I've seen the loyalty Republicans show their leaders and the benefits they reap from it. The leaders reward the loyalty and together they win elections. Republicans always speak with one voice. From the college student to the RNC chair, they all sound like they are reading from the same talking points they all get every morning. They defend each other in public. And when one of them strays (like Specter) they teach them a lesson, collectively.
I've watched the Kos community prove what the media often says; that the Democrats rarely have unity and the convention and this election were an exception. Democrats are like Hyenas; once one of them loses, they just fall on him, tear him to pieces and move on. Even during the campaign, the Kerry staff was leaking internal strategy, tactics and frustrations to the press. Even pets have more loyalty. Lack of loyalty is a character flaw, people; and a character flaw is infinitely worse than a flawed thought or act. If there is one thing to learn from this election and the subsequent cabinet reshuffle, it is this:
LOYALTY, ABOVE ALL ELSE.
More anguish after the jump...
Stop scoring self-goals. Stop the friendly-fire. Kerry is not our enemy. He's our most popular Presidential candidate ever. A swing of 70,000 votes would have made him our next president. Heck, he still could be our next president; Ohio is having a recount and 70% of Ohio ballots are on paper (The NH recount starting tomorrow and the potential NM recount don't make a material difference.)
You can be a reform Democrat without stabbing anybody in the back. This is the same disease the modern Democrats have always been diagnosed with: we know who we are against, but we can't say what we are for in a few simple words. We are rarely successful against Republicans, but very good at circular fire.
It is absolutely disgusting to see so-called Democrats, liberals, progressives etc turn around and turn on their candidate. I have almost had enough; I'm beginning to think we didn't deserve to win. We certainly won't win if we continue this attitude.