Two talented teams locked in competition. Partisans watching closely to determine who has the stuff to lead us to victory this fall. Some folks carried away by the heat of battle deliver overly personal attacks. Decked out in my "Democrat 08" jersey, I join the fray, calling out: "Don't boo the home team!" As far as I'm concerned, that's what the other side is there for. Presidential primary rally? Nope. Spring training baseball game. Fortuitously for the SF Giants players being booed, our section was suddenly visited by a chanting mob of LA Dodger fans. Our hecklers immediately swiveled their attention to the LA interlopers, (mostly) playfully exchanging taunts as they marauded past. A few innings later, the Giants won the game.
Like every baseball club warming up the cactus and citrus leagues, my Democratic Party is scouting the talent, rebuilding the team, and looking ahead to the fall classic. While our passions may cause us to overstep and heckle each other, the fact is that we have a larger fight ahead. For Giants fans, it's Dodgers. For Democrats, it's John McCain. No matter our intramural passions for Senators Clinton and Obama, the larger issue is this: we want to bring our troops home from Iraq, promote universal health care, and strengthen economic security for Main Street, not just Wall Street. To do that, let's cheer, not boo, our home team to victory.