I’m already seeing the Beto vs. Bernie stuff (huh? Is the NYT aware of how many Democrats want a woman or a person of color or both to be our nominee?) and I can’t help but think…
...this is the way the Russian troll farms work.
While most of the disinformation was aimed at right wing voters ( email email email), the overall goal was to undermine faith in American democracy (oh, and incidentally, get Donald Trump elected). Some of that was intended to split more left wing Democrats from centrist Democrats. Stay with me here. I am not using “socialist” or “progressive” or “centrist” as a code word for something like “demon thing from hell.”
And I’m sorry to say that they succeeded. A lot of people are still infuriated from 2016. And that is not helpful. PLEASE do your best to put it behind you.
The young progressive/old guard narrative: break it down, and a lot of it is overheated foolishness. Most of the “new progressives” weren’t the holdouts against Nancy Pelosi. That was a centrist group, wasn’t it? It’s not AOC vs. Pelosi, Beto vs. Bernie. It’s Republicans on a train straight outta town, because they can no longer govern responsibly.
I’d like to see a lot less, “oh, he/she shouldn’t run. They’re too old/too young/too white/too non-white/too centrist/too leftie,” with the kicker, “They could NEVER get elected!” Trump got elected, and he was one of the least electable candidates the Republicans had ever seen. Does anyone remember how they talked about kicking him off the ballot somehow? My governor, Jerry Brown, has been freaking awesome, and he’s eighty years old. Don’t assume that “no one would ever vote for your candidate.” Don’t assume that men won’t vote for a woman or that women won’t vote for a man. Don’t assume that “the kids” won’t vote for an older person. Really, really don’t assume what a group you don’t belong to will do. Look at policy first. And I know this sounds dumb, but consider who you like yourself. If you think electability matters and you think this or that candidate is most electable, then vote for that person, but remember that whoever won the primaries got the most votes and that person will be the nominee.
I’m just not going to get drawn into any “your candidate sucks!” stuff, and I strongly advise that none of you do, either. Stare in the mirror and say, “I would be proud to have any of these fine persons representing the Democratic Party as our nominee, yes indeedy do.” Do it over and over again until you believe it. There’s a nice big field this time with room for lots of people. The press, gods bless ‘em, love a good “let’s you and him fight,” but there’s no need to rise to the bait.
Also, isn’t it true that the next nominee has to be a Democrat? Sorta solves the “they’re not really a Democrat” issue, doesn’t it?
And if you’re interviewed or canvassing or just chatting on Facebook, remember about Russian troll farms and being manipulated and keeping our eyes on the prize. When the clickbait and infighting starts, Taylor Swift will tell you what to do:
PS: One last thing on making assumptions: men’s rights white supremacists were convinced that Taylor Swift was one of their own: their Aryan Barbie (“I mean, look at her! She’s so white!”) They wept bitter tears when she endorsed a Democrat and basically condemned the whole Republican hate agenda. Of course, that made her a bitter bitch who was too old to have white babies, had “hit the wall,” and was now regretting it, and that was one of the nicer things they said. Something tells me she didn’t care.
PPS: How come in these infighting articles, Harris, Klobuchar, Booker, and Warren, among others, never come up? It’s not as though they’re low prof….oohhh.