing about obama if he could pull this off....

and i do believe he might be able to. well. maybe.

[jackson_dem]

23. 45% of the country voted against FDR in 1940

If FDR's performance during the Great Depression wasn't enough to unite the country Obama can't do it. There is no desire for unity from the Republicans. Do you see any of the Republican candidates preaching the virtues of uniting with Democrats?

[OHdem10]

26. Americans have this 'fighting" spirit. That is who they are.

Most of the time it is no harm no foul. Sure we snipe at each
other.

It is the Media who thinks they want a stepford nation. It is
the Media who is always complaining.

We in America have smooth patches and rough patches. TELL THE
MEDIA to stop worrying.

The GREATEST PRESIDENTS had their detractors.

There are unsettled issues and this leads to arguments.
This is a good thing, IMO. as both sides get heard.