Unsolicited Advice

If at some point in the future Al From gets interested in why Democratic presidential candidates have started snubbing his parties, he might want to look back at this AP story where he attacks the Democratic presidential candidates for snubbing his party, and ponder it just a bit.

It's just not a very nice thing to do. Not a very good way to win friends and influence people. I see very little evidence (for better or for worse) that Democrats have lost interest in being seen as moderate or centrist or in courting self-identified moderates and independent voters. The "radical center" is alive and well at the New America Foundation, the Third Way strategy group is the hottest thing in town, etc. From has just made a lot of people dislike him, personally, in a way that makes Democratic candidates think that hanging out as his events isn't a great career move.

He could have easily downplayed the significance of this, graciously noted that the candidates are busy and have other things to do, observed that Hillary Clinton helped found his organization and Barack Obama's top economic advisor is listed on the DLC staff page, and noted that the Democratic line on national security is now the mainstream one. Instead, he attacked the candidates for "tunnel vision." It's not a good way to make friends.