Undercover in Camp Clinton

Last October, I was banned from the Obama '08 community on LiveJournal for a post acknowledging problems in his campaign at that time. And I'm an Obama supporter! How then would I fare in the Clinton '08 community? I joined (it was the only way to have access to all the posts) and began my adventure.

What I found upon entering was disturbing. I have seen the Obama supporters mocked as a cult, but Obama groupies have nothing on these gals. While in the Obama community there is some second-guessing of the campaign, and a decent amount of substantive posts among the cheerleading (on the war, etc), no such thing can be said of the Clinton community. There, 8 out of 10 posts in the past few days have been rants on the whole Wright/race story and in general what a monster Obama is (the other 2 of 10 being how Obama is 'disenfranchising' Michigan and Florida voters, and some polls). And those that aren't outright rants about the evils of Obama are posts mocking him (he's a "big fat whiny douchebag", according to one Rhodes Scholar). No posts on any issues of substance (the economic meltdown, the war, the general election candidate John McCain, goings-on in Congress, etc), just one big hive.

I posted a reply to the most recent Wright post on Tuesday asking if the purpose was about tearing Obama down, rather than lifting Clinton up, and noting the lack of substantive posts, asking "Surely, these things are worth discussing too, no?". The response I got from one of the moderators? "You just joined, right? You're not off to a very good start." It was all downhill from there.

Everyone there has a huge victim complex. Every bad thing mentioned, or even hinted at, about Clinton (by myself or others) was dismissed as part of some giant conspiracy, and every other comment was anger at how America refuses to love Hillary Clinton and just give her the nomination already. I had momentary sympathy for 1990s conservatives.

Switching back momentarily to Camp Obama, I read that Clinton supporters are currently petition-bombing the DNC, demanding that all superdelegates line up behind Clinton, otherwise her supporters will go rogue and vote for John McCain in November (the letter being a brilliant summation of campaign talking points to date). I am dazed and confused, in need of care, but I slog on.

The last comment I posted at Camp Clinton was on a thread on the Michigan situation. I tried to explain the history behind this decision-- and how Clinton had supported it until her 'victory' there-- and was again met with derision. "Let's all drink the Kool-Aid," one member said of the Obama camp. You first, sir.

I immediately hit the 'eject' button and parachuted out of there. This time, I think I will save them the trouble and ban myself. I have only been a registered Democrat for six months and already I am having a marvelous adventure. Who knows where this whimsical journey will take me next.