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Rhetorical question
How many of the putative Democrats who claim they’ll never cast a ballot for The Other Democratic Candidate can say they’ve never slammed someone for voting Green?
Posted by: Chris Clarke
Note: A database glitch in 2008 ate a bunch of archived comments. Don't be offended if yours isn't here, or confused if the conversation seems disjointed. Thanks!
Me.
But then, I’m married to an ex-Democrat-turned-Green and also left the Kerry-Edwards campaign (paid staff) to run the campaign of a Green Maine House candidate. Granted, I got kicked out of the Portland Democratic City Committee (where I was Treasurer), but it was worth it. My candidate got 34% in a district with 3% registered Greens.
Now, I was pushed from the Kerry campaign by the actions of a wickedly misogynist and racist manager (though I received the blessings of the campaign executive director, who soon thereafter sacked said misogynist/racist manager), so Democrats are definitely not immune to misbehavior of a candidate’s supporters. However, when actions happen on a large scale, there has to be some accountability from the top. My vote is only one, and in a blue state, so irrelevant. But it’s my attempt to hold someone accountable for the misogyny exhibited this campaign cycle. Hopefully, McKinney will get the Green nomination, so that I can pull the lever for someone, and not just against the others.
By: By MBW on 2008 03 22
OK, good point.
Still, though, you aren’t exactly the diehard vociferous Hillary/Obama partisan I had in mind when framing the question.
By: By Chris Clarke on 2008 03 22
Yes, but Chris, there are probably more Democratic “hacks” like me than people are willing to admit. Democrats who have worked hard for the party and its candidates, who sought out Progressive candidates in this cycle, and are saddened that all that remain are the Hero Twins (Eric’s term.) At some point, that sadness turns to anger, whether it’s over the claims of racism from Obama’s camp, or of misogyny from Clinton’s, and that anger might be reflected in the results in November. Or maybe not.
But misogyny wasn’t the final straw for me, just as it hasn’t been in the past. I expect that, just like I expect Indian issues to be ignored. It was disenfranchisement - that any Democrat, and particularly one of color, would willingly disenfranchise voters in two states for their own benefit, even when it’s not actually necessary to secure the nomination - that did it. We’re Democrats, damn it. We count the votes. So while I won’t leave my party, and I’ll work to make it better, I won’t reward those who place their interests over the central tenets of our d/Democratic process.
By: By MBW on 2008 03 22
Yeah, MB, I hear you. And I’ll freely admit I haven’t been keeping up with events, what with Looming Life Upheavals and such. So I’m gonna have to come up to speed on the shenanigans to which you refer.
By: By Chris Clarke on 2008 03 22
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