I am disturbed and saddened by the rancor

[lmarcotty]

I love Hillary Clinton and I love Bernie Sanders. I think either of them would be INFINITELY better than any Republican candidate. Even when I choose one over the other, that choice does not make me believe that the other candidate is acting in bad faith, or is evil, or is vindictive or incompetent.

I thought it was liberals/progressives who have the ability to see complexity rather than simply black and white, right and wrong. Clinton has great strengths and Sanders has great strengths; each has weaknesses, including the limitations of their own experiences and personality traits.

I am a jaded, cynical, pessimistic person with a strong background in science and law - and I know that it's really, really difficult, if not impossible, to avoid confirmation bias and all the unconscious and cognitive machinery that goes into it.

I really wish all of you who are posting increasingly vitriolic, accusatory and downright nasty things about Hillary and/or Bernie would stop and think for a moment - do you really believe either of these people is acting in bad faith, with malice, intentionally and knowingly misrepresenting stuff? Do you really believe your candidate is the only person on the planet who has NOT done something they later regretted because of peer pressure, inadequate information, or expedience?

Neither of these two is a perfect human being; yet in their shoes, I doubt I could have done as well.

Please quit the hating. The Republicans do enough of that for the whole country and more.

[Stallion]

1. Slow Clap

[lmarcotty]

5. Never saw that one before!

I'm honored!

[longship]

2. Pretty damned good!

Have a Valentine heart. You've earned it.

And welcome to DU!

[lmarcotty]

3. Thanks for the welcome, longship

[Avalux]

4. There is a fundamental different between the two candidates.

Big Money vs. Everyone Else

I know which side I'm on.

[RiverLover]

6. Yes, very much so, as a matter of fact.

do you really believe either of these people is acting in bad faith, with malice, intentionally and knowingly misrepresenting stuff?

[SheenaR]

7. +1000000000000000

[Arazi]

9. + another 100000000000 eom

one particularly prolific Clinton supporter openly admits to trolling

[ccinamon]

16. totally agree with you,,,,yes, she is acting in bad faith with malice and intention.

In fact, Hillary's planned "outrage" last Wednesday during the Town Hall confirmed it for me...she was just WAITING for the "right opportunity" to unload her planned outrage...

I remember my 4yr old son waiting until we had company to do a hissy fit......hoping for a better outcome....Hillary's "pout rage" struck the same chord in me.

[kath]

19. +a brazillion

[closeupready]

8. I believe one of them hasn't earned my vote or respect, took shortcuts to the top,

regards war as a laughing matter, finds ways to compromise core Democratic values even BEFORE negotiations start.

That's not hate, and you may still not like it, but the Clintons have certainly done their share of helping to spread Bernie-hate (and before that, Obama-hate).

[lmarcotty]

14. That is not hating, I agree.

That's a reasonable response. You identify specific reasons for your preference, and you are civil about expressing them - you're not engaging in name-calling and sliding into the GOOD/EVIL dichotomy. That's not the kind of unthinking hatred that worries me.

[closeupready]

15. Cheers.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Same attitudes. Different year.

Although the posts have gotten a bit more vicious with the lack of moderation. It will pass.

[lmarcotty]

18. Good point!

Thanks - I tend to lose temporal perspective! I forget it's happened before and will happen again. So far, we've survived...

[Dem2]

11. I upvoted your post immediately after reading the 1st para

I love Hillary Clinton and I love Bernie Sanders. I think either of them would be INFINITELY better than any Republican candidate. Even when I choose one over the other, that choice does not make me believe that the other candidate is acting in bad faith, or is evil, or is vindictive or incompetent.

We are very similar in how we approach politics and so I couldn't agree with your more. Please continue to post your thoughts here

[tblue37]

12. K&R. nt

[Blue_Adept]

13. The primary is all about black and white

good and evil, soul or no soul, love or no love.

It's distilled down to the purity side. Which is what makes it so comical to watch as we get the various purges that go on here.

[Maedhros]

17. Nothing nearly so dramatic.

It's simply liberal vs. conservative.

[bklyncowgirl]

20. Thank you for this post.

I have my preference and as a lifelong supporter of quixotic left wing populists it's Sanders but I see no reason to hate on someone I may end up having to vote for. Much of the stuff that goes on is just over the top.