I started considering not voting for Obama since he used Donnie McGlurkin as a dog whistle for homophobes in South Carolina. His continual use of phony charges of racism are also appalling.

The sexist treatment of Hillary commenced before she decided to run.

Blaming the victim is a very old, very sad tactic.

Taylor Marsh is right. I have written the same thing to Josh. Look at any headline by Soy Boy (whatever his name is) or others. Just meant to distort the record of Senator Clinton. I see more of these posters just slamming Senator Clinton than praising their own candidate. And it hasnt been before the Clinton campaign went "negative". How anyone can consider the phone ad negative is beyond me or any politically reasonable person. Many supporters praise Senator Obama yet engage in tactics that would make him blush (or would they?).

I don't know how people can comment that Hillary did not start getting attacked until her campaign went "negative". Has anyone even seen the anti-Hillary shirts that continually refer to her as a B$#^H. I honestly find it offensive and if anyone were to dare make a shirt calling OBAMA anything close to a racist term it would not only be HEADLINE NEWS but somehow they would find a way to blame it on the Clinton campaign.

I think that the choice to stop blogging is a mistake but I can see their frustrations. I am tired of having to defend and more importantly correct the Obama supporters. They continuously lie about HRC's positions and use the offensive language that does not belong in a political conversation.

Yes, I have seen terrible things said about Obama but they usually reference his race and are posted by what I perceive to be as people that are ignorant and racist...also more than likely non-HRC supporters. As an African American and a woman I had expectations that sex and race would play into this nomination process but I had no idea they would be dominating the campaigns and the blogs. I hope that the bloggers reconsider their position because in the end it will only hurt the supporters of HRC.

Alegre is of the school that wants to be able to say whatever she wants about Obama and his supporters and then is shocked, SHOCKED when people respond rudely back to her.

I just think it is silly. You don't like the atmosphere of a KOS, move on. What's the big deal?

Did I miss something? Was there a contract signed? Did money change hands? What??

Janeo

Uh... wasn't it Tina Fey who opined that "Bitch was the new black"?

And here are the old, old tactics:

Crying;

Saying "no fair";

Holding your breath until you turn blue.

Shouldn't there be a rule that before you "go on strike," you must first prove that someone else beside your cat actually cares?

Going on strike?

How - Randian!

Oh my, that was, um...um....um....interesting?

There's a guy up the street who waits on the corner with a bottle of Windex. When a car comes, he rushes out and sprays the windshield and wipes it with a paper towel, hoping that the driver will give him a dollar.

Today I drove past the corner and noticed he wasn't there.

Today Alegre announced her "strike."

Coincidence?

So much drama. I kind of miss being apolitical and apathetic. It all used to seem so pointless and sometimes I wonder whether it still is when I see dumb things like people who don't get paid to blog at a particular website decide they're on a strike. But no, I had to get all inspired and try to make my vote count for something so that we can get away from Bush's destructive policies and the standoff in Congress from the Clinton years. November can't come soon enough.

Hillary started this campaign with huge advantages, most of which she has frittered away through overconfidence and ineptness. Her message, shaped by advisers like Mark Penn, has gone through so many incarnations that it's clear they had little real meaning to her. Her campaign has lacked genuineness and authenticity. The fact that she surrounds herself by people like Penn and Wolfson should concern us all.

I started this campaign without a favorite. I had doubts about Hillary since so many people outside the Democratic party disliked her so intensely, but I respected her. I'd still vote for her; we really can't afford another go 'round of Republicanism, nor more Alitos on the Supreme Court. But my respect for her has been draining away.

Obama has become the front-runner by running a smarter and better organized campaign, and by being a more consistent, genuine, and inspirational candidate. It's pretty clear.

People on both sides identify with their candidate, and have a lot invested emotionally. We all tend to react when people degrade us (Kool-aid drinkers, etc.) or make absurd attacks on the candidate we support ("empty suit, etc.)

I'm a 52 year old white guy; I haven't felt this way about a candidate since RFK, back when I was in the 8th grade. White men have made a mess of things, and I'll gladly support for the right African-American woman when she comes along (meaning someone who now only has the right qualities, but actually has a chance to be elected). I doubt I'll see it in my lifetime, but four years ago I would have never though I'd see an African American of either gender with a decent shot at the presidency. It's a great thing.

I realize many women, and apparently some men, also really identify with Hillary, and also take attacks on her personally. I wish everyone would be a bit more Gandhi-ish, but I'm not holding my breath. Nor have I managed it myself, most of the time. But even though some many of us are personally identified with these two candidates, it's really about the changes that need to happen in this country and in this world if we hope to survive and flourish. In the long run, if the progressives in this country can't get it together, we're in for a countinuing long, slow decline, or a faster, more horrible descent. I'm not sure there are enough of us even if we pull together. But at least there's hope that way.

Since I am free to call Hillary what ever I want
then as I have stated in other Blogs she is the IRON BITCH!!!She will say or do anything to win
this election.What will the Obama supporters do if this smells of a backroom deal to give the nomination to Hillary?Will they walk?Will they pout and stay home in Nov?Or will they hold they hold there Noses and vote for the Iron BITCH!!!
Did not Hillary WIN Ohio on a LIE?When Bill was in Canada just a few days before the Ohio Primary?
Remember NAFTA Gate?How about the Obama staffer that called Hillary a MONSTER?I will say she was not far off the mark either.I will say this in closing if Hillary is on around in up or any where on the Ticket I will vote for John McCain!!
Enough said guys and you can take that to the Bank.

I guess trying to step back and objectively look at what's happening here and in a much worse way on other sites is not to be expected. But I would thing most would agree that the power of sites like Kos comes not from Markos Moulitsas Zúniga but from the size and activism of the community he has been instrumental in creating. If that energy is fragmented, if people are driven away it hurts us all. If we cannot treat each other with respect no matter the differences in our opinions our ability to affect the course of our nation, already small, will be diminished. Fortunately this site has not reached the nadir Kos has. This from the kos link given above

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No, I won’t post specific attacks here. That would just be repeating the lies and the hate, but I will note that one of my fellow Kossaks (someone with whom I thought I could agree to disagree) went so far as to suggest that others try to dig up real life information on the pro-Hillary members of our community. To what end? Was his aim to find enough information on us to try to get us fired from our jobs and leave our families homeless – or worse? Suggesting that they dig up real life information on us is the lowest form of intimidation and goes way beyond the limits of all things civil and reasonable. It’s nothing more than the worst form of thuggish, hateful and intimidating behavior toward other members of our community.