Reply #112: The trouble with throwing bones [View All]

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in the campaign is that it can cost us the election. Any stand that energizes the left will also energize the right (to vote against it) and risks alienating portions of the middle. Case in point, suppose Kerry were to change his mind and publicly support same-sex marriage. I'm sure lots of progressive non-voters or Nader voters could be persuaded to vote for him. But a lot of religious and right-wing non-voters would also be motivated to vote against him, and we'd lose hundreds of thousands of swing voters.

There's a fine line between vilifying people and pointed out that they made and are making a mistake. Maybe you don't change people's minds by telling them they're wrong, but you certainly don't change people's minds by telling them they're right.