Some snark from Dana Milbank: Democrats Still Struggling With Whole 'Party Unity' Thing

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Democrats Still Struggling With Whole 'Party Unity' Thing
By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, June 11, 2008; A03


Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean and Harry Reid have a point to make. About John McCain. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

It was billed as a post-primary unity event at Democratic National Committee headquarters yesterday. But the unity fell apart before the opening "thank you all for coming." As 18 elected Democrats filed into the party's conference room for the show of force, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, evidently not realizing the microphone was picking up his words, took a swipe at Sen. Chuck Schumer, the loquacious leader of the Senate Democrats' campaign effort.

"Wait until Schumer stops talking," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid suggested to Dean.

"That'll be a long wait," Dean replied. Then began the meeting.

It seems that nothing can stop the Democrats from taking the White House and expanding their congressional majorities in November. But give them time. They're Democrats, after all. The famously fractious party is trying to apply wallpaper to the foundational cracks left by the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton saga. But if yesterday's unity kickoff is any indication, the party is less interested in rallying around its own nominee than in rallying against John McCain.

"We have as a Republican nominee a flawed candidate," Reid proclaimed. "His temperament is wrong, he's wrong on the war, he's wrong on the economy."

"Today we stand united as a Democratic Party focused on putting an end to the idea of a third Bush term, which we would get with John McCain," said Dean.

"In Iraq we have a war without end," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added, "and John McCain says '100 more years.' "

In their opening remarks, Dean, Pelosi and Reid mentioned the Republican Party's candidate by name 17 times, more than they did their own party's likely nominee. But perhaps this should not be surprising. Walk toward the entrance to the DNC headquarters from South Capitol Street and the first thing you see is a McCain campaign poster (closer inspection reveals that it says "Lobbyists for McCain"). Hanging over the entrance is a banner mentioning not Obama but his opponent: "John McCain = 3rd Bush Term."

The negative strategy may have something to do with the need to win over the 18 million people who voted for Clinton. They may not have fallen for Obama's charms during the primary -- but perhaps they can be convinced that McCain is the greater evil. That strategy left the leaders making, well, ballpark generalizations about Obama. "He is truly an all-star," Reid submitted. "If we were talking about baseball, this man can run the bases, he hits for the long ball, he's really good at picking out singles, he's somebody that's a team player."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/10/AR2008061002705_pf.html

[LynnTheDem]

1. "party unity" = "party uber alles". That's the rightwing lockstep way of life.

Not what Dems/liberals/leftwingers (ie sentient human beings) are into.

[DrDan]

5. oh really

ever visit GD-P? Certainly not the place to visit with differing views. Must stick to the mantra there. And this is supposedly a left-leaning site that should be open to listening to all opinions. Forget right-wing conservative views, on the wrong side of the party in that forum and the degrading, offensive insults never stopped.

[LSparkle]

2. Dana once again earns my nickname for him: MILSKANK

I don't care HOW many times this guy goes on Olbemann, this guy
is NO FRIEND of the Democrats. MilSKANK indeed.

[Lilith Velkor]

3. Dana Milbank is a big ol' bag of douche

That being said, it seems wise to go negative to attract those like me, who are voting against McCain. Not even because of anything he did but because the party that fucked this country sideways with no lube should never be rewarded with anyone's votes.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. You have a point -- the Dems may be reaching even beyond the party with their message. nt

[NashVegas]

6. Dana Needs to Spend Some Time In New England

Cause he doesn't seem to understand that when Yanks "take a swipe" at someone, they do it to their faces.