ways to differentiate people’s choices between two politicians who in reality are so close politically as to be nearly twins policy-wise

An interesting post but I don’t think you are getting the importance of the NON-policy differences between these two candidates, BO and HRC. They may be twins re the substance of their stances but NOT in their styles.

I think true activists are hungry for the end of “gamesmanship” in our leaders, and want evidence of statesmanship. That is part of the CHANGE mandate. To “be the change” as Gandhi said has to do with the process of governance. The high road. A “moral” imperative. Promote a moral world in a moral way.

For the supposed good of the party were we supposed to not squawk about evidence of disrespect for what seemed were established rules and heavy character-assassination-type campaigning?

I don’t want to belong to a party that asks me not to explore the good, the bad and the ugly I recognize or suspect in our owny candidates in FEAR of empowering the other party.

I think the skirmishes were on the whole a sign of healthy liberalism AND activism.

and these are NOT the best of circumstances.

correction to my bad (as usual) typing. sorry bout that.

A red line was crossed. One candidate portrayed the other candidate as unfit, even if temporarily, for the presidency. That line-crossing has been under-appreciated in its effect on voter and supporter decision-making. Hopefully the effect of that portrayal will wane.

i don’t actually think sexism and racism are limited to the right wing or to the republican party. i think it’s tempting but not helpful to blame them – in affect to project our own issues onto “them” instead of owning them and dealing with them ourselves.

one way to do that – to deal honestly with our own sexism and racism is to call each other (gently) on it. to deal with specific examples of our own bigotry as they arise. when we make free floating accusations (where it’s never clear exactly what language or thinking is being addressed) we short circuit that process. and judging from the last few months, i think we actually make it worse.

that’s why i’m trying to get you to be specific and to provide evidence. so that we have something real to discuss and come to grips with.

i’m not interested in swallowing someone else’s narrative (even if true) whole without thinking it through on my own – even in the best of circumstances. and these are the best of circumstances.

Selise, need me to drag out all the threads that we hosted at this site wherein these arguments were made? The various blog posts? I encountered these two arguments so frequently and so regularly that it strikes me as disingenuous to pretend this wasn’t the case.

i NEVER claimed it wasn’t true. i said you hadn’t provided evidence to back up your statement.

there’s a difference. i hope you see that.

i’m not trying to push a competing narrative, i’m trying to figure out what’s going on. and all the evidence free accusations are making it extremely difficult.

David I have read and followed your blog from its beginning. You bring excellent insight and adult responsibility to FDL. I do believe that Obama has won a Pyhrric victory if his supporters can’t reach out the hand of true compromise which is what our party used to be about.

I won’t read KOS or TPM or any of a dozen other sites. They are not progressives anymore, they are like the peasants of the French Revolution, bringing about that which they had struggled most against. The tyranny of the mob instead of the tyranny of the aristocrats.

Probably the instigators are fifth elements sent to sow discord but too many have voluntarily fed into the propaganda.