Democrats should stop freaking out

[BeyondGeography]

The Democratic Party is gripped by fear. Not everyone in it, but enough of the party to make that emotion familiar to anyone who has been around for, oh, the last 30 years or so. The party is forever worried that it’s screwing everything up, that some discussion or debate or argument it is having will inevitably lead to disaster come the next election.

The latest iteration of this perennial dread comes after Democrats had some passionate disagreements in this week’s round of debates, which featured some candidates taking exception to certain policy decisions made during the Obama administration.

The result has been an eruption of hand-wringing, accompanied and encouraged by confident predictions from Republicans that the 2020 general election will be shaped by what just happened.

So everyone needs to settle down. We want these people to argue with each other. And no matter who your favorite candidate is, if they earn the nomination they’ll be made stronger, not weaker, by fighting their way through this process. It should be as difficult as possible.

...Obama allies were livid after the second night of debate this week, in some cases seeming to say that the former president should be treated with the same kind of unconditional worship that Republicans treat Ronald Reagan. The only problem was that none of the candidates “attacked” Obama; what they did in a few cases was discuss policies that even he would probably admit didn’t work out how he wanted.

...the campaign is a test, and a particularly brutal one. But nothing the Democrats deal with from one another will be as harsh as what they’ll face next fall. If you bristle at your candidate being criticized by other Democrats, just wait until he or she is being deluged by Trump’s lies, innuendo, and race baiting — not to mention a media that could very well pull another “But her emails!” on the Democratic nominee, bludgeoning him or her with some trivial issue that has been transformed into a megascandal.

More at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/08/02/democrats-stop-freaking-out/?utm_term=.a51fab20aeab

[hlthe2b]

1. No Paul Waldman. It went well beyond critiquing and offering plans to build on Obama's legacy

In their zeal to diminish/ takedown Biden, they DID attack Obama's record--especially, but not limited to immigration.

One can put the best spin forward to make a bad situation "better", but it is still lipstick on a pig.

AND this is what those very unwise candidates will reap if they continue on this path:

Link to tweet

[highplainsdem]

4. +1,000,000

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. That was excellent. Let's see if the "Democrats" take Harry's advice. n/t

[4now]

2. We must have watched a different debate

[DCofVA]

3. I'm not at all worried about the debates.

I think Elizabeth Warren did a great job. It was also nice to have an excuse to eat popcorn two nights in a row.

[highplainsdem]

5. Popcorn's always excusable. Like pizza and beer.

[Skittles]

6. we're "freaking out" BECAUSE THERE IS A FASCIST IN THE WHITE HOUSE

fuck these editorials telling Dems how we "feel" and how to "act".

[JI7]

7. ++++++

[MBS]

9. + 1000 n/t

[Hortensis]

10. I'm not afraid we'll "screw up." I'm afraid the electorate will again.

Some people are so eager to imagine some leaders somewhere could make it all well if only they would. But there are no such magic workers. Leader can only do their best and hope voters will come through by doing a workable fraction of the best we've never displayed.

[loyalsister]

11. All presidents make mistakes

Bill Clinton admitted that he got it wrong with his policies which led to the current condition of mass incarceration. And I suspect he may be willing to admit to other mistakes.

I have not heard Obama talk about mistakes, but I think/hope he would be willing to admit it. Especially on immigration. I talked with children who are citizens and were afraid that their parents would be suddenly deported during. Obama's. administration.

He wasn't perfect but he wasn't always correct. Biden was there, and he very well may embrace all of it without question. I think that would be unfortunate.

But I would rather see a candidate who shows that they learned from recent mistakes, instead of displaying only praise and unconditional support for every single decision Obama made.

Loyalty has limits and I much prefer a candidate who has the confidence to accept criticism.

[Skya Rhen]

12. So, Obama should now apologize for having deported undocumented immigrants who broke the law?

[loyalsister]

13. Broke the law by fleeing violence?

Or trafficking drugs or humans? Or violated a policy by not seeking to legitimate or make their status permanent immediately?