Yes, it was THAT divided and vile and nasty; just a bit later into everything, than now. The garbage, posted against now President Bush and his supporters began in '99. The same people who are against Rudy, who survived the very late in the day purges, were virulently against W back then.
There were several factions...those who favored Pat Buchanan, those for Alan Keyes, and the Libertarians............all ganging up against now President Bush and his supporters.
And there were NO Mods here in '99, so you can only try to imagine what THAT was like; you'll never come close to really being able to imagine that!
Sorry, nopardons, that's not true.
I was also here lurking and then posting during that time. It was the Bush/McCain thing that originally brought me to the board.
There was some distrust of Bush, but not this kind of hatred. It was mainly a debate over having a more Conservative candidate (Keyes, Buchanan, Bush); everyone did indeed come on board afterwards.
What you're seeing now is not a repeat of Bush in 2000. Rudy backers have been reduced to attacking Reagan and Conservatives, and anti-Rudy folks are desperate and fearful. You are not being honest by trying to suggest it's the "same" as 2000. I know, I was here.
You did not have Pro-Lifers outright THREATENED, or Pro-Gun folks outright THREATENED by and candidate, save possibly McCain - depending on whom you asked.
The spilt Rudy would cause would be long-term, and deadly for the party at a time when Democrats are willing to put up with anything in order to grasp power.
Rudy would not only lose, but the GOP would spend a lot of time trying unsuccessfully to convince all of the SoCon and Gun Conservatives that they really do still care about their issues.