Well this is my first diary. And while I hate to have my first diary on a topic that has already been beaten to death, I feel like I have to speak my mind. To put it simply, I don't really like what I have been seeing here, in terms of the so-called "Purity Wars."
Before the Obama campaign, I have never been that excited about political campaigns. This isn't anything special among young people like me. And neither was the enthusiasm that this campaign bought out for me. For the first time I was going to vote not just because I didn't want another four years of Bush policies, but because I actually believed in the candidate. Like others, I was a bit shaken when Obama announced his support for the current FISA bill. I still am disappointed in his decision, but one issue (albeit a very important issue) is not enough to dampen my enthusiasm.
I understand why it has for some, of course. But what I can't understand is this infighting we are seeing around here lately. A majority of the diaries on FISA or any of these other "moving to the center" issues are filled with hyperbole and often degenerate into flame wars. Too often people's opinions are being oversimplified as "blind faith" or, on the opposite spectrum, "letting McCain win." Sometimes these are true, but most of the time these criticisms are reactionary.
What is even more disturbing to me is that people are taking for granted the success of the Obama campaign without their support. The recent polls are encouraging, but it's still early, and it's a bit disheartening to me when I see the amount of diaries that read like parodies of themselves. It's also disappointing to see a front page diary that, while thoughtful and rational, breaks some of the arguments down in a way that I find simplistic. This isn't just a battle between those who think Obama can do no wrong and idealists. I think it is entirely possible to recognize and criticize flaws in a candidate while still actively supporting them. And while the FISA issue is huge, I think some of these other recent "issues" are rather minor, especially Obama's swipe at MoveOn. Everybody I know thinks that the "Betray-Us" ad was silly and ineffective, and I don't see how that can be a major factor in determining support. Call me naive but I just don't see it.
At the end of the day, I think it is healthy to criticize our candidate as long as it is in a way that is constructive and doesn't rely on hyperbole and blind anger. I don't see why we can't have a rational debate about this. Flame on.