Why do Democratic Candidates feel they have to suck up to conservatives?

[blueinindiana]

I have yet to understand this completely.

You never see a GOP Candidates sucking up to liberals groups; mostly they run away from them. Yes they do grudgingly have to speak with a minority group now and then but as far as ‘liberal’ audiences or groups they don’t even acknowledge their existence except to put them down or to blame them for societies ills.

It gives the impression that somehow they are more important or that their ideas are the correct ones and others people opinions are wrong or out of touch with the main stream.

Some of these candidates think that sucking up to conservatives will win them votes but this will never happen.

No matter what a Democrat says or does even if they are a (DINO) they will never win over a conservative voter, never.

*** Clarification: I know they have to suck up to businesses now and then, that is just a sad fact of life but sucking up to social Conservatives is really beyond me.

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. You get it, I get it, but

its beyond the grasp of most dem candidates. Go Figure.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. It's all about...

That sweet spot on the graph that charts wheels by how squeaky they are, and marks -- excuse me, potential political contributors -- by how much money they are willing to give to candidates. Those two curves intersect in pretty conservative territory right now, and that is the only thing career politicians need to know.

(Anyone else remember the "supply and demand curves" charts? That's what I have in mind.)

[xchrom]

3. here's the mis perception on the part of the beltway dems and others.

to RUN AWAY from the conservatives calling them a liberal makes them look WORSE -- i.e. weak, mealy mouthed, untrustworthy, etc -- than is they should stood up and acted like the liberal/progressive people they were/are.

a good offense will always beat a good defense.

[Totallybushed]

I agree with you completely.

It is highly unlikely to the point of impossible for a Dem to win over an R, any more than it is possible to win over a Dem to the R side.

Both sides are playing to the middle. But I sorta wonder if the middle really exists. What i mean is: I think most people tend highly to one side or the other. When they are in the middle, they are doing one of two things. Either they have not fully conscioiusly articulated to themselves their political convictions, hence are swayed by the most recent argument they hear. Or else, they abandon those principles when an issue at odds with the principles is to their advantage

I wish both sides would say "screw you" to the middle and have the American people vote on the pure position of each party. Even if we lost, which I don't think would happen, given an honest election, we would at least know how much work we had to do.

[Monkeyman]

4. I know one who is not Hastert is running from him

Conservatives are running because John Laesch is hitting him with he a crook and has the proof.

www.john06.com

The other is a hard core veteran from the Gulf war one of the top ten Marines he does not give the right a break at all

www.Enger4rep.org

[Dr Fate]

5. Because they are often too frightened to attack elected Republicans...

...and it is much easier to go after "far left" strawmen.

A recent example would be Obama & Hillary's speeches to Evangelicals- note that the only issues they seem to focus on is how "some Liberals want to take God out of the public square" (AKA War on Christmas non-issues).

I have yet to see them muster up the courage to attack Bush's war, economic & healthcare policies as "anti-Christian"- instead, when speaking to Christians they go after the easy target: un-named "liberals" and war on Christmas non-issues. Just like Bush and the media.

They could be attacking Bush's anti-Christian policies, but instead they go after strawman liberals over "under God" and "the war on Christmas."

[Xeric]

6. Dem strategy stinks

My DINO congressperson, Melissa Bean tries sucking up to the right wingers in my district all the time. She voted for the Schiavo bill for example. She sucks up to the corporate Repukes too. She voted for CAFTA and the recent Omani deal. All she's done is piss off the people like me that voted for her.
Yesterday I get a push poll from the Repukes. All the talking points they'll use in the election. And you know what? They will paint her as "too liberal" despite her record. And it will probably work because the rightwingers vote like sheep. Today she was speaking at Allstate Corp. A friend there said she wouldn't answer one question straight. Just equivocal bullshit. Iraq? She's for it and against it. Gay marriage? Marriage should be between a man and a woman but leave it up to the states so somebody else has to decide blah blah blah.
I'm getting tired of voting for mush-mouthed losers.

[brentspeak]

7. Bean is good only for the "D" she provides

otherwise, she's truly the pits.

[Monkeyman]

10. Bean don't count she votes with Replugs more then Dems

[skeeters2525]

8. Here's Why

Progressives only sit on message boreds and whine.

Maybe because they want votes.

And Progressives stay home or vote for third parties.

Is that clear enough for you, whineboy.

[LincolnMcGrath]

9. What position do you hold in your local party?

Don't think you are the first or the brightest Zell Lovin keyboard krishna to come around the way and insult Democrats here.

So, are you on your county central committee?

[Monkeyman]

11. No they come to me on veterans issues

[blueinindiana]

12. Thanks ...

I read that stupid comment from a 'troll' in my opinion.

If I did not to dignify their comments with a remark it would be this ...


The more the Democrats move to the right the the more they lose elections. They have been trending right since the 1980's and only have Bill Clinton to show for it.

Now they are a minority party of wannabes who are almost to the point of being irrelevant.

I hate the GOP and all it stands for but it stands by it's core beliefs or at least appears to...the DLC types have nothing to offer other than what the GOP already has. Why buy the generic brand when you can get the real thing for the same price.

[LincolnMcGrath]

13. Why buy the generic brand ...

I love it! :yourock:

[brentspeak]

16. Skeeter, at first I thought you just a troll

But now I know better. I appreciate your recent postings around DU, urging people to stop wasting time posting complaints, but to spend more time actually doing something with their time, re. activism, campaigning, etc. Advice that I'm going to take myself.

[autorank]

14. Collegueality...they think it's all one ruling class and that they're...

..part of it. But they're wrong. The other side thinks we're all scum, that they can take us out at will, either for sport or for political necessity, doesn't matter. They have total contempt for anyone but their ilk. It didn't used to be this way but it is now and it's time that we all get the memo.

K&R

[samsingh]

15. good question