HONESTLY, THEY AREN'T TRYING TO CARICATURE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY:

Flags, cheers, discipline and doubt: Barack Obama struggled this week to unite his party (The Economist, 8/28/08)

THERE were two conventions in Denver this week. One was a joyful event. Cheered on by throngs of jubilant activists, the Democratic Party’s brightest and most boisterous speakers praised Barack Obama extravagantly and rejoiced that in a mere four months the Bush-Cheney tyranny will be over.

The other convention, which took place mostly behind the scenes, was more bitter. Some of Hillary Clinton’s supporters still cannot believe that Democratic primary voters spurned their brilliant and battle-tested candidate for a smooth-talking novice. And despite the party’s heroic efforts to present a united face to the cameras, the cracks kept showing. [...]

Since the policy differences between Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama are slight, the Clintonites who care most about policy are typically content to switch their allegiance. Greg Rodriguez, for example, a gay stay-at-home dad from California, says he could not vote Republican because “anyone who says I shouldn’t be allowed to adopt children is anti-gay.” He has brought up two children with disabilities, having “rescued them from the foster system [when] good white straight parents didn’t want [them].” So he says he will back Mr Obama “all the way”.

But not all voters focus on policy.

And precious few are gay.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 28, 2008 1:12 PM