Reply #54: Very bad idea, IMO

[Eloriel]

and I'm disappointed that you're even considering it. And I say that thinking that if you endorsed based on DUers' preferences, in all likelihood it would be Dean.

The reason I think it's a very bad idea is the SAME reason I think it's a very bad idea for a Chris Heinz to come to DU and campaign for HIS candidate. The same reason I don't like the idea of Clinton, for example, endorsing a primary candidate (even if it's unofficial and never reaches beyond the "rumor" stage); or McAuliffe being ANYthing but purely non-partisan on the issue; or Carter endorsing a primary candidate (which he was persuaded not to do -- by Clinton, who may have had a good point but most of all had an anti-Dean agenda); or Zell Miller endorsing Cynthia McKinney's opponent (Denise Majette) in the 2002 primary; etc.

In short, I think that it's much, much better -- and fairer -- for certain very powerful individuals as well as certain groups to stay the hell out of internal Party dynamics and decisions like this. I don't, for example, think it would be adviseable for MoveOn to get involved and endorse a candidate either. Not for this. (And possibly not for the primary, tho that didn't end up happening.)

The candidates are doing what they can to educate and woo individual DNC members/voters -- that should be enough. Let them make up their minds on their own (as if an endorsement from us would mean anything to them anyway -- and it COULD backfire as someone upthread pointed out, considering how some ill-informed folks consider us whackos).

I just think the Party is divided enough (including here at DU), and DU doesn't really have any reason or business inserting itself into what is in actuality Party business, and that it would seem presumptuous (at best) for it to try.