Since Dean Quit, The Air's Gone Out of the Primary "Passion Balloon"

[stopbush]

While Dean was still in, tempers ran high and allegiances flamed openly. But since he suspended his campaign last week, it's like there's been a huge deflation in the passion index regarding the Dem primary. I understand that there comes a time when things evolve and move on, but it's like the heart and soul of the Dems has gone on vacation as we ponder the Kerry-Edwards equation.

Does anyone else feel this way?

[CWebster]

1. yes nt

[Raya]

10. Time to go to Kerry MEETUP. Only way to focus community on real goal

of taking back our county.

[Scott Lee]

12. Kerry meetups have all the passion and fire of

a Lawrence Welk re-run. Oh goodie.

[maddezmom]

37. have you been?

:shrug:

[democratreformed]

2. My heart has sure gone - at least for the primary.

And, yep, my passion is MIA as well.

On edit: I now find myself following the party line - i.e. just wishing it would hurry up and be over with.

[maddezmom]

38. gotta get it back in time to vote bush* out

:)

[WI_DEM]

3. it sure is

I'm predicting turnout will not be as high as it has been too.

[GR]

4. Yes, And AWOL Story Has Been Dropped Too..

nfm

[Egnever]

31. interesting point

I didnt notice till you said it, but your right. Just another way for the media to push kerry?

[jansu]

34. We must keep that story in the front of the news!

Write every media outlet about this. Post it everywhere. Show up at every gathering, with signs asking Bush how he received an Honorable Discharge, If he did not show up for his duty! We have the power!

[AndyP]

5. Yup

I think it will pick up again if Dean throws his support behind a candidate.

[Eloriel]

9. Don't count your endorsements before they're given

Dean said he's support the nominee. He still wants his supporters to vote for HIM in the primaries so he can add more delegates and have more influence at the Convention. Why on earth would he endorse anyone?

Further, both candidates are everything Dean was fighting against. Edwards has been all kissy-face with him, but he still represents some of the worst of what needs to be changed in Washington.

Don't be so quick to add Dean to your guy's endorsement column.

[emulatorloo]

21. Dean is fighting Bush, not other Dems

You are believing too much in Gov. Dean's "outsider" campaign rhetoric if you believe that "both candidates are everything Dean was fighting against."

Campaign rhetoric against other dems in the primary is just campaign rhetoric, and Dr. Dean is certainly aware of that, given his statements at the last debate, and his beautiful blog statement on Nader this morning.

Dean is fighting against Bush and is continuing to do so.

See Dr. Dean this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x387208

edit add link

[WiseMen]

6. That's the problem of the primary fight system of winning nomination

Should we go back to the party elders voting for the nominee.

[CWebster]

8. oh, they aren't promoting their choice?

what a charade.

[Eloriel]

11. Not just promoting -- manipulating

That's what has me so angry. It IS a charade -- we have the ILLUSION of Democrats choosing their nominee. It's all bull, a mirage. Just another way (manipulating elections) that they're absolutely no better than the GOP.

[buckeye1]

18. Extra! Extra!

Primaries manipulated by Dem.voters.

[Old and In the Way]

27. Are 50% of the Democrats who are voting for Kerry a mere "illusion"

to you? I had a free choice, I could have voted for Dean, Clark, DK, etc. I chose Kerry for my own reasons. I don't get this ridiculous meme that only Dean supporters are "real", all other Democrats are mindless illusions. Sounds like the worst kind of elitist rhetoric to me.

[denverbill]

14. They did.

[edzontar]

7. It is all panic about Nader now.

Maybe the chickens are coming home to roost.

[denverbill]

16. Maybe when people were worrying about Dean's 'electability'

they should have considered the Nader factor. Nader wouldn't have run if Dean or Kucinich got the nod.

Now, the same people who whine about how Dean was unelectable are whining about Nader. Amazing.

[Old and In the Way]

28. Only a pink tu-tu Democrat would base his candidate decision

on what Nader would or would not do. And I sincerely doubt that Ralph would keep his limelight loving ass out of the spotlight regardless of who the nominee is.

[Mile Hi]

13. What's the point

Kerry is a career politician. NOTHING will change if he is elected.

Different man same result.

[buckeye1]

19. Right.

As the only non politician,Sharpton should be doing much better.

[Scott Lee]

15. That's because Dean was the only reason for any passion

this time...love him or hate him, the man is a flashpoint for injecting fire back into Democratic politics. The exact thing that gives the DLC fitful nights.

[buckeye1]

17. No.

High turnouts indicate there is a great passion to beat Bush. I think you are confusing hot air for passion.

[janx]

22. We'll soon find out. n/t

[mrgorth]

20. Yep.

I'm trying to get into some other stuff. My mind and soul need a break.

[no name no slogan]

23. No way

My candidate just had a HUGE turnout this weekend for his visits, and we're all VERY excited for the precinct caucuses next week. Who cares what the media says? Who cares what Nader does?

This thing's barely started. We still have 75% of the delegates to pick before the convention!

:D

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. Yeah, there's still one exciting candidate left in the race

although you'd never know it from the mainstream media.

[RetroLounge]

24. Uhm, I kinda stopped caring about it.

Kerry is boring, status quo, and annoying, AFAIAC.

Wake me up after the convention...

[unfrigginreal]

25. Yes, because we're back to compromise as our modus operandi

As November draws closer, expect to hear less about what Bush has done wrong. It'll be all about how we'll do the Bush deeds better.

[julialnyc]

29. Where did the passion go!!!

I agree!
I am a Clark supporter, so I was very upset when he dropped out, but I kept watching. Now that Dean is out I am just bored with the fight.
Clark and Dean really sounded as if they were fighting for something, Kerry and Edwards are boring.....cheerleaders/trained monkeys......they don't have the same passion.
Plus, Clark and Dean's grassroot following was a wonderful experiece (I actually got addicted to the Clark blog, as I'm sure Dean supporters did to the Dean blog), but now it's a matter of just voting for the nominee. Unfortunatly, coming here is preaching to the converted, but come the time of the GE we will need lots of volenteers, donations, and passion that the remaining guys do not have!

[Anwen]

30. Me! Me!

My passion and interest in this race literally vanished after Dean's departure. I guess it's just hard to get fired up about the candidates for status quo.

I will vote for the Dem candidate in November, but it most definitely won't be with my heart and soul.

[adadem]

32. Not at all n/t

[jansu]

33. Dean Did Not Quit, He Still Wants Our Votes.

He has asked for us to continue voting for him. Just because he is not campaigning, does not mean he is not in the race. He needs delegates to take with him to the convention. With those he can still get our message across and help form the party platform. Do not give up. Fight on to the Convention.....they support whomever is the Nominee all the way through the General Election!

[wabeewoman]

35. The tempo has definately gone down

since Dean and Clark left the race. Clark also had some great lines and kept the focus on bush and Iraq. I really haven't seen anything new coming out either. Dean and Clark kept getting news for new and different comments made about the corrupt government. I, too will vote for 'likely nominee Kerry' but I have to agree with the previous poster who said we are not deciding the nominee. My husband and I were very involved with Dean and we feel the media and the DNC decided. Some people started supporting Kerry but a whole lot supported him because they believed the media/DNC hype that he is 'electable'. We're both Dean delegates and will go on but it just ain't the same.....

[mzmolly]

36. Yep, booooorink!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :boring:

Wake me on election day and I'll pull the trigger for Kerry or Edwards, but other than that I could give a rip.

[bigwillq]

39. The answer is yes for me

I'm a Dean supporter and since he dropped "out", I'm less and less intrested in the primary. I can't wait to vote for Dean on Tues. but I've been noticing that I watch CNN less and less and that my interest is not there anymore. I know this is just a phase but when the DEM nominee is decided I will get more involved again in the effort to beat the shrub.


edit: I don't know how to spell