Could the Presidential Race Destroy the Democratic Party?

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080114/us_time/couldracedestroythedemocrats

By MICHAEL DUFFY

Whenever longtime Democrats gather to note how the chemistry and calculus of the 2008 campaign seem to favor their party this year, one or another will always add some version of the following: "Yeah, but we could screw this up before it's over."

After the past few days, the pertinent question to ask is, is the crack-up happening already? Far-fetched as it would have seemed a month ago, the seeds of self-destruction are being planted in the war of coded words about race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The bickering has exploded in the space of a week into Topic A in the Democratic race, supplanting for the moment the war and the economy and health care - and shows no sign of a quick resolution.

So yes, are the Democrats about to screw it up yet again?

Both campaigns are stoking this fire - and worrying at the same time about what this could do to them in the fall. They ought to be concerned: Keep this up and neither candidate may be able to marshal the votes from the various corners of the Democratic coalition that he or she will need in the fall. As pollster Andrew Kohut has noted, a party which found that it had at least two candidates who were seen as widely "acceptable" to its various factions just a few weeks ago could soon find that happy consensus has evaporated.r

[lonestarnot]

1. blah blah blah

thread already here.

[FVZA_Colonel]

7. My apologies.

I didn't check the thread you had posted a little while ago.

[Avalux]

2. No, but the media will try to tell us it will.

We can't let the MSM and their Republican puppeteers win. ;-)

[TwilightGardener]

3. This is bullshit. This won't hurt the party--all it does is ensure that

any racial ugliness that Repubs might have flung at Obama has now been neutralized, and if Hillary's the nominee, well...everyone already knows she'll fight low and dirty, so the R's are on notice.

[aquart]

5. Oh, it's Hillary who fights low and dirty.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

[TwilightGardener]

6. You heard me.

[krkaufman]

9. Not entirely. Another concern is that "offsides" primary rhetoric ...

... may alienate supporters of other candidates, diminishing enthusiasm, active support and donations for the nominee. As for breaking-up the party, it *is* possible that racist or sexist comments may permanently alienate large numbers of voters from the Democratic Party.

But, as with everything we see nowadays in the media, it's just speculation.

[sam sarrha]

4. will be ok if edwards wins...

[Rock_Garden]

8. MSM is trying to turn the Democratic Party into Brittney.

That's how they report everything, now - turn it into Brittney. Are we headed for a Meltdown? Will we Lose Custody?

[krkaufman]

10. Gotta create some sensationalistic fight, rather than covering the issues...

... because the issues need to remain unclear... so that the candidates are forced to spend millions in TV buys in order to get their message out.

[kimmerspixelated]

11. Yeah, it sure seems that way.

It's so disgusting. With ten million other things to report about, who cares about Britney?

[Bucky]

12. I will now give this question all the serious consideration it deserves.

No.

[blondeatlast]

13. Why don't you tell us what YOU think first? I hate when articles are

posted with no opinion, even in LBN.

[Rex]

14. Ah, the dreams of stupid people.

Sorry but no. I know that is the dream of destructive asshole - but the Dems are here and stronger than the GOP now. I know that frightens the lurkers, but the truth is what it is.

The Bush/Cheney years have destroyed the GOP, the Dems are riding high now. Not alot of choice when compared to their 'competition' if it can even be called that.