MyDD :: Do NOT vote for John McCain [UPDATED]

Do NOT vote for John McCain [UPDATED]

by not Brit, Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 08:58:02 AM EST

Okay, we're coming to a close. We still have a couple days left before the final primaries and Denver is looming large. None of us have any idea what Hillary will choose to do or how the media will play Obama's victory speech Tuesday night.

So I want to make one clear request:

MyDD is not the place to for anyone (and I mean anyone) who advocates a vote for John McCain. Period.

MyDD is a group blog designed to discuss campaigns, the progressive movement, and political power.

...

Users who are excessively bashing the Democratic Party, or being Republican trolls, will be banned.

I have been coming to MyDD for 3 years, since the run-up to the 2006 mid-term elections and the excitement surrounding the imminent release of Crashing the Gate (I have since changed my handle). It is always one of my first stops in my morning news cycle. I have even appreciated that MyDD has become something of a refuge for Clinton supporters. I am an Obama supporter myself, but I recognize how wonderful it is that we have two candidates willing to fight for every single vote in the country.

So let's get real for one second: this website is not about any one candidate, nor is it about one election (even an election as important as the current Presidential race). This website has been and should continue to be about advancing a national progressive platform. It has been and should continue to be about changing the status quo and electing Democrats at every level of government - from city council members to Senators. It has been and should continue to be about the flood of netroot voices all over the country and all over the world.

There is no room and there is no place for a John McCain presidency on this site. We all already know the myriad reasons why McCain would be a terrible and destructive president, so I will not rehash them here. I will say, though, that there is not a single valid reason to vote for any Republican presidential nominee.

Further, there is not any reason to stay home in November. No. Reason. At. All. It would not only be a disservice to your local progressive candidates, it flies in the face of everything we're trying to accomplish here.

I understand the hurt feelings. I understand the disappointment. I even understand those who dislike Hillary Clinton or feel Barack Obama isn't qualified for the job. I get it, I really do. So hear me when I say, that anger does not justify a vote for the Republican nominee. This site, this election, and this country has never been about one candidate and it has certainly never been about me individually. It has always been about finding, supporting, and electing the representatives who best reflect our values. That is why I started coming to MyDD and it is why I still come to MyDD.

And that is why we should not tolerate the implication that voting for John McCain is somehow a good idea. Those who threaten to do so have no place here. I know it, you know it, and what's worse, they know it.

There are plenty of sites advocating the reelection of a Republican president. This isn't one of them.

Hillary supporters will continue to feel disenfranchised, just as Obama supporters will continue to be frustrated that Hillary has taken it this far. This is a good conversation and belongs here.

But advocating a vote for John McCain? That is a million times worse than any of the other reasons that users here have lost their ability to rate.

Update [2008-6-2 11:9:24 by not Brit]:

Too many people seem to think that I am advocating the silencing of Hillary's supporters, the revocation of First Amendment rights, or the removal of personal voting preferences. I am doing no such thing.

I am simply saying that the stated goals for MyDD is the promotion of and continued political fighting for progressive ideals. This site is devoted to the election of Democratic candidates. This goal hasn't changed and until it does, this is not a forum for McCain voters. There are plenty of sites for McCain's supporters. MyDD is not one of them.

Tags: John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, 2008 (all tags)

Permalink :: 30 Comments :: Post a Comment

Again... (2.00 / 3)

I would remind you of the old adage, "He who is offended when offense is not intended, is a fool; he who is offended when offense is intended, is the greater fool."

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 08:59:28 AM EST

Re: Again... (none / 0)

Who said this? I will go google I guess.

We Need Team Hillary!!

Obama 08!

by comingawakening on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:30:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Again... (none / 0)

Most of the time it is attributed to Brigham Young.

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:54:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Again... (2.00 / 1)

LOL most of BHO's campaign was based on being offended where no offense was given ;p

by zerosumgame on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 02:13:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I like this better (2.00 / 2)

Persuasion, yes. Censorship, no.

John McCain: Extending SCHIP would be an "unfunded liability."

by Fuzzy Dunlop on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:04:04 AM EST

Re: I like this better (2.00 / 1)

The intension was never censorship (any more than trolls are "censored"). It was always to stay focused on the cause we're all fighting for.

A cause that John McCain is deliberately trying to destroy.

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:07:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I like this better (none / 0)

But I also like this better

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:07:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Fascinating (2.00 / 2)

After months of seeing there candidate relentlessly attacked and frankly insulted by the MSM working hand in hand with the Obama campaign, some Hillary supporters are pissed, imagine that.

and your solution is to ban them from the site.

Oh my,

by TaiChiMaster on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:07:48 AM EST

Re: Fascinating (2.00 / 3)

I don't want to ban Hillary's supporters. No one does. I would submit that anyone advocating a vote for John McCain is not a Clinton supporter.

It's okay to be pissed. We all get pissed. But let's not turn our backs on the larger mission.

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:10:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fascinating (2.00 / 2)

It's not beyond human nature to be so pissed at a candidate that you consider voting against him rather than for the other.

I know more than a few Hillary haters that do just that on a daily basis.

by TaiChiMaster on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:12:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fascinating (2.00 / 3)

And the Hillary haters who advocate pulling the lever for McCain should also be taken to task. It's a despicable reaction to a primary outcome.

We do not serve our stated goals by voting for the opposing forces.

by not Brit on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:15:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fascinating (none / 0)

Selective viewing of a situation doesn't make it true.

John McCain on social security.

by heresjohnny on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:02:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Again...McCain (2.00 / 2)

Despite what some dealing with deep disappointment may say now, I have a very hard time imagining any more than a negligible number going out of their way to actively elect McCain.

I think a reasonable and acceptable alternative for anyone who genuinely feels they cannot in good conscience support the Democratic nominee, is to write in their vote for a Democrat they do feel comfortable supporting.

by phoenixdreamz on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:09:30 AM EST

Re: Again...McCain (2.00 / 1)

I see it that way too.

If you've supported Clinton because of the issues she represents, the platform, it's incredibly unlikely you'd wind up voting for John McCain.

It has made sense, once Hillary was in the hole for the nomination that her supporters would widely say they won't support anyone but her. It's an effort to make Obama look weak with the hope that it could help turn the nomination to Hillary.

It also makes sense on a gut level because it's Obama who prevented Hillary from getting the nomination in the first place and it seemed like it was hers. People are frustrated and angry. You're likely to read all kinds of negative meanings and ascribe negative attributes to someone who has taken away something you really wanted.

But if what you care about are the causes you hoped for Hillary to represent in the White House, the emotions around the primary will be secondary to doing what is right.

I think it's insulting to the vast majority of Hillary's supporters to believe this line that they'd be so petty and childish as to sabotoge the election out of spite. There's way too much at stake and they're smart enough to know that.

Let's show some respect to fellow Democrats and just get back to talking about the issues that matter to us.

by Sun Dog on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:45:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

If Obama drops out (2.00 / 1)

and we nominate Hillary, I will cede your demand. I will not vote for John McCain.

by catfish2 on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 09:48:16 AM EST

Re: If Obama drops out (2.00 / 3)

Otherwise you'll toss Hillary's work down the crapper and vote for McCain?

BTW, did you know that Senator John McCain joined his fellow Republicans to vote to maintain a filibuster on the minimum wage hike. A hike in the minimum wage is supported by at least 75% of Americans -- that number includes a large percentage of Republicans. John McCain doesn't support the troops. He does not support the GI Bill which is the minimum that we owe the men and women of our armed forces. John McCain agrees with Bush's Iraq strategy. As we have seen, Bush's Iraq strategy is a dismal failure and any continuation will needlessly cost more American and Iraqi lives. How many more lives? Who knows but since John McCain is fine letting our troops rot in Iraq for 100 years it would be thousands upon thousands.
John McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. He is anti-choice and would appoint Supreme Court justices that will take from women their right to choose what to do with their own bodies. John McCain supports NAFTA. John McCain is a puppet for the lobbyists. Despite pretending to be a "reformer" John McCain's whole campaign is controlled by lobbyists and there is evidence of quid-pro-quo activity that postdates the Keating 5 scandal.

John McCain on social security.

by heresjohnny on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:03:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Some of us see this as saving the party (1.00 / 0)

we see such a strong backlash to an Obama presidency that the party will be left in ruins.

Hey it's a long time til November, maybe things will change between now and then.

by catfish2 on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:35:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Some of us see this as saving the party (2.00 / 1)

That makes little sense logically. You'd be dead before America would - maybe - recover from the damage McCain would do.

John McCain on social security.

by heresjohnny on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:42:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Actually I might vote for McCain (none / 0)

Seriously.

Why?

Because I have a horrible streak. The Clinton years coincided with my flirting with Libertarianism and then frustration with the system. It was the Bush election in 2000 that woke me up to how important these elections are. As a result, I have never voted for a winning presidential candidate.

I'm a pretty superstitious guy and Washington state should be pretty safe for Obama, so I'm thinking about throwing my vote at McCain as a way of cursing his chances.

Beat McCain!

by thezzyzx on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:08:20 AM EST

Re: Do NOT vote for John McCain (1.50 / 4)

Unfortunately, I have to send my message loud and clear to the DNC and the male elite leaders that pissed all over hillary.

I'm sending my message to bo and his campaign that accused her of being a racist and wanting to assassinate him.

I will be voting for mccain.

i will write hillary's name on the ballot, or i will hope she runs as an indepdendent.

my goal is to have hillary clinton for my president and the fastest way to do that is to vote for mccain.

if you troll rate me, i'll troll rate you back.

by nikkid on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:26:07 AM EST

Re: Do NOT vote for John McCain (2.00 / 4)

"my goal is to have hillary clinton for my president and the fastest way to do that is to vote for mccain."

In the off chance you're serious, a movement like that from Clinton supporters is the best way of making sure that she's never taken seriously in the Democratic party ever again.

Beat McCain!

by thezzyzx on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:37:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Voting for McCain (2.00 / 1)

is the fastest way to destroy Hillary's career.

The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.

by nrafter530 on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 11:29:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Do NOT vote for John McCain (2.00 / 2)

"If you troll rate me, I'll troll rate you back"?
Is this what it's come to here? Threatening to vote republican, temper tantrums, tit for tat troll rating?

Hillary lost. She put up a good fight, but she lost. Get over it. Obama is a fine candidate and will make a fine president. He was far more charitable towards Clinton than she ever was to him. This vitriol is not only childish, it's totally undeserved and counter productive.

by Phil In Denver on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 11:57:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

still deciding (2.00 / 1)

I have to say it was shocking that it was John McCain who had to apologize and dismiss the comments of the "reverend" who bashed and insulted the Clintons. He's the one who had the guts to call the remarks disgusting.

When Obama can let this slide, and in fact encourages it, tell me again why I should trust him?

My vote will not be for McCain. But it's not for Obama either. And thank you very much I will keep my first amendment rights to vote for and speak about any candidate I want.

by 4justice on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:33:03 AM EST

Exactly!! (1.00 / 0)

It does not seem to register with Obama why his church's sermons against Hillary were offensive to certain women voters. But McCain's body language shifted even as the question was being asked - he got it right away.

Maybe McCain cheated on his wife and told tasteless jokes behind closed doors, but he knows publicly he must condemn that kind of talk about a U.S. Senator and colleague.

The candidate from Hillary's own party failed to realize this.

by catfish2 on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 10:38:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Maybe you don't want to accept (2.00 / 1)

that Obama did not encourage any pastor to say anything and did denouce his remarks.

The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.

by nrafter530 on Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 11:28:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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