It's time for the Dem-on-Dem mudslinging to end.

[angka]

This battle for the nomination has been rancorous. I'm glad. I'm glad that candidates like Howard Dean had the courage to call others on their appeasement of the Bush administration, particularly over the Iraq war. Not compromising on that resonant point forced the others to fess up to what they had done, or at least become less equivocal on the subject. In that way he has done a service to us all.

I am still hoping Dean can pull something miraculous off. I am furious over the media treatment of his Iowa concession speech. I know people who were there and tell me it was nothing like it has been portrayed. Nevertheless, I recognize the growing possibility that last fall's "sure thing" may not prove out in the end.

Lots of people here are realizing this as the pack thins and their respective first choices fall behind or drop out altogether. It's going to keep happening. There's only going to be one winner.

This is why the dirt-digging and mudslinging by Democrats against any of the remaining candidates must end. With an emerging couple of frontrunners, the time has come to stop giving ammunition to the enemy, or waste any more precious money and time sniping at each other.

This means that Dean must not go out in a blaze of acrimonious rhetoric, if it comes to that. And Kerry had better shape up to the task at hand, since every establishment source tells me that the DNC is what is pushing him through this string of huge victories. That's fine, I will support him (or anyone else now in the running) enthusiastically. And I'm gonna trust him to deliver the goods without creating any more bad blood with people like me, who have a bone to pick with him over what he's allowed to happen in the last three years. The time to attack him on it has now passed strategically.

Because I have seen the enemy, and it is not us.

[cthrumatrix]

1. i think we have a few more weeks for this to end or restart. IF there

are some major upsets this week. No candidate has the "means" to advertise for march 2nd...and it will come down to debates and issues brought up.

So it might be a tad premature

[krkaufman]

2. I must respectfully disagree...

I wholly agree that "dirt-digging" should end; it should never have started, including botox, Skull & Bones conspiracy theories, and anti-Democratic & disingenuous "dismissive of lieutenants" slander.

However, if you're suggesting that the candidates should not be assailed for the hypocrisy of their campaign claims in relation to their previous positions, or are ruling out the most basic compare and contrast comments, then I have to respectfully disagree.

The nomination process, democratically, has barely begun. And until a candidate has won the necessary delegates, every candidate has the right to communicate why they feel that they are *best* qualified to be President... or to take on George W Bush -- where the two are not necessarily equivalent.

The only thing we have to fear, is the media, itself.

[angka]

4. well...

i am holding onto my candidate like everyone else. my appeal is strictly based on the fact that the public is paying closer attention to our selection process as it heats up and they realize that there is an alternative to bush.

and this means that it's time to watch what we say about people we (if you remember) call allies three out of four years...

[MercutioATC]

3. Not as long as the nominee hasn't been chosen....

...especially when only 10% of the vote has been counted.

We're going to have at least a couple more months of this...