Happy New ... Oh, Forget It!

Just what one wants to read first thing on New Year's Day ... an assessment by Adam Nagourney in the New York Times that Democrats have already blown it this year, with their accelerated primary schedule and divisive infighting among candidates. This is tough to hear but necessary to know. Here's the gist from the article:

"...The Democrats may get their early nominee, party officials say, but it now appears likely to be someone bruised by the nominating fight and confronted with the challenge of uniting a deeply divided party.

"In a classic case of unintended consequences, a process intended to produce unity, a strong candidate, and a compelling platform to take against President Bush has so far produced a campaign that many Democrats describe as strikingly harsh and marked more by daily bickering than sweeping themes or compelling new ideas on where to take the country.

"While it is hardly unusual for political contests to get rough, it rarely happens this early. And it almost never happens in the Iowa caucuses, a state where Democrats say, or at least used to say, that voters punish candidates who engage in negative campaigning...."

Which is worse ... the way Lieberman, Kerry, and Gephart have attacked Dean or the way Dean went whining to Terry McAuliffe about it?