they have lost credibility with a significant portion of Dem readers.

But there has been a change, and one which likely isn't coincidental to blog owner's Jerome Armstrong taking a trip to Israel and other voices, like Jonathan Singer's, taking more center stage.

I know intimately about this because I was just kicked off of the blog, for what I feel are most dubious reasons.

I don't expect you, Jeralyn, or anyone else who front posts here to comment on that, for your own sake.

However, I will tell you this: Someone who was not happy with my banning wrote an email to one of the admins and was told something to the effect that now as it looks like Obama will be the nominee the blog has to support him, etc.

A premature Kumbaya, then?

Yeah, I think so.

I have written about this on my own site, if anyone cares to read about it. That is, what happened with MyDD and me (and others who were recently purged, some of whom have been reinstated). If you want to see it, just Google my name and you'll get the site. Go to the Off-topic section.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know who and what I am. I am a very passionate and fierce debater, and some don't handle that well. But I always bring accurate facts and won't roll over for anybody. And if someone tries to railroad me, I will let the world know that.

*

There are too many blogs which are going through the transformation which has slowly been happening over at MyDD the past 2 months or so. More Obama triumphalists coming in to crow and try to jigger with the recommended lists and get nayasyers banned. Let me tell you, it has not been pretty. I am a striker from Kos and have now been forced to move on from MyDD.

There are some pro-Clinton sites left, such as TL and Taylor Marsh's site. But the vast majority of the sites, IMO, are pro-Obama. And the tenor of many of the Obama supporters is beyond the pale. They wonder why people like myself attract so much support, but it is they who have made fierce Clinton supporters like Taylor and you, Jeralyn, a more sought-after commodity.

I have never been more ashamed to be a Dem than during this contest. The tactics that have been used by Obama's camp are beyond ridiculous. And the MSM and many good Dems have fallen for them.

Sad stuff.

But it's not even close to being over yet.

In fact, my support for Hillary developed there, as I found myself objecting to the nonsense being posted in the comments, and felt compelled to at least put the right information out there.  When Edwards dropped out, I was bummed, but found that I could make the transition to Hillary because of what I had learned in defending her for so long.

Arivosis speaks for no one but himself.

Those sites banning policies are particularly offensive when compared to this site's suspension policies. Here the moderators recognize that folks can get caught up in the heat of post and need a time out. It's annoying but those are the rules of any business establishment. However, I distinguish permanent bans as something far more insidious because I recognize how quickly political movements can turn totalitarian.

That's why I foresee a party split after this election. In the past, folks like Reagan Dems and/or Greens -- most regular members as opposed to activists -- just left the party but it continued. Now we see not only activists choosing sides over lack of due process but the whole mess in the party is getting well-publicized to non-activists. The A-List bloggers bans have spun off new aggressive bloggers who are capturing folks hungry for alternative news source since NBC and others went into the tank.

I used to - and still do - fight with the Greens over leaving. But now I really get it. Even the party's staunch liberals (Pelosi, Dean, Kennedy) have proven themselves too insulated from voter accountability.

If it happens, the party can thank certain A-List bloggers and their media friends for helping to drive the train off the tracks. But in the long run we may all end up thanking them. Any party that can screw up an election against Mr. 23 -- not to mention the veto losses -- probably deserves to lose and needs to reconfigure.

I watched Lou Dobbs programme and this was all they covered so I am not sure if this will go away any time soon. If this keeps Obama off message for the better part of next week, then that can't be good for his prospects.

It isn't so much what he said per se but rather to whom he said this and that and the tone. Most of it flies in the face of what he is actually campaigning on.

It was amazing how fast the pendulum swung too.  When Edwards was still in, it was the pseudo Obama supporters who demanded he drop out.  Then when Edwards suspended his campaign, it waffled for a week or two and then rapidly went anti-Hillary.  All the Hillary bashing did was to make me increasingly uncomfortable.  I thought every one else saw through the over the top rhetoric too.  And then they began to repeat it and the narratives began be accepted as fact.

MyDD - I also dropped some time back for the same reason.

TNR - which incorrectly identifies itself as a liberal mag has also been down there in the muck for months.

"Just as TalkLeft, which favors Hillary over Obama, will vote for Obama if he's the nominee. Democrats don't give up on each other.

You apparently haven't been reading the comments on your own blog. When my choice John Edwards dropped out, I took the position either Hillary or Obama would be good presidents and I would happily vote for which one won the primary. By winning, I mean the one who gets the most votes.

Great work, Jeralyn.

Will you call Obama a "thief" if he wins by superdelegates?  What then?  Will you vote for McCain?

because sen. obama is getting ready to get his cleats cleaned by sen. clinton in the remaining primaries, all of them. it won't be an issue.

trend lines show he's on a downward spiral, quickly reaching terminal velocity. by this time next month, it'll be "obama who?".

MEMBERS WHO LEAVE MAY FEEL

LOST. Cults provide a sense of purpose which former members may find difficult to replace. However, the search for new meaning can be exciting and rewarding. It may help to get back in touch with pre-cult interests.

LONELY. Cults provide instant fellowship, which fades away just as quickly. Former members may need to lower expectations from new relationships, and learn to exercise a measure of trust.

INSECURE. Cults may undermine a member's self-esteem in order to promote emotional dependence. Former members need assurance of their intrinsic self-worth, in a realistic perspective.

GUILTY. Ex-members may have developed a guilt complex while in the cult, or later blame themselves for joining. They will need to find a balance between self-foregiveness and taking responsibility for actions.

ANGRY. Anger at the cult is a normal reaction, but it should not be allowed to result in loss of self-control or pointless revenge. Instead, anger can be channeled into a desire to recover. The best revenge is living well.

ANXIOUS. Ex-members will have concerns about rebuilding their lives, and some may fear reprisals from the cult. A change of address may help with security concerns. Rebuilding is a gradual process, making a to-do' list and ticking off each accomplishment helps to give a sense of progress.

DEPRESSED. Depression is often the result of unresolved feelings such as those above. Identifying and tackling the causes will aid long-term recovery. In the short-term, a proper diet, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and opportunities to talk to someone all help.