“They”? Who the hell is “they”? Cardin’s been Maryland’s guy for 40 years — it’s not like we’re sitting here in Maryland waiting for the DNC to endorse. And literally no one is “devoting themselves” to opposing Manning, since she’s more likely to win the lottery than to “make history by becoming the first trans woman ever elected to the US Senate.” But sure, Glenn, I’ll definitely put aside my “centrist ideology” and prioritize one social issue to get an unelectable candidate on my party’s ballot. It worked out so well for Alabama Republicans, right?

Reasonable minds can differ on whether Manning is a hero or a villain. (And we are not here for that argument, TYVM!) But here on Planet Earth, Maryland is home to 130,000 federal employees, the NSA, and 11 military bases. Manning’s problem isn’t Ben Cardin, or the DNC, or being transgender, or being a woman, or being young, or being liberal, or even having lived here for less than five years. Manning gave classified material to Wikileaks, and there isn’t a county in this state that would vote her into office. That’s not a smear campaign, it’s a fact.

Unless you are Glenn Greenwald and your raison d’etre is pretending THERE IS NO RUSSIA and flogging this bullshit fight between Establishment Dems and Rose Twitter.

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We remember the “vilification” going the other way, as people who voted for Hillary Clinton could be screamed at for voting “with their vaginas.” But we’re willing to concede there was some pushback against people who refused to vote for the pioneering minority candidate even when it was time to vote against Trump. But this isn’t about “centrist Democrats” playing “identity politics.” We’re talking about Maryland voters going to the polls for 40 years and pulling the lever for Ben Cardin. Greenwald is perfectly free to loathe Cardin for his stance on Israel. He could cast a ballot for Manning himself, if he hadn’t decamped for Brazil 10 years ago. But how perfect that a guy who can’t even vote here is howling with rage that the DSC won’t back a completely unelectable candidate against a guy who won here 11 times! Go on, Glenn, why don’t you mansplain us how to make a crabcake now! Do you use breadcrumbs or your own frothy bile as a binder?

As for Manning, she’s welcome to run! It’s a free country! If the goal is to raise her profile as a trans advocate, it might just work! But don’t expect a lot of free publicity from Cardin and “centrist Democrats,” who will certainly ignore someone who poses zero threat in June. She’ll get more miles out of Greenwald, who is clearly aroused at the prospect of another proxy war over the 2016 election. Can’t wait to read 10 more articles about mean Democrats rigging the safest of safe seats with their scary retweets! Well, speech is free, Glenn. So from Your Five Dollar Feminist in Maryland, a hearty Go Fuck Yourself! We’re kinda busy trying to take back the statehouse right now, but you carry on shadowboxing with 2016. It’s hot garbage, of course, but it sure does get a lot of clicks!