Sometimes we make mistakes...

[kentuck]

Ever heard of Ben Nighthorse Campbell?

In 1992, I supported him over long-time Democrat, Dick Lamm, for Senator from Colorado. I even held a fundraiser at my house for him. After all, he knew what it was to work hard - he had worked in the fields as a young man - and was familiar with the blue-collar tradition of the Democratic Party.

Dick Lamm, on the other hand, was a good Democrat. He had served as Governor of Colorado and was a proven progressive. But he was a different type of Democrat. However, when I weighed all the positives of both candidates, I decided to support Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

You know what happened then? He stabbed all his supporters in the back by switching to the Republican Party. I had never felt such a betrayal in all my years of political involvement. It was a lesson too late for the learning.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[givemebackmycountry]

1. I really like Gov. Lamm

I wish he would have won that race.

[hlthe2b]

2. I wish Ben Nighthorse Campbell had stuck with his hand-crafted

jewelry. I could support that. ;)

Yup, I have had similar disappointments...

[housewolf]

3. I never understood why BNC switched parties

but was sure sorry when it happened. I wasn't from Colorado at the time (although I did live there later), but was avidly interested in politics the year he was elected and paid attention to him.

I'm curious - you say it "was a lesson too late for the learning" - what lesson did you learn?

[kentuck]

4. Talk is cheap.

I may have failed that test again since that time?

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Does support for John Edwards count?

I did not actively support John Edwards in the '08 primaries, but I shudder to think of the consequences if he could have somehow garnered enough support to end up on the ticket (for either prez or VP) and THEN endure the revelation of his affair. As I recall, it was breaking news in August of '08 - way too late for damage control heading into the general election.

From a political standpoint - completely separate from whatever personal and societal moral codes he broke - his was the highest form of betrayal: continuing to actively pursue the nomination while knowing that his actions would lose the election for his party. I realize that hubris is a valuable commodity in politics, but his continued presence in the race was absolutely pathological.

[kentuck]

6. A different kind of mistake...

but a mistake nonetheless. He had a good Democratic message. His failing was moral. Nighthorse was not even a Democrat. Perhaps Edwards betrayal was worse?

[lpbk2713]

7. RayGun was a DINO in the 1950's

Until he switched his affiliation officially to rethuglican.

[Search4Justice]

8. I have bigger issues with..

... those that remain in the Democratic Party but act more like Republicans. At least those that switch publicly are being honest with their supporters.

[Thunderstruck]

9. At least Ol' Nighthorse had the balls to own it. That much I'll give him...

[bvar22]

10. Yes.

I voted for the "CHANGE" Democrat in 2008.
He looked good, sounded good, & said most of the right things.
He was a minority, and was even a "Community Organizer" in his younger days.
But once in office, his performance puts him somewhere to the RIGHT of Reagan.

At least Reagan had the sense to "Cut & Run when the Marine Barracks in Lebanon was bombed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. We have a state senator here

He was a Democrat. He asked me to work on his campaign when he was running for sec of state. I was just too busy but really wanted to help him. I really liked him. I had to turn him down because I had too much going on at the time. But I sent out emails in support of him and passed out flyers, etc. Just a few little things.

Fast forward 2 years. He decided to switch parties and became a republican.

[yellerpup]

12. We all did with Joe Lieberman.

IMO. He "coulda been a contender" but turned chicken-s@%t instead. Can't wait to wave goodbye to him.