I've always been a big ABB fan, all the way back to when Bush was my very own governor.
Dean seemed right along with how I felt about Bush, about the way the Democratic party acted during the 2002 election and during the runup to war, and seemed to speak for me when no one else would.
And he lost. Since I'm an ABB fan, moving to Kerry or Edwards should be easy, right?
Well, it's not. And it's got little to do with Kerry (although I'd rather virtually anyone other than Lieberman have beaten Kerry) or with Edwards, but has a
lot to do with what I've had to put up with over the last nine months.
Ever since Dean moved up from the single digits, ever since Dean started raising money, I've had to listen to people demanding loyality oaths. I've had to listen to rampant -- and quite insulting -- speculation on Dean's loyality, on my loyality to the party and to defeating Bush.
Despite Dean being on the record -- several times -- as planning to endorse and actively support the nominee, people still darkly predicted a third party run...and predicted that the mindless Deanies (myself included) would go along.
All this, of course, was based on hot air and a single butchered quote from a magazine (one devoid of context, and with several ellipses in place, indicated the quote had been cut considerably). Not once did those accusing me, accusing Dean, of "wanting Bush to win if we couldn't" ever addressed the numerous times Dean went on the record, quite specifically stating his support for the party and the eventual nominee.
And now it's started up all over again. We have pundits comparing Dean to Nader, despite Dean's appeal to Nader to work within the party. We have Kerry supporters accusing Dean and the Deanies of "spoiling Kerry", already laying blame for the unknown results of an election 8 months off.
This makes it a little hard to support the Democratic nominee in general, and Kerry (as his supporters have been most prominent, ever since the beginning, of demanding loyality oaths) in specific.
Why? Because I don't like being pushed. I don't like being told I "owe" my vote to someone. I don't like loyality oaths, and I don't like to be told to toe the line. If I wanted to listen to crap like that, I'd join the GOP.
So here's a big fat hint: You want me to vote for Kerry? Make a case for the candidate. He's running against Bush for Pete's sake. "He's not Bush" is enough for me this year. 2008 might be a different story, but not this year.
DON'T tell me I owe it to Kerry. Don't tell me I owe it to the party. Don't tell me Kerry deserves my vote.
Stop accusing me of cultish loyality to Dean. Stop accusing me of being a moron. And for the love of God, stop suggesting it'll be my fault or Dean's fault if Kerry loses this November.
Dean isn't running third party. He won't be a choice in the general election. You can make the case -- as I often have -- that Nader spoiled Gore, because Nader was a visible alternative for the left, because he was actually running for President.
But accusing Dean of "spoiling Kerry" is like accusing Bill Bradley of spoiling Al Gore. Sorry, it doesn't cut it.
Worse yet, it makes Kerry look weak. Worrying about the "Deanies not voting for Kerry" says two things: (1) You think the, maybe, 10% or so of Dean voters who aren't dyed-in-the-wool Dems are going to cost you the vote, which means you think that Kerry can, at best, eke out a slim victory over Bush. IF he has the Deanies. (If you really think that, I suggest you email Kerry and tell him to start kissing Dean's butt.). (2) You also think Kerry is incapable of appealing to anyone but Dem base, and unable -- even with 7 or 8 months to try and a hearty "ABB" feeling -- to convince swing voters to jump.
That's hardly something to inspire optimism or confidance in Kerry.
Stop trying to tell me how to vote. Stop accusing me of "spoiling" an election because I support a candidate who won't even be running in that election. Stop acting like your candidate is so frail a single puff of air will knock him over.
Because you're making it damn hard to support Kerry. Hell would freeze over before I voted for Bush, but if you keep this accusations up, I'd be sorely tempted to leave the Presidential ballot blank.
Not for dislike of Kerry or love of Dean, but for the simple reason that I don't want to give in to petty threats.