"Self-pleasuring pep rallies"

Marc Cooper, a liberal but not an automaton, offers some constructive criticism for like-minded folks.

I'm honestly trying to figure out what is in the mind of Democrat activists and the more I ponder the question the more baffled I become.

On this past Saturday, 350 meetings and rallies were held across the U.S. in which -- it seems-- Democrats closed themselves off in auditoriums, read from the now sacred Downing Street Memos, chanted "Impeach Bush!" and repeated to themselves, once again, that Bush is a liar and that he certainly lied us into Iraq. . .

I'm not being snide (for heaven knows I have often been quite persnickety on this subject), but I really want someone to enlighten me and tell me just what effect any of this supposed to have? My ongoing problem with this sort of "politics" is that it doesn't seem like politics at all. In my jaundiced view it seems like more therapeutics than anything else. . .

I continue to think that those who most oppose Bush continue to burn up a lot of energy chanting with themselves and not nearly enough trying to forge a new majoritarian political strategy . . .

The grass roots should listen to the man. Locker room rah-rah sessions may feel good, but they don't win games.

(For cross-post at Centerfield and comments posted there, click here.)