I think gloating is uncivil and promotes the extreme partisanship that has torn this country apart in at least the past decade. Even if the media, especially TV, covers the presidential campaign as if it's horse race, politics is not a spectator sport. It's a question of fundamental values. Gloating forecloses on comprise and consensus building. It creates an us-versus-them politcal environment that even plays out here on the forum, which was a safe place for me.

I also wish that this thread had not started. Because I hold my political values so deeply, I would have preferred not to have known the political values of people on the forums.

I acknowledge that others feel differently. That politics is simply something to debate and have a good intellectual workout over. To exchange ideas. I am sure that that is probably the healthier point of view.