Reply #96: Honestly Atomic Kitty, I in no way meant to slam you

[Tom Rinaldo]

I don't have a problem at all with you having expressed those sentiments. And you really don't need to defend Gore to me. I think if you reread my post you will find that I said nothing negative about him. In a way my situation is much like yours in a reversed type of way. Of course I voted for Gore in 2000 also, and now, were Wes Clark not to run again in 2008, Russ Feingold and Al Gore are the two other Democrats who I would be most enthusiastic about backing instead. I'm not saying that here for the first time, I've felt this way for awhile. I think Al Gore would make a very fine President, he has the seasoning that I think is needed in today's world. I think his independence from traditional Democratic Power brokers increased during his years spend out of the lime light of daily National Politics. I greatly respect his commitment to our environment, and much more.

I was not trying to ridicule anybody, and that's one reason why I didn't list any posters names from those prior Gore threads, with the possible exception of the Gore's Love child comment which I know was said tongue in cheek (in terms of a committment to follow through anyway, lol), there was precious little to ridicule in any of those comments. Are they full of enthusiasm and excitement for backing Al Gore? Hell yeah, but what's wrong with that? Nothing. Clark supporters have done the same, we all have, all of us who deeply respect and admire a leading Democrat. And that really was the only point that I was trying to make, don't single out Clark supporters for respecting a person we have trust in, and I made it on this thread because yet again Clark supporters were accused of "gushing" over Wes Clark in a tone that suggested we were engaged in some type of illicit sexual act. I saw "This Is Spinal Tap". I know all about cucumbers, lol.

We probably disagree with the point of my exercise because you report not having noticed a specific pattern of Clark supporters continually being accused of worshiping Wes Clark's shiny gold stars and uniform buttons, while other candidate supporters were left alone regarding their expressed enthusiasm for a candidate. The simple fact that I was moved to save those posts is evidence that I had been through this snarkiness all too frequently before, from a select small group of posters who repeatedly used to talk about cult like Clarkies swarming on threads, following the General's marching orders, because we were so "enthralled" by a big strong military man. Honest, AT, it became so very predictable. Back in January/ February 05 Clark supporters started getting harassed every time there were more than two threads running on DU at the same time about Wes Clark. We were continuously accused of "swooning" over him, and worshiping him at the same time, and it never let up. Like I said, the most recent time I got pissed over it before today was this May.

Dean supporters used to get this type treatment frequently at DU also, in late 2003 and early 2004, (young cultists who drank the cool aid and will follow Dean anywhere type shit) but after Dean got elected DNC Chair it receded and rarely comes up at all now. Dean takes hits from time to time, sure, but rarely supporters of Dean simply because they are supporters of Dean, not anymore, not like they used to. But Clark supporters still get it, most recently on this thread for the case in point. "Clarkies" equal "Gushers", trust me, this isn't new. All the leading Democrats come in for attacks here of course, Clark isn't unique; Gore certainly takes hits as does Kerry and Edwards and Warner et. etc. But it is not a well worn theme to attack their supporters for adoring and worshiping those Democrats inappropriately, while it is a meme used regularly against Clark supporters. That's my experience anyway, it honestly is, though I am glad to say that I am not so obsessed with it that I bothered to save all the threads where that happened. It is just the blatant double standard applied that bothers me, not the fact that supporters of Clark and Gore and Edwards and Kerry etc. are excited to have someone they can trust and believe in. I don't think that I am any different than you in that regard, I am sorry if you thought I was trying to ridicule you.