Circular Firing Squad

Okay, I'm getting a little sick of the term, but it gets the point across. Anyway, a couple things to note about the Dems. First, Charles2 over at the Coalition blog notes:

In today's New York Times, Bob Herbert lambastes the Democrats for wasting one opportunity after another to take the high ground against the Rethugs by sniping at each other. Several of us on this blog have griped about the Dems' penchant for taking shots at each other instead of attacking the Republicans where they are weak - and there are lots of weak spots right now.

Herbert's column is - as usual - incisive...

And I bring your attention to this from Jimmy Carter:

Carter hasn't endorsed a candidate and said he doesn't have "a real preference at this point." His son, Chip, is supporting and helping the Dean campaign.
...
Carter said he and the first lady met with him more than a year ago when Dean sought them out to share his plans to seek the Democratic nomination for president.

The one-term Democratic president said Dean asked "how we addressed the original launching of our campaign" and wanted to know how the Carter campaign judged the importance of Iowa, New Hampshire and other primaries.

Carter is similar to Dean in that he pursued the presidency as a relatively unknown, untested former governor. Carter had been governor of Georgia, and Dean was governor of Vermont.

"We shared our experiences with him, and we talked to two or three other candidates, as well. And I was impressed with him because of his enthusiasm but didn't think he had a chance, to be honest with you.

"And so his campaign has pretty well followed closely in the same track as mine did. With one exception. He's got enormous income from his Internet connections."

Carter was asked about fears among Democrats that Dean could suffer the same fate as George McGovern, the South Dakota Democrat who lost in a landslide to Richard Nixon in 1972.

"I don't have that fear."

Ah, nice to see there is another reasonable Dem out there. I'm still not joining, but maybe there's hope for the party yet.

ntodd  ¶ 2:47 PM