archy

Time to take the pledge
Kos has established a policy for the rest of the primary season that I think we all should adopt (if we aren't already doing so):

It is clear that our nominee will be either Dean or Clark. No one else has a shot. Therefore, I will not criticize or point to criticism of either of those two candidates. Each one of those guys has his plusses and his cons, and each one of them can beat Bush. That's all that matters.

I sincerely suggest you footsoldiers in the Dean vs. Clark flamewars start reconsidering your tactics. Stick to being positive about your guys. Don't gleefully point to every anti-Dean or anti-Clark smear coming from a wingnut or mediawhore. You are doing their bidding.

We are all on the same team, and the time to "merge the tribes" is just a month or two away. We need to start coming together for the sake of the party and our country.

I've been pretty disgusted lately as Democrats do what they always do in times of pressure, that is pull the wagons into a circle and fire inward. It's not helpful to moan that our party is suicidal, weak-willed, or useless; we need to actively change our behavior. Nothing is more important to us, as a party, as Americans, and as inhabitants of this planet, than getting Bush out of office. The first step is--as in the Hippocratic oath--to do no harm. For us that means do not damage our eventual candidate (at this point it looks like that person will be Clark or Dean, but Kerry, Gephardt, Edwards, or Lieberman could still pull off an upset, so I'm saying don't hurt any of them). Do not tolerate flamers, even if you agree with them. Do not provide material for the Republicans to use against us later.

This should be obvious. If you can't say something nice about a Democrat, don't talk about Democrats. Save you're bile for the Busheviks and Ralph Nader.