For example, let's consider Ron Paul's support for Habeus corpus. What if, there were a way to get other republican candidates to take a stand on this issue? It starts with Paul and then, the organizations holding debates would need to be persuaded to raise the question. Getting positions on this out, in the clear, could be very useful, later, when the primary races are over and decided.
What about all those anti-war Ron Paul republicans and independents? Whose campaign will they flock to when Paul is rejected by the religious right, when the MSM tear him apart, and mock him with three second Howard Dean Scream high rotation replays, if he even comes close to pulling double digits in Iowa or New Hampshire?
Does the DNC have a plan to pull them to democratic candidates? They should.
I can see how some activists, even most activists would want to focus on supporting the campaigns of their chosen candidates. But I choose to defend the value in also considering and exploring strategic opportunities to use the Republican primary process and candidates to further the progressive cause. Holding a conversation on this approach offers promise of fruitful results. That means getting beyond just commenting on how all the Republicans are bad.
If, for example, Huckabee, who is a wacko on evolution, shows some positive direction on capital punishment, or some nuance on another issue, why not try to push it, to get the mainstream media to explore it, so other GOP primary candidates feel pressure to soften their positions. Who knows how far this approach could go? I surely hope that somewhere, DNC strategists are thinking along these lines. They ought to be. With billions to be spent on this election, every nook and cranny of opportunity should be explored.
Of course, I expect the majority of progressives to put their efforts into helping their chosen candidates to win. But I don't think it is a mistake for some on the left to look at the forest, the wind, the weather, as well as the trees.
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