Play it Cool, Democrats, Says Times Columnist

Just play it cool boy,

Real cool.

                            -- West Side Story, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

In today's New York Times, Maureen Dowd writes usefully on the divisions in the Democratic Party.  She writes in her usual carefully witty style about what she calls Puritans of the left who would rather see defeat than stray from arch-purity regarding Our Military Leader (OML) in the Oval Office.  

Ms. Dowd can certainly write more entertainingly and better than most any newspaper writer in or out of  the Times.  Her message here, however, is also wise, even desperately wise.  For what we are seeing too much of is Democratic division, both on and off the campaign trail.  

At the same time it seems likely that the polling lead enjoyed by Joseph Biden represents more than just a simple lead, or a generational lead.  I'm guessing it also means everyday Democrats badly want to win this election and they do see Mr. Biden as the best choice for accomplishing this goal.

 

Meantime, we have progressives who are rightly disgruntled.  I for one do not begrudge them their disquietude.  But to aim first at fellow Democrats, then hope enough of them are still standing to defeat OML seems decidedly short-sighted.     

Maureen Dowd Decries "Purity"