Being the type of web site we are, Topplebush.com often gets emails from our viewers expressing their preferences for one Democratic candidate over another and the reasons for it. We think this is fine but often these comments don't stop there. Instead many of these letters come to us with scathing and negative opinions about another candidate and Dean in particular because he appears to be the frontrunner in the race to secure the nomination of the Democratic Party. Often to support the negative comments, references are made to various postings found on the internet and in particular sites of dubious credibility, such as personal blogs, message boards, news group postings, and web sites with an obvious axe to grind. In most cases, the information is taken completely out of context and without proper foundation. To someone not prone to check facts further or in depth, what happens is falsehoods and misinformation get spread around to others that unfairly damage a particular campaign.

Lately we have found ourselves in a position we would rather not be in: Debunking rumors, myths, and incomplete information about several of the leading candidates. Instead of viewers calling the various campaign headquarters or looking on a candidate's web site for accurate information, some people would prefer to obtain their information from others who support what they want to believe is true, whether it is or not. Instead of relying on information that does go through a fact-checking process and an editor's review, these people are willing to give more credibility to information not even put forth by someone willing to take credit for it.

We think this is not only unwise but the wrong approach to beating Bush in 2004. It is our opinion that if you want to support one candidate over another, you should be doing so emphasizing their positives and positions on issues without bashing the other candidates in the process. There isn't one candidate running today whose views are completely compatible with everyone else's. There isn't a PERFECT candidate in this IMPERFECT election process. But everyone of the Democratic candidates is better than Bush. And there are several who have a good chance of beating Bush in 2004. And there are several our web site likes a lot even though we don't feel they have a chance of winning the nomination or beating Bush.

For the good of the primary goal of beating Bush in 2004 we are asking all of you to stop this incessant grousing over the candidates with purpose of undermining the ones you don't like. We also ask the candidates themselves to stop cannibalizing one another. If you can't find enough reasons to stand behind your candidate of choice based on his/her record, views, positions on issues, and other qualities, without putting down another candidate in the process to make your point, than maybe you have chosen the wrong person to support.

All of the Democratic candidates running for President have many positive things you can say about them. All of them too have taken positions in the past you probably don't agree with. Already the Dean campaign has been targeted by dirty tricksters who have been faxing erroneous position statements early in the morning to his supporters (See U.S. News & World Reports, Dec. 22, 2003, p. 8). While the imprint looks more like the handiwork of Team BushCo (referring to negative push polling in S. Carolina against McCain during the 2000 primaries), one can't rule out that it might be coming from supporters of one of the other candidates.

If you keep bashing the other candidates trying to promote your own, the winner might be too battered to seriously challenge Bush. Why should we ask any of our good Democratic candidates to waste their hard earned campaign cash having to defend themselves from attacks within their own party?

Let's keep in mind the main goal: Beating Bush in 2004! Let's start working together to make that happen by emphasizing the positives of our favorite candidate and putting aside our hostilities to the others.

Topplebush.com
Posted: December 26, 2003