IN ONE year the American people will be voting for the 44th president of the United States. For many voters who remember the chaos that was the 2000 election, and the highly disputed decision which placed the current president, George W. Bush, into office, next year's election will be redemption for a previous electoral debacle. However, as the presidential primaries begin to heat up for the Democratic Party, there is much debate and dissension within the Democratic camp. The leading candidates have, as of late, been attacking their fellow partisans and putting each other down in debates and speeches, rather than pointing out the differences in each other's policy agenda's and political views. The Democratic presidential candidates must pacify their rhetoric against their opponents and focus more on differences in policy rather than personal attacks.
The heated comments that Democratic presidential hopefuls have been hurling at each other are not only unconstructive, but may threaten the entire election for the Democrats. The many candidates vying for the nomination are not only all relatively unknown, but also represent many different constituencies within the Democratic Party, and within Democratic and Independent voters.
Ultimately, once the primary votes and the Democratic National Convention have decided who will be the Democratic candidate, the party will have to rally behind that one candidate in order to generate enough buzz and publicity if they ever wish to beat the incumbent President Bush. If the Democratic presidential candidates wish to keep intact their party constituencies, and ultimately unite enough American voters behind their own camps if they are selected, they will have to quit being so divisive.
The Democratic primary campaign has already been successful in causing controversy among the Democratic Party and the nation. Highlighting the disagreements are debates over each candidate's campaign financing decision, and last week's gaffe from the surprisingly popular dark horse candidate Howard Dean. Dean, the former Governor of Vermont, stated that, "[he] still want[s] to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks" ("Dems battle over Confederate flag," CNN.com, Nov. 2). Another presidential hopeful, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, criticized Dean's comments saying that they were elitist and worked to stereotype southerners ("Edwards slams Dean again for Confederate remark", CNN.com, Nov. 9). This condemnation came after Howard Dean had already apologized for his comment.
Although these two issues are very pertinent to the election, they should have very little bearing as differences in political platforms that the different candidates should be using to differentiate themselves. The intra-party squabbles which are currently taking place one year before the election are only serving to further confuse the American public on who to vote for. Instead of hearing how each candidate feels about the pertinent issues -- and particularly how they disagree with their true opposition candidate, President Bush -- they are instead finding out how each candidate disapproves of the others' campaigns.
This development may eventually serve to cut away momentum from the Democratic Party once they select their candidate and provide more fuel for the opposition rhetoric of the Republicans when the general election comes about.
Additionally, the candidates who are cutting down their fellow Democrats may be shooting themselves in the foot. Aside from taking away from the impact of their own political platforms, speaking out against their fellow partisans may make them seem like bullies or whiners. Although having lost ground to voters over the economy and the currently stagnant and increasingly more costly peacekeeping operation in Iraq, Bush remains a strongly supported candidate. The Democratic Party will need a strong candidate and a strong campaign to take on the incumbent president and pull out with a victory.
Since only one candidate will be chosen to carry the party's nomination, the current Democratic candidates will ultimately have to concede defeat and throw their support behind the winner. Their current bickering is unconstructive and is not working in favor of ultimately winning the nation over in the general election next year. By preying on each other in hopes of jockeying political favor among the public, the Democratic candidates are only serving to weaken themselves and their party. The Democratic presidential candidates must end their personal attacks on one another.
(Alex Rosemlat's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at arosemblat@cavalierdaily.com.)
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