Posted on 03/29/2008 2:28:23 PM PDT by Dane
Texas Democrats can send a message of sanity today Let's end the stupidity, agree to support nominee
By DAVID BERG
I believe it was Lord Acton who said "stupidity corrupts" and "absolute stupidity corrupts absolutely." Or maybe it was his brother, "Bubba" Acton, who ran the family plumbing supply business. In any event, this essay isn't about the Actons. It's about the Democrats, of which I am one.
We are acting about as absolutely stupid as it gets — fighting each other, right down to the precinct level, rather than uniting to defeat John McCain this fall — and doing untold damage to our chances of recapturing the presidency.
Nevertheless, Texas Democrats have a unique opportunity today to start undoing the damage by sending a conciliatory, rational message to Democrats nationwide, during our statewide delegate conventions. Of course, no one has ever accused my party of being conciliatory, much less rational, so let me mount a modest argument before actually making my suggestion.
I am no more going to vote for John McCain for president than I would have voted for Methuselah to manage flood control, a job that ultimately went to the much younger (at only 600 years old or so) and, some argued, better-looking Noah. McCain's too old, too cranky and too enthusiastic about a Hundred Years' War in Iraq.
Yet, when Hillary and Bill started doing things that I didn't agree with, fighting what appears to be a futile battle, I stupidly said that I wouldn't vote for her if she got the nomination — that I would vote for McCain. My closest friend, a rabid, Bush-hating, yellow-dog Democrat, said the same thing, as did 26 percent of Obama supporters, who stated in a recent poll that they wouldn't vote for her, either.
Equally stupid was the response from Hillary's supporters, 35 percent of whom said that they would never vote for Obama. Not being a Hillary supporter, but having been subjected to some of their more succinct arguments ("For shame," "What will you tell your granddaughters?" and "You're nothing but a liberal white boy"), it is clear that they are deeply disappointed that the upstart Obama apparently has hijacked Hillary's once inevitable nomination.
In reality, no matter how macho it sounds to say otherwise, Democrats are not going to vote for McCain this fall. The greater likelihood is that the losing side will stay home, McCain will win and there will be no one to blame but Democrats, who doubtless will begin another round of finger-pointing and personal attacks, assuring that we will not win a presidential campaign in the foreseeable future (or at least until Chelsea runs in 2028).
Thus, the real beneficiaries of fractious Democratic primaries will be Republicans who, observing a fundamental political maxim, have watched in silent gratitude as Democrats, yet again, eat their young and undermine their chances.
We Democrats have lost sight of the real goal: to elect a Democratic president, create a new paradigm for America and reverse the effects of George Bush's long list of foreign and domestic disasters.
Even more important — something I hear repeatedly from both Democratic and Republican friends nationwide — is that our belief in American inevitability has been eroded. They feel a sense of unease about our future. Yet, our nation has rebounded before — America always does — and there are ways for that to happen again, beginning, in my view, by uniting our party and wiping the slate clean this fall.
As a solid step in that direction, let me offer the suggestion I promised above to Democratic delegates attending conventions across Texas today: Before the day is over — a day that seems destined to generate more anger and division — each convention should pass a resolution pledging to support our party's nominee, whoever it is.
That message, I promise you, will resonate with Democratic and independent voters nationwide and enhance our chances in the fall.
Otherwise, we are going to get more of the same with McCain, America will continue its downward spiral and we will be left to wonder once again what might have been.
Berg, a Houston trial lawyer, is an Obama delegate to today's Senate District 13 Convention. He can be e-mailed at dberg@bafirm.com.
Yuh know Mr. Berg, you are a trial lawyer, so maybe you shouldn't lecture on something you and the democrat party really know little about, and that is sanity.
I will wait Mr. Berg for your lawsuit as I practice my 1st amendment rights.
Why do Democrats hate America?
That explains everything.
and by the way: How can our daughters have any hope of becoming President when guys like you are already annointing Cheleasa Clinton for the job?
Operation Chaos strikes again.
Drinking coffee this AM in my VFW in north Texas which is dominated by Democrats....if the Dumbcrats nominate Obama....all of them to a man said they were voting for McCain....a couple of them said they would vote for the beast....but trust me...none of them were happy with their choices.....as I suspect is more common than any Rat official will admit.
“McCain’s too old, too cranky and too enthusiastic about a Hundred Years’ War in Iraq.”
Nothing silent about it. The sound you hear is microwave popcorn a-poppin'--
True but then he did lecture a bit on stupidity and they seem to have a pretty good handle on that market (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Rush, you magnificent bastard!
You have got it right, sir.
District 2: Scream and shout
1:22 PM Sat, Mar 29, 2008 | Permalink
Dave Levinthal E-mail News tips
With the convention yet to officially begin, various elected officials and dignitaries are lining up to speak at the auditorium lectern.
Among them, Dallas Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who said of Republicans’ efforts to win back her office: “They are not getting it back. All you have to do is get out there and vote and we will keep this area Democrat.”
Now, former Rock the Vote President Jehmu Greene, a Hillary Clinton supporter, is attempting to speak on behalf of her candidate of choice.
But she hasn’t gotten far, as Barack Obama supporters are shouting her down with chants of “O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!” Ms. Greene just left the stage. “Yes we can! Yes we can!” many in the crowd are now shouting. Hillary supporters are visably miffed.
“How rude!” one man just shouted.
That's your solution? That and your "feelings" that you mentioned won't buy a cup of coffee. Your party is corrupt. Even your own rules with super delegates is corrupt. And that party wants to govern America?
Shouldn’t a “trial lawyer” stick to counting his winnings from our casin...I mean “courts?”
In Webb County on the Texas-Mexico border, where Laredo is located, Clinton surprisingly swept all 51 delegates because Obama did not meet the 15 percent threshold of caucus support.
JMO, this is saying that obama's strength is with blacks and wealthy WASP liberals.
To praphrase the Rev. Wright, the identity politics of the democrat party have come home to roost, and, IMO, it is a amazing show to watch.
Hey we’re talking about Texas here.All this can be settled quickly and to most people’s satisfaction.Start loading the dueling pistols.
scroll down to bottom of article.
Thanks for the real time reporting.
I hope this is just a warm up for Denver.
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