LOCKSTEP OVER THE CLIFT:

Sticking Together: Democrats are more united than Republicans on base issues. But can progressives mount an effective opposition to the Rove machine? (Eleanor Clift, 1/08/05, Newsweek)

[T]he sentiments holding the Democrats together this week are real. The vote challenge this week spoke to their base: two thirds of African-Americans think the election was unfair while only 27 percent of the broader population takes that position. Democrats are far more united than Republicans, who are fighting among themselves over the Iraq war, Social Security and immigration reform. Alberto Gonzales, Bush’s nominee for attorney general, will almost surely win confirmation, but the Democrats are using the opportunity of the Senate committee hearings to extend the debate about important issues like the administration’s role in greenlighting abuse of Iraqi prisoners and detainees suspected of Al Qaeda ties.

It’s not about the vote total; it’s about laying down some markers.

So these are the things that unite Democrats and which they want to take to the voters: black attempts to overturn elections and protecting Ba'athist and al Qaeda militants from the U.S. military?

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 8, 2005 6:03 AM