Reply #12: I guess you've got to want to win an argument pretty badly [View All]

to dismiss three consecutive presidential elections as "small and weak gains." In your arguments, the Republican leadership figures as an inanimate object - every gain the Republicans make is due to poor leadership of the Democrats.

9/11 hurt us a lot because 1) paranoia and panic fuel conservatism, and 2) Bush had the dumb luck to be in the White House (illegitimately) when it happened, when the public would have rallied around anyone who was President at the time. That's not the Democratic leadership's fault either.

Thanks for reminding me, however, of the real (if small) damage that has been done to our party by a left wing that refuses to work with us and overlooks no opportunity to attack us.