Atwater/Rove tactics have no place in a Democratic campaign.

They are/were both advocates of Machiavellian tactics.

Machiavellianism: The political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political power.

Kevin Phillips, former Republican strategist, appeared on C-Span's Book TV to discuss his new book, American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush.(4) During his opening statements he spoke of political tactics as shaped by Machiavelli, the first great political philosopher of the Renaissance or more specifically from his work entitled The Prince. Phillips stated that Karl Rove, George W. Bush's political strategist, and the late Lee Atwater, George H. W. Bush's political strategist, followed the teachings of Machiavelli.

For Machiavelli, politics was about one and only one thing: getting and keeping power or authority. Everything else, religion, morality, truth, honor, and integrity, that people associate with politics has nothing to do with this fundamental aspect of politics, unless being moral helps one get and keep power. The only skill that counts in getting and maintaining power is calculation. The successful politician knows what to do or what to say for every situation, no matter what it takes. It is only about winning and keeping power.

This is not what I expect of Democrats.

... one has to wonder: Why is this power so important? What will the candidate do with this power if elected? Are we to believe that this person who was so willing to set integrity aside suddenly will revert to being honest and forthright?

Karl Rove and George Bush have taught us otherwise.

People need to consider this aspect when they go to the polls to vote.

We Democrats should be better than this.