The recent exchange between "myclob" and Jim Geraghty is an excellent case study into the uneasy and unprecedented GOP intra-party nomination. In short: this is new and unfamiliar ground for all of us on the blogging right and sometimes... we step in it.

When George W. defeated McCain for the nomination in 2000 I doubt any of us were blogging. Certainly none of us were actively engaged in cross-site debate in 20 minute news cycles. In 2004 the approach was easy: beat up Kerry - no Republican primary necessary.

Today, the game has changed. Vile and vitriol that we reserved for only the left-iest lefties we now pour out on our own friends in the conservative movement.

The identifying feature of most political blogs is "who" you support for the nomination: RedState becomes FredState, Ankle Biting Pundits becomes a shill for McCain, Race42008 leans heavy for Rudy, etc...

None of these characterizations is fair.

Or take the latest at our fellow Mitt blog Elect Romney in '08 bringing up Allen's endorsement with a post entitled: Mr. Macaca joins team Fred. Think about it. One year ago that title would fit like a glove as a post on DailyKos. Today, it's on a conservative blog, beating up an opposing conservative candidate with a line that defeated a conservative candidate in 2006.

The Elect Romney folk are indispensable but I'm slowly trying to make my way back to shore before we all drown in knee-jerk reactions.

This is not pretty. And I'm not sure what the answer is.

Geraghty's TKS was one of seven tabs that I refreshed every 30 seconds into 2004 election night on pins and needles. Jim and I actually exchanged several emails that night trying to get on-the-ground information to overcome the terrible early exit poll fiascos. His reports from Obi Wan were invaluable. I was so nervous about a loss I even had my blame game fixed on Jim. TKS was right, thankfully.

I think some of these debates are fair, some are wanting and some are just plain wrong. If we step in it here at MMM I will call it out.