Okay, this isn’t about Obama and Clinton really … this is about supporters.
For months, I stayed on the sidelines about whom I supported. I used to be sort of the party center over the years, so I tried to stay away from backing candidates. With time, the country has shifted, and I have found myself further to the left.
I was always leaning in one direction this year, and with time, I became more convinced. It wasn’t just what the candidates were or weren’t saying. It was whom they were attracting.
Online chat is an interesting world. I’ve watched online as Obama’s supporters slammed away at non-Obama people. Today, when AP released their article declaring Obama had the numbers he needed, one of the usual protagonists showed up to promote Obama. To say that I broke with my tradition of staying on the sidelines … albeit mostly … is an understatement.
For months, I’ve watched Obama and his supporters push disinformation and misinformation. I was threatened in chat for voicing a non-supportive opinion of Obama. I’ve watched as supporters said things like, “If Obama wins the popular vote, and she wins the nomination, I’m not voting for her.”
Now, that it appears that Clinton will win the popular vote, but not the nomination, are they standing with that? Of course, not. To them, what happened in 2000 with Bush and Florida and the popular vote was an outrage – this is a victory. This is Democracy (even though we live in a Republic)!
Do they remember the threats? No. Do they remember the disinformation? No. In fact, they deny it all.
Not that I think for a second that Clinton’s big supporters would have done any differently. I don’t. They, however, weren’t throwing the fit and pointing the finger back then.
Obama turned me off in this campaign, I admit it. At the beginning of the year, I said I’d probably hold my nose and vote for whomever won the Democratic Nomination. After watching him, and really, those who support him … and their tactics … I cannot do it. I have *never* not voted for the Democratic nominee, but after watching the way that people who disagreed with the Obama minority got treated, I have to consider what kind of people he is attracting in my equation.
How bad is that for the Democrats if I’m not the Center?
