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Friday, February 16, 2007 12:00 AM

Why I had to quit the John Edwards campaign

During my brief tenure as blogmaster for a Democratic presidential contender, I experienced the right-wing smear machine firsthand

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  • Friday, February 16, 2007 10:52 AM

    Not to mock anyone's personal faith?

    One wonders how she can dare to advance what is a preposterous claim on its face. Rhetorical device or no, she clearly holds a religious belief of most Christians up to trashily articulated ridicule. This form of polemic is always found to be harmless good humor among fellow true believers. Like all seasoned political extremists, she cavalierly dismisses those who are offended and goes on the offensive. Suddenly she is the victim. One further wonders how she might have reacted to a similarly demeaning observation about one of her “progressive” beliefs. Maybe some Neandrathal says something like – “have you ever seen a crowd of those angry fat prochoice women demonstrating for battered women – looks like what some of them need is a good battering themselves.” Well that would be different. Really. And the difference? What this whole episode nicely illustrates is the contempt a rather small crowd of "enlightened" progressives have for the sincerely held beliefs of a much much larger group of Americans. I make no judgment on the merits of the respective camps beliefs. The Edwards campaign however can not have it both ways – pitching to the middle with staffing from the left. It would be more honest if she just dropped the temporary political pretense and let her and her fellow campaign staffers real feelings hang out. Of course one finally wonders, actually shudders to think, what foul observation she thinks might actually qualify as mocking to a Christian’s belief.

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