If Dean supporters trash other candidates; why isn't this thread trashed?

[dsc]

This is a thread extolling the virtues of three candidates and to be honest at least highly critical of Dean. Yet if you look through this thread you will find no Dean supporters trashing these candidates. There are very few negative comments toward them at all and none of the people making these comments have Dean avatars, say they support Dean, or are well known as Dean suppoters. This can be contrasted with virtually any thread about Dean (including Skinner's on yesterday) where people feel the need to trash Dean. So again just who is and who isn't trashing on this board?

www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=14715&mesg_id=14715&page=

On edit I chose this thread as the first positive one of Kerry I found. He is one of the three. Due to severe system problems on my part it is difficult to find threads. It was at the time the most recent thread (I think). I could very well be wrong though.

[AnnabelLee]

1. I couldn't say

I don't even click on candidate threads anymore. I've never said a negative thing about another candidate, but after being referred to as a Deanie baby, a Deanista, & several other disparaging terms, I decided it wasn't something I wanted to participate in anymore. I'm new to politics, but after some of the personal vitriol I have seen in candidate threads, I don't understand how we all will kiss & makeup once the nominee is chosen.:-(

I can't recall names, but I think I have seen exactly two Dean supporters "bash" other candidates. Comparing that with the amount of Dean supporters on this board, which, according to what I remember from the last time I looked at Skinner's poll, is over 300, the percentage is negligible.

It's gotten so I don't want to say anything about any candidate.

Editing to clarify: I do not consider stating disagreement with a candidate's stand on an issue to be bashing.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Only negative comment I saw was by Joe Lieberman's "mini-me"

:nuke:

[CMT]

3. every day there are Dean trashings

by supporters of other candidates. That is not to say that occassionally a Dean supporter will trash another candidate, but it seems to me that lately i've seen Dean trashed more than any other candidate. I guess it goes with the territory though, if Dean were not making an impact he would be ignored.

[LoZoccolo]

4. Once people start arguing about arguing...

...I usually think it's time to step back a bit. ;)

[Eloriel]

6. It's called a meta-discussion

And I don't see anything wrong with it, personally.

Thanks for the thread, dsc. I agree with you.

It's not that I've never said anything negative about another candidate -- I have my issues with Kerry over a policy stand he took but most of all I have issues with certain Kerry supporters who insist on recycling the same old lies, distortions, etc. about Dean, as if that will help their guy (it won't). I just don't see the point in that. If they spent half their energy talking UP their guy, they'd probably do better. Or if they could come up with valid criticisms of Dean. But nooooooo.

:shrug:

I don't get it. (But then, neither do they.)

Good post.

Eloriel

[dsc]

7. Thanks

eom

[dsc]

8. One reason I posted this

is that once we are dismissed as angry zealots the argument is over.

[kysrsoze]

5. b/c all the trash are on FR. n/t

n/t

[w13rd0]

9. I wouldn't know about the ones that come into threads to systematically...

...trash candidates, as I'm ignoring them thanks to the handy Ignore right next to their names. It's possible to have positive discussions on ALL of the candidates. And an occassional question or raising of criticism is one thing, but those that find the time to post 5 and 10 times on every single thread invoking the name of <INSERT CANDIDATE> saying the same things over and over with no dialogue and very little good to say ever, well, they can continue to have their fun. I find it funny that there are those that say "I can't stand <CANDIDATE>, his (or her) supporters are so obnoxious or zealous or whatever..." and then have nothing to say when X, Y or Z who supports theirs does the same or worse. Guess it's all just a matter of perspective or motive.

[Eloriel]

10. Just in case

this was aimed at me (because I AM an ardent Dean supporter):

I can't stand <CANDIDATE>, his (or her) supporters are so obnoxious or zealous or whatever..." and then have nothing to say when X, Y or Z who supports theirs does the same or worse. Guess it's all just a matter of perspective or motive.


Let me clarify that I have no problem with zealousness IF it's in favor of their candidate. MY problem is zealous supporters of one candidate spamming the whole forum with lies they repeat over and over and over again no matter how often they've been discredited.

AND, in fact, I have stuck up for several distortions or mischaracterizations I saw about Kucinich -- because I don't want ANY candidate lied about, or mischaracterized. I would do the same for any other candidate. Lying or purposely distorting any candidate's record or policies is simply not, IMO, an appropriate campaign strategy, nor is it worthy of DUers. In fact, it saddens me greatly that there are people here, DU members, who persist in those dishonest tactics. NOT honest disagreements, NOT honest criticisms, but purposeful and in some cases incredibly methodical lies and distortions.

Eloriel

Eloriel

[ClintonTyree]

11. Dean is...............

and has been my choice since the beginning. I will not trash anyone else's choice for one simple reason. Whomever gets the Democratic nod will have my full and undying support to defeat the chimpincharge. Bashing someone elses choice is infantile and counterproductive. We can all have our opinions, let's just not lose focus on the big picture, the defeat of Bush.

[WindRavenX]

13. I agree

And I'm a Kerry supporter ;-)
If Dean gets the Dem nod, he gets my vote enthusiastically :D
I think we argue so much because we care- we want to beat Bush so badly...
Hey, at least we care enough to do this. Not everyone even votes...

[Regice]

12. Can't we all just get along???

It is a long way to the election, and whichever candidate gets the nomination may be too bruised to win the big fight.

[Egnever]

14. Bush out at all costs!

The rest is just politics!

Oh and thanks for the heads up on ignore. Not something I use often but I can think of one case....