A shocking epiphany

[diamondsoul]

Well whaddaya know? The more things progress the more I am surprised by my own reactions and changes of opinion.

I'm sitting here watching all these debates, appearances, stump speeches and all the insane media spin they like to call "coverage". I'm disgusted by so many things I've seen I don't even know where to begin.

I've been Dennis Kucinich all the way, and I remain so. It's the rest of the field that keeps yo-yoing on me in my own personal rankings.

I started Kucinich no second choice. Then it was Kucinich Clark, then Kucinich Kerry.

Now? I've never liked Howard Dean on a personal level. His arrogance and his apparent desire to pretend Dennis Kucinich doesn't exist drove me nuts, and all I could ever think when I saw his face was "Oh Lord save me from Clinton part 2!". I still feel that way a lot of the time, but the more I watch, listen and contemplate all of this mess, the more convinced I become I would vote Howard Dean over anyone else after Kucinich.

John Kerry has managed to infuriate me over so many issues now that I cannot logically claim he's a better candidate for me than Howard Dean, and that frankly shocks the living daylights out of me! His lifetime record painted him as far more liberal than he's showing himself to be in this race, and I believe my candidate has pointed out his glaring weakness against George W. Bush all too well, along with a lot of other sources, including some media pundits.

I'm sickened by his complete lack of action about BBV issues despite being in the Senate and a prime position to take SOME action right now. Instead he says "When I'm the Prty's Nominee..."- wait, John? So you're saying you won't ensure fair elections until you've taken what you can from a completely corrupted Primary race?! WTF?

I'm sickened by his refusal to support same sex marriage and his assertion that the US Government has the right to define legal contracts on the basis of spiritual beliefs.

I'm sickened by his number of missed votes while he was supposed to be serving the people who elected him to the Senate (and excuses don't wash with me! Ask Dick Gephart.), while my candidate races back to Washington at the drop of a hat to cast his vote for his constituents.

I'm sickened by the calls from his supporters to rally right now and give up on making sure my issues are heard and considered.

I'm sickened by the implications that he's been involved in despicable campaign tricks.

And today, I'm sickened by the fact that he is being stuffed down my throat at every turn when less than half of the 50 States have cast their votes for the Nominee. The more this happens the less I want to vote for him. I didn't like it wen it was Howard Dean and I don't like it now that it's John Kerry. I wouldn't like it even if it were Dennis Kucinich! G-Dammit, I have a mind thank you DLC, DNC and media slime! I want to use my OWN mind to choose my candidate and you'd damned well better start assisting in that or you can say goodbye to this viewer for good.

As disgusted as I am by all tis, I'm equally disgusted by my own desire to see Kerry brought down. I didn't wish it on Howard Dean or any of the other candidates, so why do I want to see it happen to Kerry?? Maybe there's a personal anger at the disappointment his recent positions have left me with. Maybe because the stuffing down my throat seems more forceful now than it was with Howard Dean and I find myself choking and even gagging on it in a way I didn't when Dean was the front-runner.

I'm at a loss here. Floundering in anger and disgust and wishing I had some brilliant means of making my candidate surge because I genuinely believe he is our best hope against Bush.

Governor Dean, WHY did you have to be so dismissive of my candidate and by extension me? Why did you have to say and do things that you KNEW would make me detest you when you needed support? What will you do now, Governor? Will you become Kucinich's twin, staying in against all odds because you know you can't let your supporters down? Or will you wake up and see that Dean and Kucinich together would slaughter the opposition both Primary and GE? Will you repair the division your arrogant comments dismissing Kucinich and his supporters have caused and create a real chance for dramatic change in this country? Please?

[Catch22Dem]

1. This was obviously a very thoughtful post

However, I don't necessarily agree with you on everything but you do make several very, very valid points. I am curious about something, though. What's so bad about Clinton part II?

[diamondsoul]

3. Understandable that you don't

agree on all points.

I think I implied I want to see Dean drop out, and truthfully I'm not sure I do except that I think Dean and Kucinich teaming could save the outcome of the Primaries and I know without a doubt Kucinich isn't going to drop out.

On Clinton- I liked him throughout the campaigning stages. Liked almost all of what he said and did. Once he was elected he made a sharp right turn and for the next 8 years I was pissed off and screaming at him. He sold out gays in the military, destroyed all semblance of effectiveness in our social safety net with welfare reform, still left the lower classes suffering, diminished our military strength while spreading our manpower entirely too thin and generally just made the most idiotic statements ever to come from a seemingly educated and intelligent man. "I didn't inhale."....Oh PUH-LEEEZE! Then with the whole impeachment thing, come ON man have some balls already! Ya got a BJ in the Oval Office, Damn, Dude take some pride in that! As far as we know it's a first!

The thing that bugged me about the stupid statements and what makes them worse than the bushisms is that Clinton ISN'T a stupid man! A letch from hell but he's not stupid.

[diplomats]

6. Diminish our military strength?

How did a RW talking point get in there? :)

BTW, your statement that Clinton should've taken pride in getting an Oval Office BJ cracked me up, even if I disagree with much of what you said.

[diamondsoul]

7. He DID diminish our military strength!

This isn't a RW talking point, it's the view of a military spouse who was watching all the base closures and people being shuffled out of the service on petty grounds. In this particular case, the the Wingers are saying it, they have one thing right, I'm sorry to say.

[demigoddess]

12. my 2 cents worth

I never saw anyone close more bases than Bush I and Bush II is planning on closing a lot of bases too. Bush I did a RIF ( reduction in force) that forced many career soldiers out. and a lot of other. Bush has plans to close bases in Europe,France and Germany and send them to Poland and other east European countries that were formerly soviet. Don't you think that will piss off the Russians and kill any chance of peaceful world relations??

[diamondsoul]

18. Probably, but the thread

isn't about Bush 1 or 2, the military or even Bill Clinton! All of those things were just side notes in an effort to portray my feelings toward Kerry and Dean.

[diplomats]

4. I didn't get that, either

I don't know if it refers to policy or facial gestures. :shrug:

[Tinoire]

2. Whoa thank you! Ditto, ditto! I am popping a blood vessel over

GD2004 today! Thank you for so clearly expressing what I am feeling and my own journey during these Primaries.

I am so angry that I am off for a hot bath and a movie.

Thank you. Thank you. And in this mood, all I have to say is that Dean better be the real damn thing because there is an article mentioned in thread in DG2004 about Dean's interview with Fox News that I do not want to read right now. Not in this mood.

Thank you for giving a voice to my outrage.

[jpgray]

5. These races are about choosing the right people to alienate and pander to

Politicians who play to win don't believe *everything* they say, and they probably won't follow through on most of it. When they pander to one group in an attempt to acquire votes, it goes without saying that could well alienate another. Some other candidates believed they should pander to the center in the primaries, and they had to switch around when Dean jumped way out in front. They had alienated the left. Now that Dean was in the spotlight, only he had a great chance of losing significant amounts of voters, and he fell on the balance beam, unfortunately. :(

[rock]

8. "Oh Lord save me from Clinton part 2!"

Clinton part 1 was that bad? WTF?

[diamondsoul]

10. WTF is right!

Why is everyone focused on the fact that I had a negative opinion of Bill Clinton????

I hate the man ok? I just flat hate him! He's a slimy, cheating lying politician who slips slides and twists and turns instead of making a statement and sticking with his position. He always was and always will be.

That was NOT the point of the post!

[corporatewhore]

14. wtf nafta/wto welfare deform bombing of iraq ....

[maxanne]

26. think

the telecommunications act of 1996.

[saltpoint]

9. I like Kucinich. I like Edwards. I liked CMB. I like --

-- Kerry. I like our candidates better than anything the Bush administration has to offer.

Do I have favorite Democrats I'd like to have on our ticket? Sure. But Terry hasn't called me for my input. So I play the hand I'm dealt and stay in the action, as Joan Didion put it.

If Kucinich is our nominee, hurray. Same for Kerry, Edwards, etc.

Let's give Dubya the whuppin' of his life.

[diamondsoul]

11. I agree, except Kerry can't do it.

Neither can Edwards. Sharpton probably could except he's done too many stupid things now to have a chance.

Of the candidates left there are only 2 who really have a prayer in hell of "whuppin'" Bush- Dean and Kucinich. They are the ONLY two who can put up a serious alternative. Kucinich's new ad proved that for me definatively.

Even if the Iraq situation ISN'T the primary issue in the GE, there are plenty of other issues Kerry stood with Bush on and there won't be any reason to vote for him over Bush, period. ABB is a pathetic ploy meant to get you to take the very attitude you're taking "I'll take whatever the Party gives me." In other words you're telling them you don't matter. Pretty dumb to give up your power in the Primary election, imo.

[saltpoint]

15. Oh, I'm less dumb than you may suppose.

I follow your logic. I even agree with it as far as it goes. But the Ashcroft/Rumsfeld era has changed the rules some. In the new game, elemental liberties are being eroded. I want that stopped. I want an established progressive Democrat at the top of our ticket.

Kucinich qualifies. So do Edwards, Sharpton, Kerry, CMB, etc. So do many other Democrats I would prefer over these, but who are not in the race this year.

My dream ticket is: Bill Moyers - pres., Ed Bradley, VP. --Public Television's Bill Moyers and CBS newsman Ed Bradley. I believe the presidential and vice presidential debates would be a complete Waterloo for Bush (who is a mindless ninny) and Cheney (who is an intelligent asshole).

If you DIDN'T like Kucinich, I'd be surprised. He's a wonderful human being (I speak as a former Ohioan).

[diamondsoul]

17. The course of action strikesme as a dumb one, sorry.

I honestly didn't mean to suggest you personally are "dumb".

About the established progressive Dem- I used to believe Kerry was just that. Now I'm not so sure, and honestly that scares me as much as another Bush term. I don't like the feel of any of this. It's just eerily, creepily WRONG the way everything is going down. It reminds me of how I felt at the very first mention of war with Iraq.

[GreenArrow]

19. You can have: Corporatist Left, or Corporatist Right

Either way, we're getting a corporatist. Do you prefer your iron fist with the glove on or off?

[saltpoint]

22. Then write-in for Kucinich. He's a classic public --

-- servant and we could use a lot more like him. But I think you are projecting some very heavy negative energy onto Kerry.

[liberalpragmatist]

13. Dean doesn't support Gay Marriage Either

Only Kucinich and Sharpton do.

[diamondsoul]

16. I'm aware.

I'm also aware that Dean has shown a surprising ability to be persuaded given enough reason to change his view. He also doesn't support a constitutional amendment to BAN "gay marriage", Kerry has hinted that he would.

[diamondsoul]

20. Can't edit, but Kerry has just

corrected me on the Constitutional Amendment.

[Egnever]

21. Wonderfull post Diamond

I agree with you whole heartedly.

I have never been so disgusted by the democratic process in my entire life.

Watching tonights debate I was again struck by Kerry's inability to answer a simple question. This man stands for absolutely nothing and the Idea of him becoming the nominee makes me want to wretch.

I know you dont agree with Dean on a lot of things but like denis he is willing to stand for something. I am the reverse of you I suppose I dont agree with Denis on a lot of things but his willingness to stand up for what he believes in makes me respect him and I would be perfectly content to have him as my president.

What I want more than anything is a president that believes in and stands for something and works towards acomplishing those things. Unfortunately I feel like Bush has more conviction than john Kerry and I am so sick of being told what I want to hear instead of the truth. John Kerry is pure pander IMHO.

Aparently the american public in general is perfectly willing to pick the guy that will tell them what they want to hear over and over. Its a shame and behind it we will end up with very little improvement over bush in the next four years if by some miracle kerry survives the onslaught waiting for him.

[DebJ]

23. Amen!!!!

." This man stands for absolutely nothing and the Idea of him becoming the nominee makes me want to wretch."

One thing I dislike most about the S&B connection is their oath of allegiance to S&B ABOVE their oath to the United States. So how can we/why do we bother swearing these guys in? You can see what Bush thinks of the Constitution....he approaches it with an eraser.


"What I want more than anything is a president that believes in and stands for something and works towards acomplishing those things"

And when candidates 'steal' other candidates lines, why/how am I to believe that they will fulfill these 'promises'? What the hell do they stand for, other than election/reelection??????
What made our Founding Fathers great is they were not primarily politicians. They were PEOPLE first; farmers, scientists, etc.

[Samantha]

24. Thank you for your refreshing candor

It must have occurred to you as you revealed your raw anger you would get flamed. But you did it anyway. That's a Dean -- not a Kerry -- characteristic. I think Dean did show contempt towards other candidates and some of their followers took it personally. I don't think it was intended to be personal, it was intended to be a reflection of his contempt for the business-as-usual Washington politicians. So I think it might be okay to say he was insensitive to the passions and loyalties of supporters of opposition candidates, but overall his shortcomings do not begin to approach that of our current frontrunner.

I saw Kerry's performance tonight and thought it revealed a distinct pitch to the right -- while ignoring the left of the base. I believe that is one of two reasons why he has gained the lead. While Bush* supporters start to defect in noticeable numbers, they look to the field of candidates on the Democratic roster. Not having much history or background with any of our candidates, the right-wing defectors simply gravitate towards Kerry because of his military record and obvious pitches for conservative votes. The irony of this is the Republican vote could very well select the Democratic candidate, thus nudging off the left-hand side of the cliff people like us.

If you feel betrayed, it's because you have been. I feel the same way.

[Algorem]

25. May Kucinich have as easy a time against them as against these:

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/parmasunpost/index.ssf?/base/features-0/107660783924540.xml

[Renew Deal]

27. Nice job diamondsoul

Talking to Tinoire today and seeing your post has me worried. I as well as others are so desperate to defeat Bush* that I think we are ready to jump on the choice that looks like it can do it. And I don't know what to do. Clark was a perfect choice for me. I agreed with him on a lot and he is a tremendous guy. My post from the night he dropped out was desperate and worried. I remember saying that Kucinich is the only one I really agreed with and trusted now. But how the hell is he going to win? I just don't understand how that will happen.

How does he get over the hump? Me and my support alone isn't enough. Why aren't people ready for a person like DK? I feel like we are past the point of no return. A slow boil that will melt us over the next coupel hundred years. The point where this world will be a wasteland. But how do we avoid this? I ust don't see it as possible. That's why I am trying to fight from within the system to slow it down. I just don't see any way to do it from the outside.