If you want to understand why Democrats often pursue a timid, fear-based strategy in their attempts to get elected, Glenn Hurowitz' Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party is an excellent starting point. From the formation of the Democratic Leadership Council to the early months of the 2008 Democratic Presidential primary season, Hurowitz gives a detailed look at the shortcomings of the typical Democratic strategy of playing a game stacked against them, the politics of fear.

In the preface, Hurowitz explains the frustrations he encountered while working for various state and national environmental organizations. It soon became clear that the main obstacle preventing Democrats from voting their conscience was fear.

When Democrats voted against us, it was rare to hear them say they disagreed with us on the merits. Instead, they’d tell us they were afraid: afraid that their constituents wouldn’t support a pro-environment position; afraid of defying President Bush and the Republican noise machine; or they’d even admit they were afraid of angering this or that corporate lobby and losing campaign contributions to the Republicans.

Hurowitz goes on to explain nearly all electoral problems faced by Democrats as symptoms of a deeper problem: a severe lack of courage.

In anticipation of the Democratic primary in West Virginia, as well as the imminent end of the seemingly perpetual nomination process, my girlfriend and I went to Morgantown to volunteer for Obama's campaign this weekend. Good news, there are some Democrats here. A 74 year old white woman, offended by Hillary's recent comments about working class people, told me she is voting for Obama because he represents the working people and can actually change things. Dozens of other Morgantown residents we spoke with are enthusiastic Obama supporters, and it was clear that they appreciated canvassers' efforts to engage them and their neighbors.

Bad news, there is still an awful lot of racial and homophobic tension 'round these parts. West Virginia University had let out the day prior, so there weren't too many people bar hopping in this hotbed of liberalism on a Saturday night. There were enough to disgust me, though, so that's a start. As we walked by one club we were warned, "don't go in there unless you want to dance with spooks." A bit later, as we were waiting for a cab, we chatted up a young man in jacket and tie, discussing mostly politics. Before long he was explaining that he was against gay marriage because it is "sick" and that "homosexuals have an extra gland in their brain, it's well documented." He also said that he would rather his (future) child commit suicide than be homosexual. After attempting to abuse his illusions for a few minutes, we walked off to get our tab, wondering whether we should laugh or cry. As we walked away the young man hollered in our direction, "Walk away, gays." Sadly, he wasn't the only one. We heard concerns about gay marriage from several registered Democrats that day.

Why, in a place that has been economically devastated by NAFTA and other unsound policies, are Democrats fooled by so called "moral issues" so easily? There are theories about Kansas, but what's the matter with West Virginia? This thread is wide open. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, and I'll have more later.

First, some recent history. Unfortunately, a familiar pattern has emerged.

The Clinton campaign was afraid she'd lose, so they went negative in New Hampshire, and it worked. Then it was Wisonsin, where they went negative again.

It was much of the same in Ohio and Texas.

She ran a television ad suggesting that the youthful Obama could not be trusted if a world crisis forced the president from bed in the middle of the night. She questioned his ethics by repeatedly raising questions about his relationship with a disgraced supporter who, by the luck of the draw for Clinton, is the target of a federal corruption trial that began Monday in Chicago, where Obama lives.

And, highlighting a meeting between a top Obama aide and the Canadian government, she painted him as a typical, two-faced politician who told the voters one thing about his intention to change the North American Free Trade Agreement but with a wink and a nod assured a foreign government he would not follow through.

Appearing on Meet the Press, Barack Obama called the McCain/Clinton gas tax holiday a "classic Washington gimmick". He then went on to explain exactly why the plan won't work as intended.

The real highlight of the day though was Howard Dean's appearance on Fox News Sunday. He took Chris Wallace on directly, stating that the democratic boycott of the Fox debate was not a mistake and calling Fox's coverage "shockingly biased". Things like this, along with of course the 50-state strategy, are why I like Howard Dean. Huffington Post has more.

They better not get away with this.

The Republican National Committee demanded Monday that television networks stop running a television ad by the Democratic Party that falsely suggests John McCain wants a 100-year war in Iraq.

In a blinding fit of mock outrage, they immediately fired off angry letters to NBC, CNN and MSNBC insisting that they stop airing the commercial.

Here is the ad in question.

The ad, wisely, uses John McCain's own words.

The ad says President Bush has talked about staying in Iraq for 50 years, then plays a clip of McCain saying, "Maybe 100. That'd be fine with me."

The announcer then says: "If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America's future?"

In what will perhaps become Chris Wallace's proudest moment, today's interview of Barack Obama offers a glimpse into the subtle efforts Fox makes to frame the debate.

In the first 9 minutes all of Wallace's questions and comments were about race.

9:03 A.M EST: WALLACE: But some observers, and some liberal observers say is that part of your problem is you come off as a former law professor who talks about transforming politics when the lunch bucket crowd really wants to know what youre going to do for them. Bob Herbert, columnist for the New York Times, happens to be a black man, says that Hillary Clinton seems tougher than you do.

9:06:32 Senator, for all your efforts to run a post-racial campaign, isn't there still a racial divide in this country that is going to make it very hard for you to get elected president?

Which created a perfect transition into… the real issue at hand.

9:09 WALLACE: I wasn't sure whether I was even going to ask you about your former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, but he made it easy for me because he's now begun this…

In 2000, McCain made campaign finance reform one of his primary issues. In 2008, he doesn't seem too interested.

NYT:

But over a seven-month period beginning last summer, Mr. McCain’s cash-short campaign gave itself an advantage by using a corporate jet owned by a company headed by his wife, Cindy McCain, according to public records. For five of those months, the plane was used almost exclusively for campaign-related purposes, those records show.

Mr. McCain’s campaign paid a total of $241,149 for the use of that plane from last August through February, records show. That amount is approximately the cost of chartering a similar jet for a month or two, according to industry estimates.

UPI has more:

"This amounts to a subsidy for his campaign, which is notable given how badly they were struggling last year," said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that collects and analyzes campaign data.

The company who owns the jet? Wait for it… An Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser, etc.) beer distributor. Classy move, my friends.

Three of the writers here at The Seminal are from a small town called Oxford, Ohio. Oxford is a small, lazy college town, and it rarely gets much attention outside of the Cincinnati media market. This time though, they've really struck it big, with national headlines from CNN (Man dies after police use Taser), the Chigago Tribune (Man hit by police Taser in Ohio dies), and E Canada Now (Man Dies Following Taser By Oxford Police).

WLWT:

A Chicago man died Thursday of injuries suffered when police attempted to subdue him last week during a nightclub altercation near Miami University.

The incident took place outside of a bar called Brick Street in "uptown" Oxford. Brick Street, formerly known as First Run, has a long history of violent altercations with patrons. In the late 90s, they got some attention when several of their bouncers were reprimanded for using large metal flashlights as weapons when fights got out of hand.

Unfortunately, there is more, from the local rag.

The police officer who used a Taser on a man to break up a fight had taken a refresher course to use the weapon a week before the shooting, authorities said Tuesday.

Glenn has the announcement:

Confirmed public events this week including a discussion this Wednesday, April 16, at 7:00 p.m. at Olsson's Bookstore in Dupont Circle, Washington DC. That will be followed by an event jointly hosted by FDL, DC Drinking Liberally and The Seminal at the 17th Street Cafe.

The Seminal is honored to be in such good company hosting this event. If you'd like to RSVP on Facebook, you can do so here.

Glenn will be promoting his new book, Great American Hypocrites, which is undoubtedly a page turner. If you are in the DC area and can make it tonight, we'll be looking forward to seeing you. If not, you should buy the book and take part in FDL's book salon with Glenn this Sunday at 5pm.

Most children can identify over 1,000 Corporate Logos but fewer than 10 native plants and animals. In the country of Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett and Teddy Roosevelt, this is not acceptable. This problem stems primarily from a lack of adequate funding for environmental education, as provided by No Child Left Behind. Another problem with NCLB is the emphasis on math and reading, which has the effect of shortchanging environmental education.