Tuesday, August 5, 2003

"...except Lieberman ..."
John Nichols has a pretty good - and relevant - piece in The Nation about the fear democrats have with the prospect that Sen. Joe Lieberman will be their nominee: ["For Democrats, Mr. Right is Mr. Wrong"].
"'I share the anger of my fellow Democrats with George Bush and the direction he has taken this nation. But the answer to his outdated, extremist ideology is not to be found in the outdated extremes of our own,' Lieberman declared. 'That path will not solve the challenges of our time, and could send us back to the political wilderness for years to come.' Lieberman is, of course, wrong. Democrats were consigned to the political wilderness in 2002, when party leaders chose to follow his counsel and cosy up to the Bush administration on issues such as war and peace, the USA Patriot Act and corporate welfare bailouts for the airline industry. While Republican turnout went up in 2002, Democratic turnout slackened. A quick analysis of the results led most Democrats -- from presidential prospects to grassroots activists -- to recognize that any further fuzzing of the margins between the parties in 2004 would be disastrous. So it comes as no surprise that the greatest applause line on the campaign trail has been Dean's pledge to represent 'the Democratic wing of the Democratic party.'
Don't forget the negativism, too. The advertising by the democratic candidates in 2002 was downright reprehensible.

Napalm ...
The San Diego Union-Tribune - via Common Dreams - is reporting that yeah, napalm was actually used in Iraq: ["Officials Confirm Dropping Firebombs on Iraqi Troops"]