>From the standpoint of the interests of the Democratic
Party, warts boils and all, I don't think the Newman
campaign is in its interest. At its core, it is manifest
opportunism, since it is clearly occasioned by the
particular result of this election. There was no
such campaign after 1996 or '92. Any effort to
uplift fairness has to be grounded in objectivity,
and there is none in this situation.
Assorted ways of disenfranchising minorities is an important issue, but the timing I would say does more to undermine the cause than the contrary. It comes off as yet another way of exploiting minorities, or taking them for granted. All of a sudden, we are concerned about their franchise. Any dolt will be able to figure this out. If I was a minority I would feel used.
A serious campaign would take the results of the election -- assuming accurate recounts -- as given and raise the problem later.
The pressure on Gore in this vein has nothing to do with 'legitimation,' I would argue, but everything to do with political acceptance. I don't welcome a Bush ascendancy, but I think the political consequences of this sort of campaign would be even worse, particularly for Democrats.
I've done a few little things to help Gore v. Bush, but I think Moore -- after his support for Nader -- is really going overboard. The implication is that his support for Nader was less than fully serious. If I had a broadcast platform to the masses, I would be using it to justify my support for Nader, now more than ever. If there is a revote (which I totally doubt), Nader should run. We're either serious about our ideas, or we're not.
mbs