August 08, 2006

Blogometer PM Extra III

Joe Scarborough: Kossack

Kos has reprinted a lengthy note from email buddy Joe Scarborough. Scarborough writes:

The conventional wisdom for tonight's Connecticut primary seems to be that a Joe Leiberman loss will yank the Democratic Party so far left as to make other Democratic candidates unelectable this fall. The logic is laughable and similar to what I heard from Republican leaders in 1994. … That was the election year when the most conservative wing of the GOP took over the party and swept into power in the US Congress. … A week before the primary, the Republican Congressional Committee campaign director let me know that I might as well give up. 1994 would be the year of the Moderate. Yeah, right. … Within a few months of that conversation, scores of right-wing, knuckle-dragging, spear-carrying conservative barbarians like myself ran through our moderate Democratic opponents like Barry Bonds through a bottle of roids. It was ugly Fast forward twelve years and now we find many making the same misguided arguments, except this time they are giving their stupid advice to Democrats generally and Connecticut voters specifically. … My advice to Democratic voters this year is "Go left, young man!

Kos comments: “While one may wonder why Scarborough is so intent on giving good advice to Democrats, it bears noting that 1) his advice contracits that of every other "well meaning" conservative eager to defend the Democratic Party's good graces, and 2) it does line up nicely with his own experiences in 1994. If nothing else, food for thought. Though I don't disagree. Well, partly. I think Dems need to play to their base, I just don't think that means "moving left". That means being more partisan, and it means being an "outsider" foil to the insiders screwing things up in DC.”

Posted by Conn Carroll at August 8, 2006 07:27 PM