Which candidate's supporters are the biggest, most relentless bullies?

[RichM]

On the theory that you can tell something about a candidate by the type of support (s)he attracts, which of the 10 Dems, in your opinion, seems to attract the biggest bullies on DU?

Let's say that by "bully," we mean the type of supporter who:
- regularly floods the DU board with what are really commercials for his candidate, dressed up as "discussion topics"
- uses a style of argument characterized by pushiness & heavy-handedness, as opposed to thoughtful reasoning
- is consistently contemptuous & disrespectful of any opinions not in accord with his own
- responds to any criticism of his candidate with mean personal attacks
- relies heavily on vulgar content-free arguments like "Our guy kicks ass"
- arrogantly dismisses any disturbing revelations about his candidate with the attitude that "That's old news, & has already been debunked."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. Dear Rich,

This thread is not helpful....

It only helps to fuel the fire that progressives of all stripes should be trying to extinguish...


Brian

[trotsky]

2. I agree. Does NOT help our cause as Democrats.

n/t

[IndianaGreen]

3. Except that Clark is the only Republican in the field

Changing uniforms does not mean that you changed the person wearing the uniform. Clark is still a Reaganite!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Since He's

pro choice

pro affirmative action

pro medical marijuana

pro Fairness Doctrine

pro gay rights

pro multilateral foreign ploicy

pro-universal health care

maybe he's an almost Green Ron Reaganite Junior type of guy...

[IndianaGreen]

11. What Clark says and what he did are two different things

The former is lip service while the latter is his record.

[diplomats]

14. Whatever

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. If Saul

can become Paul and go from a persecutor of Christians to their champion than Clark can go from a "Reaganite" to a Democrat'....


If you believe that folks are beyond redemption and rehabilitation then you must believe that criminals should be incarcerated for life.....

[IndianaGreen]

22. And we saw how Paul twisted the Jewish message of Jesus

and turned it into a paganized and Hellenized version of what it was intended to be!

Clark is still a Reaganite, he has never condemned Reagan or his policies!

[Hamlette]

18. and the poll is saying Clark supporters are the worst?

Reaganite?

Gag

I guess this means you are voting for Nader again?

[RichM]

15. Yes, you're probably right. I do feel a little guilty about it, & probably

shouldn't have done it. I had a moment of weakness, I guess.

Not that there weren't plenty of provocations that I could point to, to excuse my bad behavior....

But on balance, it was not good judgement. So, upon reflection, I apologize.

[diplomats]

Well, it does provide a kind of catharthis

:)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. It's OK ,,.... Neither One of Us Are God.......

I am speechless about the amount of viteruperativeness on this board.....

It's like a salon on steroids.....

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Clark supporters without a doubt

Although I respect many of them, it is pretty clear that if your candidate has NO RECORD, then the only way one can defend him is by browbeating his appeal into others.

[Julien Sorel]

31. If he has NO RECORD,

how can he be attacked in the first place?

[htuttle]

5. You're missing a poll choice

The one you are missing is "Bush", and I'd say that his supporters are the hardest to deal with (and are guilty of all of the things you characterize in your post).

Sometimes they don't SAY they are for Bush, of course..

[diplomats]

6. Agreed!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

7. It used to be Dean's, but Clark's have caught up

and I believe are surpassing them. Clark's supporters ran a vicious online campaign, and it's understandable since they knew Clark would have to answer for all the Republican connections.

Watching Clark's campaign gives me deja-vu - Dean used to be the near-Republican centrist that we all must rally around as the savior of our party, and now Clark is. Clark's people are attacking Dean the way Dean's people used to attack Kucinich.

[kiahzero]

9. You know what I love?

The fact that Clark's winning, meanwhile there's an unsubstantiated bash right below it.

:eyes:

You know, I thought it was ridiculous when people attacked Dean for having a temper for retorting to insults, and I think it's ridiculous that when there's been an onslaught of anti-Clark posts that all say the *exact same thing*, it's somehow unexpected that the Clark supporters get upset.

[jonnyblitz]

10. Clark supporters! never saw a more hysterical bunch !

[seventhson]

12. Clark today has the worst supporter bullies, BUT Kerry's were worse

BEFORE Clark announced.

Another indication that Kerry is in a tailspin and Clark's rethuglican backers are DESPERATELY trying to hang on by their fingernails.

DEAN will win the primaries, though Clark will give him a run with his rethuglican money and contacts.

[seventhson]

17. Clark has access, IMHO, to the MPRI covert operations apparatus

It is MY OPINION that the right wing corporations would use their covert accounts to fund disinformation drives on the internet about the candidates.

The cool thing is that Dean has practically NOTHING to hide and Clark has EVERYTHING to hide.

Therefore the Clark bullying HAS to be bigger and more vociferous and self-righteous.

Dean is supported by the grass roots and Clark is supported by the corporations. The corproations are MUCH better at the Black arts of disinformation than the PEOPLE who cherish democracy for democracy's sake and NOT for PROFITS.

THAT is MY OPINION on these matters.

[roughsatori]

13. Is "Deleted Message" a Clark supporter?

I think "Deleted Message" is a Clark supporter because he/she keeps responding to inconvenient facts about Clark--but the body of the post is aways empty.

[diplomats]

16. Um, no

deleted message is probably a Bush supporter (s). I remember one anti-Clark post was from a Rush-bot before it was deleted.

[tinnypriv]

19. Dean's WERE the worst

They aren't any more.

[blkgrl]

20. I've felt like I'd been slapped in the face a couple times

I think a lot of people are very emotional about their favorite candidates but we shouldn't resort to bitter, personal attacks.

Lets just learn more about all the candidates (the good AND the bad) so that we can make informed decisions come voting time. NO candidate is above scrutiny- and any information that is revealed that may shed a little light on a candidate--as long as its based on facts--should be welcome on the boards without anger and emotions running amok.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

23. I think that this reads...

Like a transcript of a grade-school argument.

[im4edwards]

25. if you think these guys are bad wait till you see the GOP

we should be thankful for a good donnybrook to help clarify who can survive the onslaught we can expect once the GOP get cranked up. If you think the GOP are already cranked up, think again.

Besides, think of it as sibling rivalry. We're supposed to be at each other's throats now and its OK so long as we remember in the end that blood is thicker than water once a candidate is selected.

[noiretextatique]

26. i agree...a little bloodletting is to be expected

and of course, some are very enthusiastic about the candidates they support. but the real bloodbath with the GOP awaits...this is good practice :D

[im4edwards]

27. exactly. we're seeing playground bullies, GOP are Mafia hitmen

not literally (probably) but thats the difference and they can put their message in front of virtually every voter nationwide every waking hour of every day. we're just a few hundred (thousand ?) libs on a bulletin board.

[AntiCoup2K4]

28. Lieberman supporters can get nasty.

Some of them will actually call you "anti semitic" for criticizing Holy Joe's PNAC supporting "Puke in Dem's clothing" positions. But they aren't noticed as much because there's only 4 or 5 of them here :evilgrin:

[HawkerHurricane]

29. Nice Flame Bait

Without looking, I predicted all the Clarkies said 'Dean' and all the Deaners said 'Clark'.

[Wonk]

30. Yawn... er, I mean kick... Hmmmm... what's the difference between the two?

:hi: Hi to all the "Yawn"ers who think that's an effective way to debate or discuss issues. :hi: