(
Update [2004-11-20 15:7:29 by HadIt]: Note: I think the original title "WE HATE KERRY!!" made its point. I softened the title now.)
I think this is my first diary simply fueled by anger - at people here.
I figure it will get buried quickly but I'll say my piece.
All the other arguments going on here - about recounts, DNC chairs, the direction of the party, etc. - are all a great form of commiserating, brainstorming, and strategizing. It's all good. (I've been doing my own form of that in private, plotting a drastic career change in the process.)
And critiquing the campaign as it was run is fine, IF you want to LEARN something from it.
BUT: The daggers going into John Kerry's back - FROM HERE - it's almost unforgivable.
I would never run for any office with this type attitude from my constituents.
Look, I know we're all upset, disappointed, angry, sad, etc. (see
my post the day after E-day.)
But this has turned into a crap-on-Kerry-fest.
We've all seen some nasty responses on Kos to Kerry's statement yesterday, and his plea to co-sponsor a child health care bill. The best summery of these comments actually wasn't even on Kos, it was on AirAmericaPlace.com (which does a GREAT service, by the way), from the official Blogger there:
Kerry's is making a long winded statement,
total yawner. He sure leaves bitter tinge of unanswered question. Despite his short passage saying he might want a recount, most netizens conclude it is wise not to read too much into it.
And the rest is bla bla bla... [dKos][tpm][Atrios]
Sign petition to support Keery [sic] here. (for old time sake I suppose)
http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/everychild.php
(boldface mine)
F**K him.
All I could respond with was:
Yeah - yawn. I suppose too. What is it for? Oh a bill to give all kids health insurance. blah blah blah. Sigh. whatever. I GUESSS I'll sign. Maybe. If I think about it.
People here are saying "oh he shafted us all!" Really, what proof do you have of this?
Modifying what I said yesterday:
Where has there been any proof that he hasn't been pushing for a full count? We knew they weren't even gonna get started counting the OH provisionals until the 13th at the earliest.
So we trusted him before but when he said on Nov 3 every vote "will be counted" we all said "eh, he's a flip-flopping liar, he's shafting us". Is that right?
I don't care if some flunky of his supposedly rolled their eyes when talking about recounts. I don't care if some reporter says he's supporting a guys we don't want as DNC chair (I agree that I don't want the same old same old as DNC head). And this is all as reported by, uh, the mainstream media, right? Now we trust their words implicitly?
After his Nov. 3rd speech, I took for granted that the votes WOULD be counted and then, THEN if there were issues to be dealt with THEN they would deal with it. If Kerry just said "eh, I'm done counting. Never mind," I would have lost faith. The fact that it is STILL happening with HIS team and that HE went public in video and said it AGAIN ("they will be counted") means my faith was not misplaced. And if it turns out that the result is the same, I now know he's STILL out there for us.
Just because he isn't out there screaming "FRAUD!" doesn't mean he wasn't working things under the radar.
But NO. From November 3rd onward he should have been screaming bloody murder, right?
If nothing else, he deserved a week of rest, don't you think?
And you think he wasn't thinking about the outcome EVERY SECOND since November 3rd?
Contrary to what some people are saying, he worked a lot harder than most people on this board. Most, if not all. And I defy anyone to say that isn't true.
No candidate is perfect.
But you think Kerry was a loser candidate and he couldn't run his way down a hill? Fine. Run for local office and start your way up from there and show them all how it's done! We need people like that.
I'm sorry for being pissed off but- dammit!
The lashing out phase post-election is OVER!
Kerry was tireless!
And your gratitude is overwhelming.
Update [2004-11-20 12:47:57 by HadIt]:
I should have made this clearer.
If people were just saying
"I never thought he would be that good a candidate, I thought Dean was better. I held my tongue cuz moaning about it after Kerry was chosen wouldn't help. I tried but never liked him."
That would be totally fine, imo.
But "HE SHAFTED US!!" Based on no evidence at all? Just heresay, etc?
Criticize that every dime wasn't spent by the campaign - I agree.
Say "Kerry is a thief!" - Forget it.
In short, some respect for the person, please? Even if you criticize his tactics.
BTW, this has nothing to do with if I think he should run in '08 or not.