E Pluribus Unum

Our survival depends on it. The GOP already knows this "attack, attack" mantra.

And by "our" survival, I mean the nation, not just Democrats.

Rove is saying that if we had followed Murths's advice, we never would have gotten Zarqawi.

Rove is saying that?

Murtha is the author of the comment that we got Z by air, i.e., We could have done the same thing from outside Iraq.

Never mind -- Democrats cannot afford to answer Rove's attacks. Democrats have to attack, attack, attack on their own.

The best defense is a good offense.

This is really the tragic outcome for the country resulting from Atwater's Republican legacy. Those who come at you with obvious malice, forfeit any expectation of mercy. I know that true liberals are ready to take the last step and go for right-wing throat to try to save what’s left of the country – being forced to further undermine our national sense of unity. The question is, are establishment Democrats?

You are absolutely right, Ara. Attack the Republican Party – remember, it’s the movement that’s responsible for the destruction of our society, Bush is just the useful idiot. If we don’t give the public greater understanding of the movement’s motives and methods, we’ll be right back here again fighting a new raft of miscreants in a few years (see "Atwater" above).

Attack Republican ideology, attack Republican politics, attack the Republican administration, attack the Republican congress. And, most importantly: Never. Back. Down.

Here's the thing: people, voters, want Democrats, anyone! to show some backbone. Like my mom says, "If you don't, who will?"

Backbone. Authenticity. These are things that transcend individual political policies, strategies, tactics.

Stand up for yourself. Fight back when you are attacked.

If you don't, who will?

I think the thing is really that the Republicans have inculcated a wide swath of the public with the belief that Democrats are craven. That’s a deal-breaker in America. Quite obviously, the public will live with official liars, miscreants, warmongers, felons, imperialists, even traitors. They will not, however, abide a coward.

That is the brilliance of the movement’s propaganda and, inasmuch as Democrats represent the more thoughtful, civilized and responsible segments of society, their behavior plays to stereotype. Even though it runs against the grain, Democrats must be aggressive and even mean-spirited in their response to the Republican’s mendacity. The good news, although establishment Dems don’t get it yet (they’re still following Rove’s playbook for them), the public will reward them for viscous partisanship. And it is the only way to defeat the “pusillanimous” frame Republicans have hung on them.

Democrats must be aggressive and even mean-spirited in their response to the Republican’s mendacity.

Whatever it takes.

That's what I like about Howard Dean, Harry Reid, Russ Feingold, Jack Murtha, and even (now) Al Gore. I'm probably missing a few others, too.

They've got backbone, they're authentic and they won't back down.

”They've got backbone, they're authentic and they won't back down.”

Exactly. Everyone knows what John Kerry thinks about Republicans (I think they even named a blog after it) but, until he’s willing to say so publicly, on purpose, he doesn’t have the courage of his convictions. A man who has displayed more personal courage under fire – literally – than the collective occupants of the White House, looks craven next to George Bush. Statesmanlike but unbelievably tone deaf to the political warfare being waged against him. You simply don’t bring a knife to a gunfight – unless it’s for cutting your own throat.

"They put one of ours in the hospital, we put one of theirs in the morgue."