Partisans from both Obama and Clinton camps have coined quite a number of derisive terms to fling at each other and the candidates they oppose — Mandolin aptly criticizes most of them — but the one I see most often is “Obamabots.” Clinton supporters who cannot fathom why anyone would fail to see the obvious superior qualities of their preferred candidate use this term to refer to Obama supporters. Sometimes they apply the term to the ones who are smitten with Obama beyond reason (I have met a few myself), but just as often in the comments sections of articles and blog posts, it gets applied to even those with a reasonable argument or defense favoring Obama.

Granted, it is nowhere near as offensive as, say, “Hildabeast.” But I haven’t seen that one with as much frequency, nor is it aimed at her supporters. The worst I have seen directed against them is “Clintonistas” — which is actually so cool, I wish I could be one. Except for that, ya know, imperialist warmonger thing. Anyway, “Obamabots” has risen to nearly the level of “Dittoheads”, save that Rush Limbaugh fans embrace that term with very little irony. Maybe Obama supporters will, too, but I doubt it. I’d prefer “Obamaniac” were I so inclined. But I’m just not that passionate about him.

In the end, the whole practice of demeaning one’s rivals is destructive. Perhaps it’s just the “Silly Season” that has encouraged both sides to question the intelligence or intellectual integrity of the other. I hope so. Come November I would hate to see this disregard carry over into an election victory for the Republicans.

Of course, deep down, I would love to see the lame water-carrying Democrats meet their come-uppance, too. But we don’t have more than two parties with competitive organizational and monetary clout, so I’ll remain content with a serious chastening of the GOP in both elected branches of government. And then just fellate myself.

Tags: barack obama, bill clinton, Hillary Clinton, presidential politics

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 am and is filed under In Contempt. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.