Paul Krugman: "Hate springs eternal"

[Bluebear]

...The bitterness of the fight for the Democratic nomination is, on the face of it, bizarre. Both candidates still standing are smart and appealing. Both have progressive agendas (although I believe that Hillary Clinton is more serious about achieving universal health care, and that Barack Obama has staked out positions that will undermine his own efforts). Both have broad support among the party’s grass roots and are favorably viewed by Democratic voters.

Supporters of each candidate should have no trouble rallying behind the other if he or she gets the nod.

Why, then, is there so much venom out there?

I won’t try for fake evenhandedness here: most of the venom I see is coming from supporters of Mr. Obama, who want their hero or nobody. I’m not the first to point out that the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality. We’ve already had that from the Bush administration — remember Operation Flight Suit? We really don’t want to go there again...

One of the most hopeful moments of this presidential campaign came last month, when a number of Jewish leaders signed a letter condemning the smear campaign claiming that Mr. Obama was a secret Muslim. It’s a good guess that some of those leaders would prefer that Mr. Obama not become president; nonetheless, they understood that there are principles that matter more than short-term political advantage. I’d like to see more moments like that, perhaps starting with strong assurances from both Democratic candidates that they respect their opponents and would support them in the general election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/opinion/11krugman.html?hp

[donheld]

1. Has Dr Krugman ever said anything at all in

admonition of any of Hillary's ideas?

[Dogmudgeon]

9. Often

He's been writing for several years, and has frequently criticized both Hillary and Bill.

You may want to check out some of his archived columns; I think he also has a website or blog.

--p!

[Sapphocrat]

2. I have a real problem with this op/ed, BB.

I would have preferred the title "Hype Springs Eternal".

That is all. Except a K&R. :)

[lligrd]

3. Neither Of Their Health Care Plans Will Work

We need single payer and neither acknowledges it. I just hope that whatever they do implement won't make it harder to implement the right cure in the long term. First, do no harm!!

[girl gone mad]

4. Calling out Ms. Obama...

"I’d like to see more moments like that, perhaps starting with strong assurances from both Democratic candidates that they respect their opponents and would support them in the general election."

How about it, Barack and Michelle?

[zabet]

5. Yes. I am sick of seeing

Hillary supporters labled as
warmongers. Based on the fact that
Obama has yet to take a stand and not
approve funding, he is hypocritical on
that issue. Don't tell me he does it
just to keep the soldiers money because
every time a funding bill comes up, it
is always before the previous funding
runs out. That is why there was time
for chimpy to refuse funding proposals.
So, if Obama is against the war like he
says he might have voted against had he
even been there, he could put his money
where his mouth is and vote no on refunding
to make a political stand.

[liberal N proud]

6. And Krugman is doing his part in the perpetuation

The media loves the infighting the Democratic Party is so good at. They feed on this crap.

[chimpymustgo]

8. Krugman is pointing out a reality many Obama supporters are blind to about the media.

These are the most salient passages from the column IMO:

<snip>

What’s particularly saddening is the way many Obama supporters seem happy with the application of “Clinton rules” — the term a number of observers use for the way pundits and some news organizations treat any action or statement by the Clintons, no matter how innocuous, as proof of evil intent.

The prime example of Clinton rules in the 1990s was the way the press covered Whitewater. A small, failed land deal became the basis of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar investigation, which never found any evidence of wrongdoing on the Clintons’ part, yet the “scandal” became a symbol of the Clinton administration’s alleged corruption.

During the current campaign, Mrs. Clinton’s entirely reasonable remark that it took L.B.J.’s political courage and skills to bring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to fruition was cast as some kind of outrageous denigration of Dr. King.

And the latest prominent example came when David Shuster of MSNBC, after pointing out that Chelsea Clinton was working for her mother’s campaign — as adult children of presidential aspirants often do — asked, “doesn’t it seem like Chelsea’s sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?” Mr. Shuster has been suspended, but as the Clinton campaign rightly points out, his remark was part of a broader pattern at the network.

I call it Clinton rules, but it’s a pattern that goes well beyond the Clintons. For example, Al Gore was subjected to Clinton rules during the 2000 campaign: anything he said, and some things he didn’t say (no, he never claimed to have invented the Internet), was held up as proof of his alleged character flaws.

For now, Clinton rules are working in Mr. Obama’s favor. But his supporters should not take comfort in that fact.

<snip>

[Usrename]

15. She shouldn't have phrased it that way if she didn't mean it.

"During the current campaign, Mrs. Clinton’s entirely reasonable remark that it took L.B.J.’s political courage and skills to bring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to fruition was cast as some kind of outrageous denigration of Dr. King."

The whole purpose of the comparison in her King/Johnson statement was to minimize Obama's importance in this current movement for change. It's more than just unfortunate that she was perfectly willing to try and minimize King's contribution to the civil rights movement in order to make her talking point.

It pisses people off that she does this kind of thing. Over-rationalization (or whatever it is) is a legitimate criticism, IMHO.

[unblock]

7. krugman is a great economic journalist. he should stick to what he's good at....

[Jim__]

10. K&R.

[xchrom]

11. recommend

[OzarkDem]

12. Krugman nails it again - Nixonland

Dems need to avoid the politics of personal destruction.

I suspect we're seeing more of it in this primary because so many of the voters Obama is attracting are Independents, probably many of whom voted GOP in the past and are accustomed to nasty, negative campaigning. They're mistaken to assume their candidate will be given a free pass should he win the nom. Those Clinton rules will be turned on him.

Dem voters should know better than to assume the same nasty campaign tactics and news coverage used against every Dem candidate in the last dozen years won't be used against Obama. They will. He's just getting a free pass right now.

Obama fans, do yourselves a favor and educate your new Dem converts that Clinton rules don't apply here.

[xchrom]

13. recommend

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. K&R

[Scurrilous]

16. Dupe:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4533290&mesg_id=4533290

[Bluebear]

21. Indeed but it's a long story.

I searched for it in GD instead, posted it there, realized my error then put it here and didn't know it was here already and I'm sorry :(

[jonnyblitz]

17. ....

:kick:

[TheWebHead]

18. this is pretty disappointing coming from krugman

the obama camp and supporters aren't responsible for the smears from bill shaheen, aren't responsible for the smears from bob kerrey, aren't responsible for the smears from mark penn, aren't responsible for the smears from bill clinton. nobody in the obama camp has brought up monica, other alleged affairs, bill and hillary's marriage, or his impeachment.

The clinton campaign's idea for unity as their candidate is continuing to lose momentum is for obama to forfeit the primary and just maybe we'll offer you the job of being hillary and bill's vice president.

[CTLawGuy]

19. Krugman is clearly a shill for Hillary

uses the cult word again...

I expect name calling from people on DU, but not from Paul Krugman. He should stick to writing about how wonderful mandates are.

[CTLawGuy]

20. Krugman is clearly a shill for Hillary

uses the cult word again...

I expect name calling from people on DU, but not from Paul Krugman. He should stick to writing about how wonderful mandates are.