The "Stupid" Virus Mutates
into Lawrence O'Donnell.

His piece is so wrong on so many levels, but let's just start with the most fundamental: strategy. If you want Obama to be the nominee, and think you need Edwards supporters to put him over the top, the absolute last thing you should do is berate and deride Edwards for staying in the race, especially with such vitriol and intent to humiliate.

I remember back in the Dean days too, it was common for his supporters to absolutely blast Gephardt, Kerry and Edwards supporters for being so off in their choice. Yeah Dean was ahead for a little while so we felt on top of the world, but some of us forgot - he was ahead with only about 20% of the vote! We kind of needed some of the others, and instead many Deaniacs made pretty much everyone else hate us. He didn't so much fall off once the primaries came around, he failed to add anyone else's supporters or any undecideds, similar to what happened to Obama in the last day of New Hampshire - he met most of his poll estimates, but Hillary got all the undecideds in the end.

Politics is about persuasion and consensus. Obama people should be looking to inspire Edwards supporters to believe in him as well, in the event their candidate does leave the race, or his supporters decide to leave him. This idiocy by O'Donnell will not do that, and will of course do exactly the opposite - making it, in political terms, totally f'ing stupid. People on the fence will gravitate toward the guy being kicked if they like and respect him - same as they did with Hillary. And his supporters will not have a good feeling about moving to your side if you've been calling them losers. Hillary couldn't have scripted it any better. What's worse, O'Donnell's piece is so hateful he will probably get some attention and media interviews from it.

For the record, I have no qualms with anyone who wants to stay in a primary race for any reason, especially a candidate getting delegates. That's what primaries are for. And if Obama can't beat both of them, he doesn't deserve it. Primaries are different. In the general we need to come together, which is why Nader is a jerk who I blame for Gore's electoral college defeat. If Nader wants to run, he should do it like Kucinich, inside the primary. If Edwards wants to stay until the convention, good for him. He's a powerful voice for change and he's getting delegates,which is what it's all about. In fact he could get enough delegates to keep both of the other 2 from winning the nomination without a floor fight. There are plenty of reasons for him to stay in. I do wish he would be smarter and not send any more support Hillary's way by attacking her on foolish grounds. And at any rate, who's to say Edwards people would go to Obama? I don't think that's at all settled. In fact the exit polls are showing that Edwards supporters and Hillary's are more alike than Edwards and Obama's.

Why do so many pundit types not seem to understand that for the most part, Democrats like and admire all three candidates, and many are having trouble deciding between them?? (In my opinion that's what makes the polls so tricky with support so soft). Bashing any one of them in any way that could be perceived as unfair is a huge mistake. Especially on such a personal level. I don't think this piece could be much dumber. You see what happens, Larry?