Why was he holding her hand, when he's supposed to be mine

Both Democratic candidates have their supporters. I initially gravitated toward Edwards. After he left, I stayed ambivalent. Both candidates have positives and negatives. And either, at their worst, would be far better than St. John McSame. And recently I came to support Obama.

So I really can't understand the hate speech directed at both by their partisans in the bloggersphere (y!pctp!). Corrente was the first high-profile blog that added me (back when it was just me) to their blogroll, and then gave me front-page posting privileges, and I have never forgotten that. I have personal relationships with several of the front-pagers, and while I hadn't checked in there lately, I was shocked to find this:

Barring a stunning reversal of fortune, my party is heading into November with a candidate who thinks the GOP is “the party of ideas,” who badmouths socialized medicine, progressive partisans, liberals (and their Chablis-soaked limos), and who says he was “called to serve” by Christ himself.

As Obama’s former friend and mentor recently noted, “he says what he has to say as a politician.”

Sure, I understand that to overtake a more-popular and more-experienced party rival, it’s necessary and appropriate to destroy her and her husband’s reputation via completely fraudulent charges of racism. Sausage ain’t beanbag, as they say.

And this, from a different Corrente blogger:

I finally realized why I was having such a hard time saying that I’d vote for Obama if he is the nominee.

I’ve been voting straight ticket Democratic just about my entire adult life, and one of the big reaons is that I find the GOP’s use of its Southern Strategy abhorrent.

Obama’s use of race baiting in an effort to create huge margins and massive turnout in the AA community is his own “Southern Strategy.” Every time I think about what they’ve done to Bill and Hillary Clinton in the name of securing the nomination, I feel ill.

So I’m sitting November out if Obama is the nominee. I’m not going to vote for a “Democrat” who employs the tactics I find most abhorrent in Republicans.

Wow, just wow. And they're not the only Liberal bloggers to be anti-Obama. Taylor Marsh joins in:

I will say this much. I am a fighter for Democratic and progressive causes. I will fight against John McCain's candidacy with every fiber of my being.

Hey there. Loved the top of your site today pointing out the Republican disaster and can't wait to have your wonderful talent focused on McCain. And you're quite a fighter. Thanks. - Tony (reader email)

That said, since I can't make the case for Senator Obama now, I won't be making it later. His fans will have to do that. There is no way I can ethically or in good conscience turn 180 degrees to start touting him. But I can and will stand up for Democratic principles. So the focus will be on making sure John McCain is not elected.

As for why Obama supporters, which some of you call "trolls" will continue to be welcomed here, it's because discourse in the Democratic party between our camps is important. If you don't want to talk to them don't.

I just don't get it. At least Taylor will work against McSame. That says a lot.

But I still don't get it. Perhaps my co-bloggers here or commenters can enlighten me.

Now for the anti-Hillary camp, here's one blogger:

With the champion of universal health care, education reform, nuclear non-proliferation, the environment and the nation's poor out of the running, I find myself turning towards the candidate who, I think, shares John Edwards' hunger for change, and deep belief in the innate decency of the American people. That candidate is not Hillary Rodham Clinton.

As a woman and a feminist, l feel a profound sense of sadness that I cannot, in good conscience, support Hillary Rodham Clinton’s historic bid for the presidency. Because to me, being a feminist means not only supporting initiatives that improve women’s lives as mothers, workers, caretakers and citizens, it means being a driving force in the quest to better understand women’s roles in our homes, our nation, and in the world. Being a feminist does not mean voting for the only woman in the Presidential race - it means voting for the person who will stand up for all women, and the issues that directly affect us and our families.

And from Democratic Underground, posted by a user:

if she gets the nomination. I am an Obama supporter, but I could never help McCain win. This country would not recover. Hillary has done a lot these pass few weeks to piss me off, my respect for her has been greatly diminished. I do think she will harm the party if she stays in the race too long. That said, if by chance she gets the nomination I would not think twice to vote for her. Any Democrat that acts like a spoiled child and says they will vote for McCain if their candidate loses is just not thinking straight. Grow up people!

There are more like that in the thread following the main post, so there is I-won't-vote-for-Hillary sentiment out there. And here is one more anti-Hillary blogger:

Today Clinton neglected to vote on the FISA bill and she lost my vote. She offers a Comprehensive Government Reform page on her web site, but won't stand up NOW against vast, illegal spying in our out of control surveillance society. Obama, on the other hand, voted against telecom immunity. I called Clinton's campaign office to let them know this decided it, and then donated to Obama's campaign.

Maybe I'm missing the point, but the anti-Hillary posts seem a little calmer, more rational, more issue-based. The anti-Obama posts seem, well, I don't actually know. Surely they're based on issues, but that seems to get lost in the interpretation.

Thankfully, we have some willing to talk sense:

Finally: I’d like to state once and for all that I do not give a shit who wins this godforsaken primary. Yes, I voted for Obama because I thought he was marginally better on foreign policy, despite his weaknesses on domestic policy. Neither candidate is perfect, both are vastly better than McCain. Too many Obama and Clinton supporters need to step back, take a deep breath and realize that this election is far more important than their individual candidates. I’ve seen entirely too much stupid bullshit over the past few months, such as Kos summarily excommunicating Hillary from the Democratic Party or this nonsense about how opposing Hillary’s gas tax plan means that you “don’t acknowledge that there are poor people in America.” Stop the stupid bullshit, people. It’s not doing any of us any good, because we all have far more in common than Hillary and Obama have differences. People shouldn’t be kicked out of the damn Democratic Party because they didn’t vote for your damn candidate.

That's from the folks at Sadly No!, who have been debating Lambert et al at Corrente. And finally we have this:

Whichever Democrat you prefer, just cut the shit.

This is one place where I don’t mind saying “a pox on both your houses.”

Adherents of both remaining Democratic candidates are playing this card, and however wounded you feel by what the other campaign is doing (or is perceived as doing), there is a lot more than a dime’s worth of difference between our Democratic options and John “Bush’s Third Term” McCain.

Make the case for your candidate and/or against the one you like less. But if you want the next four-to-eight years to be even a little better than what we’ve just had, stop all this “I’m too good to vote for the second-best Democratic option.”

Pretty please, with “for fuck’s sake” on top.

That's actually from VastLeft, at CorrenteWire. Calmer heads prevail, thankfully.