I have a message for Democrats -- Democrats like the one heard on NPR this morning disparaging the choice of Boston for the convention, then worrying aloud that the reporter would actually quote him saying that. Democrats like the ones telling tales about Bill Clinton to a Vanity Fair reporter, tales that -- inevitably -- become smears when they reach the New York Post (or, for that matter, Reuters). Democrats like the ones who wring their hands about the Kerry campaign in the presence of Adam Nagourney of The New York Times.

SHUT UP.

Just shut up. SHUT. UP.

What takes place between Republicans and Democrats is a war, for crissakes. It's been overt war since Nixon; it's been a holy war since Reagan.

Loose lips sink ships.

If you don't like that image, think of it this way: This is a trial, and it's Kafkaesque; it never ends. If you're a Democrat, you should see yourself as an attorney: you shouldn't lie, you should concede what you have to concede, and, beyond that, your job is to be a vigorous advocate for your side. Don't say anything, ever, to a member of the press, or that could be conveyed to a member of the press, that is incompatible with that task.

So: Don't criticize the candidate. Don't criticize the party. Don't criticize any Democrat.

Just don't. It's really very, very simple.

Kerry is not the problem. Clinton is not the problem. Boston is not the problem. If you run the party down in an election year and what you say goes public, you are the problem.