Quote of the Day on Dems

Theda Skocpol stirred up a hornets' nest (and did her best Bill O'Reilly impression) at TPM by calling upon liberals either to sit down and shut up or to join in lock step behind the Obama campaign.  Here's the best reply so far from a commenter named "HungChad" referencing Obama's FISA flip-flop:

you can almost always say that a single vote didn't matter. Choosing to do the right thing is a question of character - not practicality. Convince me that the FISA vote demonstrated Obama's character and I'll come around - but everyone knows damn well that ain't gonna happen. It ain't gonna happen because it was a vote that was cast out of fear. And until Democrats stop acting like fearful little bed-wetters every time a Republican says "Boo!," we are going to keep losing elections.

To me it seems a clear contrast of views of what wins and loses elections. Do voters cast ballots against Democrats because they exercise vigorous public debate or do they cast ballots against Democrats because the latter seem anemic and vulnerable in mimicking rather than contesting the opposition?

I have to admit that I don't see the Republican habit of acquiescing to the nominee as a virtue given that it has produced the worst administration in history. So, are not progressives actually doing our nation a great favor by testing the mettle of our candidate rather than rubber stamping and papering over his mistakes and inconsistencies? And in the end it is nothing but wishful thinking to shut up and assume that Barack Obama will change his late support of FISA when he eventually shoulders the awesome and corrupting power of the Presidency that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have fashioned in 8 years.