no, they weren't actually looking for support.
They were playing the old democrat game of bullying people into shutting up by calling them names. It's the old liberaly theory that people would rather hold their tongues than be accused of being something socially unacceptable.
Who are you talking about, the people here labelling others "bushbots" and "RINOs"? I think the WH's response wasn't the best to those initial attacks. But honestly, if you read or listened to the things Ingraham and Coulter were saying from day one, they've got a lot of nerve to be complaining about namecalling.
Actually, they're the ones using the whiny Dem tactics. Start a smear campaign, then bitch and moan because the other side fires back. Classic.