Until today.
He just forwarded me an email from one of the volunteers of the Allen campaign, which reads (in part):
Believe it or not, me and two other people are going out and "canvassing" for Jim Webb over the weekend. Don't worry, we're not traitors! Yes we will pass out their stuff and all that. But if we meet any undecided voters, we will show them just how real "Democrats" are... if you know what I mean. You should come too! Reply to me. Also, you will need to sign up first with the Webb campaign.
My friend, being one of principle, is outraged, and he immediately wrote back and denounced the idea. They disagreed, so he wrote a letter to the coordinator of Allen's volunteers, but received no response yet.
Friends, this is incorrigible. But it gets even worse...
Just this morning, another Allennite forwarded him the following email exchange between two of the sabatuers. Read on...HOLD ON.
You're probably outraged. And you should be.
But none of this is true. Really. I pulled it directly out of my ass, to try and prove the importance of this point:
If it's wrong for them, it's wrong for us. We CANNOT let ourselves believe otherwise.
I know there is an excellent diary to this same effect right over there, on the rec list. But numerous commenters are still missing this fundamental point.
It seems to me that we are winning across the country right now primarily because of two very-related reasons:
- People are disgusted with the natural results of Republican governance (and they should be)
- People believe that Democrats provide a viable alternative to the things they are disgusted about. And they should as well.
But how in the world can we get up on our soapboxes and preach against lies, scandals, and corruption when we're willing to engage in the afore-linked practices ourselves, as part of an all all-encompassing "whatever it takes" strategy to win elections? Sure, that'll help our prospects for long-term Democratic control: the nagging, creeping suspicion that we're all the same anyway, as proved by our shared lack of scruples.
Ok, I'll get off my high horse now. But here's are two bottom lines:
We should not be doing this to our own image when there are so many other constructive things that need doing in the meantime. Volunteer for the right campaigns anyone?
And finally, I actually enjoy having major politicians read and post to this site. Let's not give them, or anyone else, a reason to distance themselves from us through promoting tactics like this. That's just not who we are.