I've got a long diary coming in the next week or two on tips for Barack Obama's volunteers as they reach out to Democrats who did not support Obama in the primaries.
For today, I have just a short message for you.
Heaping scorn on those who supported Hillary Clinton and are disappointed that she is losing does not help your candidate.
If you care about beating John McCain, show a little more empathy and a lot less hostility toward the hardcore Clinton supporters. Otherwise you will only deepen the alienation they feel from the Obama-loving crowd.
When talking to someone who is disappointed that Obama will be our nominee, try to focus on positive reasons to support him, delivered without gloating.
6 Comments
I Remember Making A Pledge To Myself
That if John Edwards won the caucuses I would not rub it in the face of all the people who told me he could not win and Barack Obama was the only answer. Even though it would feel great to say to them, “I thought John Edwards couldn’t win?” And how ironic when they criticized my candidate for being elitist with his haircut even though he did and is still doing the most for the poor and is the reason poverty was even on the political radar this election cycle. With all the criticism now coming to Obama for being “elitist,” what can I do? They now want me to defend their candidate after taking down mine? I will not join in on the calls of people saying Barack Obama is elitist, but I will also not actively defend Obama for the same people who were offending just a few months before.
isucyclones94 Sun 18 May 1:24 AM
Too late!
It’s too late for the Obama folks to prove that they have any sort of grace in victory. They’ve been a non-stop swaggering, vitriolic, bunch of sore winners. I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire career as a democratic activist. People I know very well and respect(ed) tremendously have been bombastic, unnecessarily crude, and treating Hillary Clinton like she was some sort of plague on the party.
I know the Hillary people will be getting on board with our nominee the second there officially is one. I’m sad that a great party leader and her supporters have been made to feel like they were some sort of second class citizens.
Shame on you Obamicans that have behaved badly, and you know who you are. Your behavior damages Obama’s reputation.
the-demo-memo Sun 18 May 10:06 AM
I am dismayed every time
I see another childish anti-Hillary rant sitting at the top of the recommended list at Daily Kos. The handful of Obama supporters who wade into those thread urging others to be more respectful don’t get the adulation that the haters get.
Unfortunately, I think the Obama campaign has done little to discourage these diatribes, because the intense hatred of Hillary among certain key Democratic groups helps Obama’s argument with the superdelegates.
desmoinesdem Sun 18 May 5:00 PM
Just think if roles were reversed
When you look at the polls about Hillary voters not willing to support Obama, I have a little difficulty buying this “I’ve never seen anything like this” stuff about gloating Obama supporters. See Ferraro’s most recent comments, whining some more and indicating she may not be voting for Obama either. Just imagine if Hillary had the nomination wrapped up for all practical purposes, but Obama had continued with full-force kitchen sink attacks on her. I can only imagine the level of whining from Hillary-land.
I think one should also make a difference between discussions and gloating in the blogosphere and person-to-person contact. Political junkies come to the blogosphere to debate and argue, so that is part of the game. I try not to get too offensive even on the blogs, especially now that the game is pretty much over. But, when I’m talking to people, especially the ones who are not political junkies, I go out of my way to be polite and try not to gloat at all if they have supported Hillary or Edwards. It is too bad if people gloat like that. It’s just bad manners. But, in light of all the polling about Hillary voters, I have a little difficulty believing that things would be much different if the roles were reversed.
It’s been a hard-fought very close battle, and emotions are running pretty high on both sides.
rf Mon 19 May 1:52 PM
no doubt some of the Clinton supporters
behaved arrogantly last year and insulted other Democrats. But two wrongs don’t make a right.
Don’t worry, Ferraro and other feminists are going to come around to voting for Obama. The Supreme Court hangs in the balance.
I do think it’s stupid for some Obama supporters to be so over the top in their Hillary hatred, though, because it will reduce the number of Clinton supporters who want to be engaged in volunteering this fall.
desmoinesdem Mon 19 May 2:07 PM