Reply #89: Sapph, as usual you're spot-on. [View All]

[Maven]

You've managed to articulate in one cohesive, eloquent statement the unease felt by many of us who did not support Obama, who were never convinced by his campaign rhetoric and who were alarmed by the vicious with-us-or-against-us mentality acted out by much of his fan base.

Yes, there is a huge logical inconsistency in the messages conveyed by his supporters, as you've pointed out. Moreover, I suppose the reason I never believed the Obama campaign was about "us" is that his campaign (to my eye) has been fueled largely by adoration of the candidate himself. Like you, I feel completely left out of the Obama "movement" not because I changed as a Democrat but because I felt intentionally discarded by the candidate and his supporters. I took some small comfort in a thread that was posted a few weeks ago, asking Obama supporters to specify three mistakes they thought he had made. Some of the answers were predictable ("he wasn't hard enough on Hillary") but some really surprised me with their self-awareness and many, many more than I expected listed the McClurkin fiasco as their #1 problem with the way his campaign has been run. So there is, ya know, some hope. ;)

I once said in the heat of an argument that I would not vote for Obama under any circumstances. I take it back. I will vote for him, albeit in a state where my vote is almost meaningless, but my vote will mostly be a vote against McCain. I will think of Obama as a placeholder with the words "not a Republican" on his forehead. Yet another election on the defensive--we're used to it by now, aren't we? After this election my involvement in politics will mainly be on a local level. I will remain a loyal Democrat, but my perception of the party (and of my fellow liberals) will be forever altered.