For almost 8 years I have had to be wary around friends and family who were Republicans.  Cautious dialogue was the best I could hope for; ruined relationships were too often the norm. Rove and his ilk had effectively divided us into warring camps and the MSM made sure we were never reconciled. Americans bought into the Red State/ Blue State divide as if we were engaged in a new Civil War. It was only the attack on September 11th that briefly made us realize we were not so far apart on the most important issues.

Now it is déjà vu all over again for Democrats. The slew of instant attacks  from campaigns and the piling on of the pundits are driving us into a new kind of trench warfare. Once again I have to be wary around friends and family who support Hillary. Once again I am yelling at the TV but it is not Bush on the screen who riles me.  But is Hillary’s agenda one I despise like I do Bush’s agenda? Emphatically NO!  Do I think she would not be a very good president? Of course not!  But whether we are in the Obama camp or in Hillary’s too many of us are beginning to be as implacably opposed to and dismissive of the other contender as we have ever been against Bush and the Republicans.

 Obama is not an “empty suit” any more than Hillary is “willing to destroy the Democratic Party.” We Democrats who support this rhetoric against the opposing contender, however, are making those terms a reality. We are dividing the Democratic Party and we are all “empty suits” if we don’t think we can push our two sides so far apart that McCain will walk through the breach in laughing triumph.

It is time for supporters of each contender to start remembering we are all Democrats who want to end this deplorable reign of Republicanism. Take a good look at the Democrat you do not support in this primary and start focusing on his or her virtues because your own contender may not be our nominee. If you have so convinced yourself that this person is to be reviled and thus you will not only not vote for them, but worse, will vote for McCain instead then we are all in very big trouble.  All of us need to be out there convincing Independents and Republicans to support our chosen Democratic nominee in November.  If we Democrats cannot learn to appreciate the virtues of our eventual candidate we will be worthless advocates this fall.

Stop buying into the MSM and campaign rhetoric that is dividing us into warring camps. Both candidates are smart and capable.  Both are offering a strong progressive platform. Yes, they each possess a different set of political skills but they are powerful skills none the less. Take a good look at exactly what each brings to the table and figure out how you in turn could help convince others that are part of your partisan base they could support them.  Hillary will need the enthusiastic support of younger voters as well as African Americans to win and older folks have to be made to realize Obama is not lacking in either judgment or skills and therefore could be as effective as Kennedy was despite their comparative youth. 

Obama and Clinton each have separate and very devoted bases.  How would you advocate to the opposing base if their candidate is not the choice  selected by August? Could you convince them to avidly support your candidate and more importantly could they convince you, if necessary, to support their winner?  Think about this carefully and realize if either side becomes any more entrenched this will be almost impossible for any of us to do.

If you are not even able to talk to an Obama supporter or a Clinton supporter right now what will you feel like a month from now or by summer time? 

Musing about a unity ticket is a copout even if I have done so myself. None of us can avoid the fact that out of self-interest we must begin now to let go of our self-righteous dismissal of Hillary or Obama and start to remember their virtues. Do not fall victim to a revenge dream where you envision the other candidate falling short in November and you having the pleasure of saying ha-HAH!  American cannot afford a McCain presidency.

We have work to do to win in November and it starts with our ability to show the voters Democrats know how to brings themselves together and thus this country as well.