Godd****t, the Sky is NOT Falling.

I normally love RenaRF's stuff, but...

You would think we'd be smarter than this. You would think.

You would think we'd know how to spin things better. You would think.

You would think that instead of contemplating more division, we'd be thinking about unifying.  You would think.

Let's settle this here and now.  No need to feed the conspiracy theories, or worry about any shifting winds.  Obama is going to be our nominee.  There won't be any "stealing" of the nomination. It's going to happen.

So no need to threaten that which needs not be threatened.

Today, we should be celebrating MS-01, not wringing our hands over West Virginia and what it portends.  Folks, the Democrats have won three special elections for Congress in a row.  All in Republican districts.  This thing is building up to be a tremendous year for the party and the nation.  The tide is finally turning, and it's a pretty damn big tide.

Why throw a monkey wrench in the works?

Maybe, because it is inherent in our Democratic DNA, we feel the need to throw cold water on things and worry about what might be, instead of what we are going to become.  We've got Chicken Little syndrome.  The latest sign of danger -- "Major Rift in the Party in West Virginia!!!" -- sends us screaming for the hills.  The sky is falling! Aaaaaaaaahhhh!

No, it's not. Really. Seriously.  

Take a look at what has been accomplished already in this year.  Three new Democratic Members of Congress.  Record numbers of voters turning out in Democratic primaries.  Perhaps the weakest Republican nominee for President since Bob Dole, or maybe even Barry Goldwater, the last fella from Arizona to run for President.  And a historic, bright, young, talented fighter of a candidate for President of the United States -- and he's on our side.

It's not time to celebrate, yet.  It's definitely time to keep working.  But for cripe sakes, project hope, unity, optimism, and confidence.  Because that's how we are going to win this thing, door-by-door, phone call-by-phone call.  Those that want to join us will, and those who won't, won't.

If we do not want certain elements of the party to divide us, then we ourselves must not sow division.  We will unify for the good of the country.  Everyone if free to join us if they like.

Our weakness is merely the perception of division.

Our strength is the righteousness of our cause.

Time to saddle up.

•  I'm pretty happy at this point.

  But not as happy as I will be in November.

  by wmtriallawyer on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:38:22 PM PDT

  •  I agree.

    This stuff is not worth talking about now, in this manner. And this type of talk might make it harder to bring HRC folks, the ones who feel bitter right now about her loss, into the fold.

    by psycho liberal on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:40:35 PM PDT

    •  Party Unity just announced

      Nothing to worry about...

      First on The Page: A new three-way agreement between the Obama campaign, the Clinton campaign, and the Democratic National Committee to raise money for the general election is being established.

      The money raised will go to help the eventual nominee.

      If the nominee accepts general election public financing, funds would be returned to donors.

      The unusual joint account does not plan to accept money from lobbyists or PACs.

      by Steven R on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:43:43 PM PDT

      •  While true party unity is still a little way off

        It is clearly visible on the horizon.  Perhaps a week from now, and almost certainly 3 weeks from now.  Unlike the Iraqi insurgency, HRC's campaign is clearly in its death throes.

        It's a bizarre phenomenon to watch a candidate who maybe has a 1% of getting the nomination endure the continued rigors of what has become a totally joyless campaign.  It's even more bizarre when it's apparently costing her and her spouse $ from their own admittedly vast wealth in order to do so.  Even SNL has turned on her by now.

        While the SD's are cowardly, they aren't dumb.  They won't make the 2d place finisher the nominee by fiat.  Obama may have 2025 delegates by some time next week, and he will almost certainly have them 3 weeks from now.

        If the Secret Service does its job in the interim, Obama should take the Oath on 1/20/09.

        by RFK Lives on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:45:49 PM PDT

    •  we're not bitter that she is losing

      We're dems, so we're quite used to losing.

      by sunshineonthebay on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:45:17 PM PDT

  •  Good diary.

    It is time to unify the Democratic Party and all its coalition members behind the effort to elect Barack Obama, who it appears will be our nominee.

    It is time for unity.  It is time to reach out to Democrats who supported other candidates.

    Folks may have lost for so long that they don't know it when they win.

    NARAL endorsed Obama today. It's time for unity and to defeat McCain.

    by TomP on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:41:04 PM PDT

  •  I was telling the same thing to

    57andfemale....surprised to see the 'sky is falling' diaries this a.m.

    by soms on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:41:09 PM PDT

    •  What bothers me

      is that Hillary and the pundit class keep saying that Hillary has a shot, when she doesn't.  It will make it harder for her supporters to support Obama because they are being misled. Hillary has virtually no chance, she would need the superdelegates to overturn an Obama victory, chasing off all of the people who voted for him.  The Democratic leadership may be gifted at shooting itself in the foot, but they aren't that stupid.  Clinton supporters need to understand that her chance of winning is no less a probability than winning the Powerball Jackpot.

      by pgm 01 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 02:01:16 PM PDT

  •  In November, we will feel like Foxy Loxy.

    Not like Chicken Little, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, or Goosey Loosey.

    by jhutson on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:43:03 PM PDT

  •  The Clinton Campaign is winding down

    ...based on the noises being emitted by major surrogates like Carville.  with the campaign swimming in debt, including 11+ million from the Clinton's personal funds I don't think its realistic for them to close up shop as long as ANY funds are still coming in.

    Yes, it would be swell if she would gracefully concede immediately, but it's not going to happen, at least not until after Kentucky.

    Barack will score a convincing win in Oregon and the supers will continue to come over.

    Howard Dean has publically stated multple times that the Florida/Michgan delegations will be seated in some acceptably neutral way at the convention, so the whole "rules committee" narrative is just so much smoke, IMHO.

    The Rethugs are on the run and in total disarray;  the Clinton campaign can wind down on its own, let's pull together and go after McCain.

    by Mr Tentacle on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:27:39 PM PDT

  •  I'm reasonably happy too, but..

    .. also getting a little edgy.

    It's like Russian Roulette -- each time you survive a trigger pull, it does not improve the likelihood of a good outcome the next time - a la "Deer Hunter"!

    by OldPhart on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:30:19 PM PDT

  •  When I look at the consistency and the vehemence

    of who tries to sow division I am convinced that these are paid operatives who want us to loose focus on what is really important.

    They will always try to make it personal and personally destructive.

    I just stop going there.  I remember Ghandi.  Being love coming from justice for all is the greatest shield we have.  Swords break against stronger shields.  Shields protect above all.

    I see dailykos as the biggest shield in the country and the strongest.  Join me as I join you.

    by yoduuuh do or do not on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:49:24 PM PDT

•  The sky was also supposed to be falling

  after New Hampshire, and Ohio, and Pennsylvania.  

  The sky didn't fall any of those times, and it won't fall now.

  by smash artist on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:40:34 PM PDT

  •  In fact, I think the sky's gotten higher...

    ... since then. Just look at last night's MS-01 results and tell me that we're not going to have a great year, if we can keep it together.

    by pat208 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:41:55 PM PDT

    •  No, it's just that we've made the pie higher. n/t

      by philimus on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:48:58 PM PDT

      •  Pie. The perfect food to put on our children.

        by pat208 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:57:09 PM PDT

•  Dems are amazingly gunshy

  It comes from 40 years of managing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, dating all the way back to 1968

  by ScrewySquirrel on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:43:39 PM PDT

•  Oh come on...

  by onanyes on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:43:41 PM PDT

  •  Perfect n/t

    by fayea on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:58:38 PM PDT

•  This Diary Was Just as True

  The day after Super Tuesday as it is now.  There hasn't been a significant surprise since then (Possibly the closeness of IN or Obama's margin in WI) and yet the rec list has been "All freak out and alienate Clinton supporters all the time."

  by TooFolkGR on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:46:40 PM PDT

•  I am SO tired of handwringing.

  Almost to the point where I want to say, "screw it, you're right, he's lost, let's just all vote for McCain."

  And then I think - just because the handwringers are being that stupid, doesn't mean I have to be, too.

  by sheddhead on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:47:26 PM PDT

•  Well said..

  Some of our political neophytes need to take a deep breath.  Everything will be just fine.

  by Huskadee on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:47:41 PM PDT

•  I got drawn in to commenting

  on Rina's diary.... but I will rec this one, not that one.

  Rina is usually right on.  But this time....

  by plf515 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:47:57 PM PDT

  •  Yeah, I'd rather use a drop of honey here...

    ...than a gallon of vinegar there.

    I'd rather see this on the rec list, so we can get on with the real battle.

    by alkatt on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:54:33 PM PDT

•  There was an Onion Headline once

  Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

  by plf515 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:48:44 PM PDT

•  {{wmtriallawyer}}

  I only read this post because it was you. And of course, you are exactly right. The Media want to gin up this thing and are all ready to spin WV as HRC's comeback and magnifying the black - white issues. This is a narrative that's been going on since Mississippi. I'm tired of it! The win in MS 01 is a cautionary tale for the ReThugs and should make us all realize the potential we have in November instead of wallowing in the mud that's being slung. Thanks buddy!

  by never forget 2000 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:49:11 PM PDT

•  Hillary fatigue

  It's setting in and the original diarist referenced by this diary is probably just feeling a bit punch-drunk. I know I sure am.

  Hillary needs to go away now, but she and her henchmen continue to lurk on the scene, poisoning the well, whispering in the dark, and feeding a media machine that half-lusts to see more Democratic headaches.

  Plus, until she gives up, there's always a remote chance that some weird-ass thing is gonna come up and we could be saddled with her. And you feel kind of powerless against all this, so it's natural to vent about withholding one's vote because that is something that you can do.

  Thanks for the bracing diary, WmTL. This kind always cheers me up.

  by The Raven on Wed May 14, 2008 at 12:50:17 PM PDT

•  Agree, and in fact

  I thought that RenaRF's diary sounded a little too "concerned" - there will be no stealing of this nomination. Hillary is already yesterday's news.

  by phoebe1st on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:03:07 PM PDT

•  Once Hillary concedes, I will worry about unity

  As they say, it ain't over until it's over.  And it's not a conspiracy theory to think that Hillary is still trying to find a way to get the nomination, and with people as powerful and vengeful as Hillary and Bill Clinton I don't think it's unreasonable for many folks to feel a need to fight back hard against them as long as they're in the race.  And I also don't think it's unreasonable for many people to think that every day Hillary stays in the race is one more day in which our party becomes more divided, not less.  Her very comment about "white Americans" is just one recent example of how Hillary continues so sow divisions in the party.  These divisions are real, and I don't think it's a "weakness" to recognize that these divisions are there.  Even NARAL, in its endorsement of Obama recognized "a growing rift between black voters and white female activists that the protracted Clinton-Obama contest may have caused."

  Once Hillary is out of the race, then I'll start to celebrate, start focusing on McCain, and start focusing on all of the other races this fall that will be helped immeasurably by having Obama on the ticket.  Until then, I don't think it's a sign of weakness to devote the limited time I have to continue fighting against Hillary to help ensure that Obama is our nominee.  

  by davidkc on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:08:27 PM PDT

•  We lost in LA-1.

  That was on May 3, 2008, the same night we won in LA-6.

  Therefore, we haven't won three in a row.

  We've won 3 of the last 4 special elections.

  by Eric J in MN on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:13:14 PM PDT

•  No division btwn me and my Obama

  I can handle Rena's take as saddling up on our horse.

  And starting to gallop towards November.

  (No chicken little here)

  Viewing the firm decision to stick with the nominee in numbers has no "Sky is falling" feel to me.

  I see it more as a firm, mature commitment to what is right, more like opposing the Iraq war and the gas-tax rebate.

  I have my nominee, my best gift to the party is to be unwavering in support of the clear, if close, winner.

  HRC wants to play chicken with me and my horse?

  She better get out of the way because we are not veering from the path to 1600.

  I ain't got nothing bad to say about her now that it is done.

  When she is ready, she can saddle up again and bring up the wagons full of down ticket candidates and hard working folk.

  But me and my Obama, we are already working hard.

  by jhpdb on Wed May 14, 2008 at 01:32:33 PM PDT

•  And I normally like your stuff. In this case I

  think you're overreacting to what RenaRF had to say.  I took it that RenaRF is suspicious, with cause, and has decided how to respond if those suspicions prove true.  I didn't get a sense of anything falling, just a readiness to deal with the worst if it comes.

  by gfv6800 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 02:21:43 PM PDT

•  The way I see it

  this site is a rant site. No one's happy unless there is some conspiracy, ghosts in the closet, bee in my bonnet or looming disaster. Intellectual bankruptcy has become the currency of the day, reality-based? My ass! By the way, all these upsets we have been witnessing are DINO's, hell they are more conservative than the repugs they ran against. Conservatives are infiltrating our party, just thought I'd give you a heads-up. To answer your question: I already have, for the most part!

  by riverdan1900 on Wed May 14, 2008 at 09:40:28 PM PDT