February 28, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: The Crunchy Republican

GOPer and self professed organic broccoli lover, The Crunchy Republican is the first conservative blogger from South Carolina we'll be looking at this week. Tomorrow we'll move back left to talk to the editor of South Carolina Politics.

What is your full name?

My full name is Sunny Philips. (Yep, Sunny is my given name.)

How old are you?

I'm 35 years old.

What's your hometown?

Green Sea, SC (about 30 miles from Myrtle Beach)

Where do you live now?

Have lived in Columbia, SC since 1989.

What is your educational background?

University of South Carolina, Political Science

What is your occupation?

Work as GOP political fundraiser.

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

First involvement in politics was as a kid stuffing envelopes when my Dad ran for County Council. I was around 7 and was hooked from there. Today, my own girls help out my campaigns when there is a volunteer component involved. They love stuffing envelopes, and get angry when I make them quit for dinner. Guess it runs in the family.

When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging in October 2005 in order to gear up for our statewide races in 2006. I felt the SC blogosphere was slanted too liberal--despite the fact that SC is such a red state--and I wanted to do my part to even it out.

How are blogs changing politics in your state?

Blogs are just starting to become more noticed in SC. I'm not so surprised any more when folks come up that I've never met and say, "You're the Crunchy Republican!" I know the SC political blogs are well-read by the political staff/consultants/activists and political reporters, but I don't think we'll start making a real difference until more 'regular' folks start to read them. We're not there yet as far as I can tell, but maybe soon.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 01:46 PM

2/28: Time For Their Own Pony Plan?

With major lefty bloggers admitting "leaders of the netroots have not stepped up yet on Iraq," it's worth asking, what are the preferred Iraq solutions of the netroots two traffic leaders, Eschaton's Duncan Black and DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas? Atrios is no doubt correct when he writes: "We don't all get to micromanage the Iraq war -- not me, not Joe Klein, not Nancy Pelosi. ... Maybe Pony Plan X is superior to that option, but Pony Plan X generally involves wishing that competent people who wanted to leave Iraq were going to do that in a sensible way. That just isn't really an option." If Atrios prefers the Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) plan to the Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) plan, he's posted few suggestions on how to move Dems in that direction. So where does that leave those in the netroots who want to use Dem control of Congress to end the war as soon as possible? What should their strategy be to force Dems to take the necessary action?

IRAQ: The Natives Are Restless

Netroots' frustration over Dem failure to take concrete action on Iraq is growing to the point that primaries are being suggested for all those who don't either support Rep. Jack Murtha's (D-PA) plan or the rewrite of the Authorization for Use of Military Force. Daily Kos' mcjoan finds news from both the House and Senate discouraging, while diarist Big Tent Democratclaims the recent drop in Maj. Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) Daily Kos approval numbers reflects his "ineffectual" leadership and calls for the House to lead on the issue.

At TPM Cafe, Win Without War head Tom Andrews ("a leading figure of the antiwar movement") tells Greg Sargent "Congressional Dems are at risk of badly botching the public relations battle over Iraq" and must "move more aggressively to confront the Republicans in the political showdown over ending the war." Form Andrews: "There should be a relentless attack. Dems in Congress should be talking relentlessly about the lack of equipment, the lack of training, the multiple deployments, every day. ... Even if you don't have a specific plan yet, you can at least stand up and counterattack against this Republican assault."

Also admitting they have no strategy, MyDD's Matt Stoller writes: "The leaders of the netroots have not stepped up yet on Iraq, and we need to figure out a strategy to do so. We need your help. One of our problems is that we can't find or agree on a bright line to draw, so we can't make good arguments for why members of Congress should be challenged in the electoral realm. We could argue for withdrawal, but even Hillary Clinton has a withdrawal plan, and I have no idea how to trust her. ... What do we get behind?"

Fellow MyDDer Chris Bowers also acknowledges "growing consternation within the progressive netroots about what many consider to be the slow and ineffective steps Democrats in Congress have taken to end the war" and reviews options on how to act moving forward before concluding: "We have to define both what a favorable outcome on Iraq in the Senate would be, and what we will do ourselves to help the Senate Democratic leadership achieve that result. ... Those who straight up oppose Murtha's plan or a rewrite of the AUMF should be targeted in primaries or see a withdrawal of party committee support for re-election. Those who we are certain are not working fast enough or effectively enough should receive the negative messaging and direct activism I described above."

IRAQ II: So Many Options ...

Daily Kos' mcjoan looks at Rep. David Wu (D-OR)/Yale prof. Bruce Ackerman's American Prospectarticle advocating "an overall limit on Iraq war expenditures" as a possible route for Dems to end the war and compares it to the Murtha plan: "The Wu/Ackerman proposal would essentially do the same, but without any of the potentially messy Constitutional complications of Congress telling the President how to conduct a war. ... It would essentially set a date for redeployment--the day the funding runs out. Personally, I'd prefer December 31, 2007, or even March 30, 2008 to September 30 of next year, but the key element is setting a date beyond which no more funding will be available. Wu and Ackerman address this as well, saying that it would be up to Congress to set the funding level and thereby setting the end date."

Fully in favor of the Murtha plan, Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) took to The Huffington Post asking readers to prepare for "the legislative equivalent of the gunfight at the OK Corral." Moran blogs: "The Democratic caucus is a very diverse body. This is a strength for our party, not a weakness. It does, however, make legislating difficult at times, especially given the narrow majority we hold in both the House and Senate. I expect there will be great debate within our caucus over Jack's proposal. But in the end, what he has crafted gives voice to the strong concerns the American people expressed at the polls last November."

Not as enamored with Dem diversity on Iraq, Daily Kos' Kagro X takes on Blue Dog "less-confrontational approach[es] that merely requires the president to affirmatively certify when he orders such a deployment." Kagro writes: "Do the Blue Dogs, whose criticism of the Murtha plan is being led by Reps. Jim Matheson of Utah and Jim Cooper of Tennessee, really think they're onto something here? ... Neither plan stands a chance at being accepted by the "administration," but at least Murtha's had the virtue of actually trying to do something about the president's continued violation of military readiness policy, even if some would consider it much less than necessary."

IRAQ III: Isn't Levin Up In '08?

Conservative bloggers have a new favorite Senate Dem. following Carl Levin's telling the Senate Armed Service Committee: "I think we ought to take action on all fronts including Syria and any other source of weapons coming in, obviously Iran is the focus - but it shouldn't be the sole focus." RedState's Erick Erickson responds: "Folks, did you get that? In addition to admitting we need to keep troops behind in Iraq, Carl Levin now says we need to go after Syria and Iran. ... I'd like to congratulate Carl Levin for undercutting several of the major Democrat talking points and I'd like to thank Senator Levin for calling for military action against Syria as well as Iraq."

MyDD's Matt Stoller also took notice of Levin's comments, posting video and writing: "The video snippet is Levin being frustrated that the military doesn't have a plan to go into Syria. Levin's office is Phone (202) 224-6221. If you have some time and are from Michigan, can you ask him why he doesn't support the Murtha plan to fully equip the troops before deploying them?"

GOP FIELD: Issue Watching Romney

IA's Krusty Konservative highlights features he does and does not like about the WH '08 official websites including:

• John McCain: "What I like: The Undecided Tab - There are only two kinds of voters, committed and uncommitted. This tab makes it easy for those very important uncommitted voters to know where to go to get their dose of straight talk."
• Mitt Romney: "What I like: The Stay Informed - I like how the Romney site posts favorable blog entries on their front page. It's a great way to keep fresh content on their site to keep Romney's committed supports checking in and getting their dose of Mitt. ... What I don't like: Issue Watch - I think he should have called it something else, calling it Issue Watch will not help calm conservatives who worry about his varying stances on social issues."
• Rudy Giuliani: "What I like: Rudy's Record - I think it was wise to emphasis his past accomplishments, not his stance on social issues. ... What I don't like: The lack of an issue section - While I think it's smart to stress his record, you can't ignore the issues facing our country. He needs to be aggressive in defining his positions because if he doesn't his opponents will, which is always bad news."

BROWNBACK: Helping The Cause?

Under the header "Running for McCain's Veep?" The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez posts an official Sam Brownback campaign email attacking Mitt Romney on abortion and comments: "On the chance he might be a true-blue latter-day lifer it strikes me as unwise for Brownback - who is running in part to make sure such issues get a hearing, right? - to tear him down so directly and consistently. People would still be thoroughly scrutinizing Romney's record - as we should any candidate - without Brownback pile-on."

After Rich Lowryasserts tearing down Romney is the only shot Brownback has at the nomination, Lopez responds: "I obviously don't disagree - certainly if Brownback wants to win, that's the strategy. But Brownback is not going to be the nominee and so if I were Brownback - who I'm sure genuinely cares about the sanctity of human life - I'd be concerned that I'm trying to kill the guy who might best represent where I'm coming from."

Indicating he's currently in the 'Brownback's not gonna win' camp, The Brody File reports his sources "across the Republican spectrum believe he has no chance. Even Evangelical leaders privately wonder." TBF adds: "The sense is that he simply can't raise enough money like the big boys and he doesn't have that dynamic and strong personality like the other big three."

Back in IA, the Caucus Cooler posts Brownback's "leadership team" and comments: "Showing regional diversity Brownback made pickups in all corners of the state."

GILMORE: To Blog After He Gets To WH

Speaking to a Heritage Foundation sponsored blogger briefing, Jim Gilmore stirred a minor buzz 2/27 promising to be "the first President to maintain a personal blog." Townhall's Matt Lewis explains: "Because it came up in response to a direct question (very late in his briefing to us), it does not appear to be the case of a candidate merely seeking to pander to the blogosphere."

Also at the event, Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham explains the context behind Gilmore's pledge: "He recalled his response to 9/11-- he was governor when the Pentagon was hit. He needed to be in touch with local and regional first-responders, the media and Virginia citizens on a running basis, all day long. He used several press conferences and a TV appearance to do it, but he noted that it would have been helpful to put pertinent information up on a blog that day."

RedState's Rob Bluey notes that before making his blog promise Gilmore first took the time to hit his opponents: "The former RNC chairman also told bloggers that he's the only conservative in the race. He recited a list of reasons why the leading candidates -- Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney -- are not conservatives. In a swipe at Romney, Gilmore said he hadn't "shifted" in his views. He called Romney a "liberal governor" and "liberal candidate" from Massachusetts. He was equally tough on McCain and Giuliani."

GIULIANI: Moving The Prince Of Darkness To Light

Catching readers up on Laura Ingraham's radio show, The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez reports Bob Novack "is changing his view that [Rudy] Giuliani can't be nominated by the Republican party. Novak added though that he does continue to think that Rudy is a "timebomb" when it comes to the personal stuff and cautions that the attacks have not yet begun."

Also at The Corner, Larry Kudlow picks up on New York Sunreports of Giuliani's "party of freedom" themed comments to the Hoover Institution. Kudlow highlights Giuliani's claim that "while Republicans believe that the American economy is 'essentially a private economy,' Democrats 'really believe, honest, that it is essentially a government economy.'"

Also a fan of the Hoover comments Captain's Quarters liked Giuliani's "more libertarian approach for the Republican Party -- free markets and smaller government. ... It's a moderate policy that fits within a conservative vision, which could be a winning combination, especially in attracting moderates and independents." CQ also commented on Rudy's following foreign policy thoughts: "We have to say to the rest of the world, 'America doesn't like war.' America is not a military country. We've never been a militaristic country." CQ comments: "Sounds a bit like "Morning in America" again, an approach that will help garner support for Giuliani among conservatives -- at least on vision."

Completely unpersuaded by the Sun's write up, Bull Dog Pundit at Ankle Biting Pundits writes: "As far as then content of his speech, at this point it's a good idea to stay away from the divisive issue he has with a majority of the Republican primary base on abortion, gay rights, gun laws, etc. There will be plenty of time for that later. He's wise to stress areas of agreement he has with conservatives, which is what he did here."

Also unhappy with the recent "Conservative Rudyfest" NRO's Mark Levin writes: "There is actually very little that's conservative about Giuliani, other than his law-enforcement record. Yes, he made the trains run on time ... ut please, spare us the fiction that he's some great conservative."

MCCAIN: Two Words

Responding to Dick Morris and Eileen McGann's 1,179 word article on John McCain's "Campaign Collapse," Don Surber identifies just two words that explain the entire demise: "McCain-Feingold." Surber explains: "The fundamental difference between McCain 2000 and McCain 2008 is that he put his name on a law that forbids people from speaking out against their congressman within 60 days of an election. ... He is no longer John McCain. He is McCain-Feingold." Instapundit links and adds simply: "I think that's right."

Townhall's Hugh Hewitt argues McCain's problem are deeper than just CFR: "The GOP base has a trust issue with McCain, one that flows from the 2000 campaign, McCain-Feingold, the Gang of 14, the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill, the September 2006 derailing of the Republican end-game strategy." Hewitt goes on to argue that unless McCain starts courting GOPers instead of the "Hardball/Meet The Press audience ... The big three could be the big two by Memorial Day."

ROMNEY: The Boston Globe Had Credibility?

Scott Helman's Boston Globe article on a leaked strategy memo drew little conservative bloggers attention outside of pushback from Pro-Mitt Romney quarters. Townhall's Hugh Hewitt hits "Scott" for only linking to one of the 77 slides of the memo writing: "The paper wants its reporter to be the trusted intermediary of the news, but by filtering the story, the exact opposite effect is achieved: The paper loses credibility rather than gaining reputation for delivering news."

MyManMitt claims the memo came from outside the campaign and "it's doubtful the Governor ever saw it." MMM adds: "Most of this is low-grade stuff that my dog could write. From the pathetic graphics in the deck (OK - I'm a snob when it comes to PPT graphics) my dog probably did write it. In short, congrat Scott Helman.... you bought your guide to the 2007-2008 Fantasy Football season in February."

Also in Romney rumors, Race4'08's Jason says inside talk from Romney's 'finance loop' is that Romney "is breaking almost all of his daily and weekly fund-raising goals. ... The word is, prepare for March 31st."

DEM FIELD: And Then Go See Cubs-Mets At Wrigley

Touting the forum as "an opportunity to use technology to empower regular citizens and grassroots activists to engage, vet and evaluate America's potential leaders, both face-to-face and online" YearlyKos' Gina Cooperinvited all WH '08 Dems to attend a candidate forum 8/4 in Chicago, IL, during the blogging community's 8/2-5 convention. Mcjoandescribes the event as the "best opportunity to evaluate the Democratic field of Presidential candidates, up close and personal."

Yearly Kos '06 speakers included Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Gov. Howard Dean, Tom Vilsack, Bill Richardson and Mark Warner; ex-General Wesley Clark. New York Tomes Magazine author Matt Bai, Mcjoan (aka Joan McCarter), and Dr. Jeffrey Feldman will moderate the forum, asking questions submitted in advance "from tens of thousands of blog readers."

DODD: Predating The Constitution

Highlight's from MyDD's Jonathan Singer's just posted Chris Doddinterview from 2/21's Dem forum in Carson City, NV, include:

• Jonathan Singer: Let's start talking about that issue, Restore Habeas. Do you want to talk a little bit about what that's about, what you're trying to get accomplished and why it's so important to you?
• Chris Dodd: It's the rule of law. This even predates the constitution. It's about as fundamental a principle as I can think of. The idea that I can hold you indefinitely without ever telling you what you're being held for, I don't know what anyone's politics may be, but the idea that you tolerate that as an American is something I'd be surprised at.
• Singer: What do you say to address these concerns of people who think he, in their opinion, voted wrong in 2002? What will assure them that that won't happen again in the future as president?
• Dodd: First off, I've said I made a mistake and I wish I could have it back, although I honestly think George Bush was going to go to war with Iraq no matter what we voted on five years ago, too, by the way. ... So I just feel it's time we start redeploying immediately. I'm all for the training mission. I'm all for the border support mission. I'm all for the counter-terrorism missions. But you can do that with a very much smaller number than 135,000 troops we have there. Put some in Afghanistan, they could really use the help, put them in Qatar and Kuwait, if you want to, so you're over the horizon, but get out of these places and let the Iraqis assume this responsibility.

OBAMA: Far Ahead Of The Competition

Writing at techPresident Former RNC eCampaign Director Michael Turk compares the interactive features of both GOP and Dem candidate official websites and declares Barack Obama's effort the clear winner: "The tools are far ahead of anything available on the GOP sites. It pains me to say that, but it's not even close. They're far ahead of anything on the Democrat sites as well. ... Obama allows users to create their own blog, to create events, to fundraise, and to network together. The ability to organize laterally is present in every one of Obama's tools and stands in stark contrast to McCain's top heavy style."

Impressing not just GOPers, Obama continues to get passing grades from netrooters examining his policy record. Complaining that Obama "hasn't used populist or socialistic language" MyDD commenter jallen still concludes: "I want someone who uses a lot of populist messaging, which he doesn't. He usually comes off, to me, as more of a progressive, but it is clear now that he is a social democrat. ... He has a clearer and more consistent history than the others, and I would probably be happy with him as president. I just wish he would talk about it more, but he maybe too cautious."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Always Bet On The People With Guns

Linking to Richard Dreyfus' Washington Monthlyarticle on the possible non-bloodbath should US forces leave Iraq, Kausfiles warns readers of a "Secret Neocon/Peacenik Convergence of Wishful Thinking." Kaus writes: "Do you get an eerie sensation reading arguments on the left about why there won't be a sectarian bloodbath in Iraq if the U.S. leaves ... Dreyfuss' argument shares the wishful-thinking quality of the pro-war, welcome-us-with-flowers thinking of the Bush administration neocons. ... Sure a majority of Iraqis may be non-sectarian nationalists. But they aren't the people with the guns. The people with the guns seem to be sectarian extremists. If we leave, will they give up their guns? I doubt it."

LEST WE FORGET: Eery Is Definitely The Right Word

Linking to Youtube video The Gap Band's song "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" The Plank's Jonathan Chait thinks he has found THE Barack Obama campaign theme song: "The logic is irresistible. The chorus, which is repeated approximately seven thousand times, sounds like his name--"Baby, you dropped Obama on me." If you hear the song, it makes you think of Obama, over and over again. Plus, of course, the song is really catchy.

Chait continues: "It works thematically as well. Think about it--what are Obama's biggest political liabilities? 1) Perceived as "not black enough." 2) Too weak on national defense. Now watch that video. It's nothing but African-Americans and warplanes dropping bombs! It's eerily on message, almost as if Obama's message team created that video specifically for his campaign."

Posted by Conn Carroll at 12:37 PM

February 27, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: Not Very Bright

The Blogometer would like to thank everyone who has participated and will participate in blogger spotlights, but today we give special thanks to anonymous blogger Not Very Bright for his/her earnest effort in answering our standard slate of questions. We hope to see more of you around.

What is your full name?

I've chosen to blog anonymously to this point, having told no one in the real world of my blog, and (with one exception) no one in the blog world of my identity. It's not that I'm some famous guy, or that my identity even matters. It's just that anonymity has allowed me a bit more freedom to write .

How old are you?

Under 45.

What’s your hometown?

Columbia, SC

Where do you live now?

Columbia, SC

What is your educational background?

One post-graduate degree.

What is your occupation?

Not telling. It's not politics or journalism.

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

It depends on what you mean by "involved in politics." I've never worked for a campaign, and if I am remembering correctly, I have had one political bumper sticker on my vehicle in my life. So I am probably not the typical blogger who enjoys the game of politics and has worked for various campaigns and/or elected officials.

Having said that, I'm fascinated by certain angles of politics. The confluence of religion and politics, for example. And I'm always interested in what is actually motivating us in the political choices we make. It's often not what it appears, even to the voter himself or herself.

With limited exceptions, the local media seems more concerned with fitting in to the community than with providing a check on government action. The State Newspaper and WIS-TV, for example, are more about being our neighbors than asking any really hard questions. This is one (although only one) of the reasons we end up with political leaders who don't serve us very well.

In the State House, they're too busy debating banning sex toys, or getting the Ten Commandments posted in schools, to choose two examples, to focus on the real issues facing this state. Blogs, it seemed to me, could help correct this.

But I'm not naive about the ultimate influence of blogs, which is, of course, only slight.

When did you start blogging and why?

I began blogging January 9, 2006. The first location of the blog was http://not-very-bright.blogspot.com. I moved to the Wordpress domain in March. The explanation for my starting the blog can be found in my first entry: http://not-very-bright.blogspot.com/2006/01/beginnings.html.

There's a statistic somewhere that says 94% of all new blogs are abandoned within three months. Not really. I made that up. To make a point.

And that point is that people who write blogs make things up. No, wait. That wasn't the point. The point was that there really is not a good reason for me to be doing this. I mean, I'm a busy guy. Or girl. And take a look at the other South Carolina blogs. I don't mean the ones that talk about her latest knitting pattern or tell that fascinating story about how the setting on the toaster somehow was too dark and so the toast was a little crispier than he liked it. Not those.

I mean the ones that talk about political issues in this state. Let's see how to say this nicely. It's a small club. It's like junior high, when there was an in-crowd. Only these people weren't it. You follow me? I know, I don't really follow myself sometimes.

But here's the thing: I want to believe. I want to think that somehow expressing opinions about the issues of the day matters. And I think those other bloggers do too. That's why I like them. I mean, I wouldn't want to have them over for dinner or anything, but I like the fact that they care.

Some of those other blogs write about legislators the way my sister used to write about Donny Osmond thirty-five years ago. That's not me. I'm not going to be able to express an opinion about who the best-looking legislators are because, well, heck, I can't even identify the ugly ones.

But I'm fed up in a Howard Beale sorta way. And I'm tired of explaining to my friends in other places that yes, we (choose one) 1. Have a Confederate flag flying in front of the statehouse; 2. Had a government official convicted of some scheme relating to (gulp) cock-fighting; 3. Continue to elect - damn, there's no thesaurus in blogger to plug the word "clown" into - OK, never mind, I will come back to this one.

I dunno. I figure there are enough readers to go around. Some of those entries have not two but three - count 'em - comments. There's clearly an audience for this stuff.

Anyway, you get the idea. One stop shopping. Or reading. Or something. Come here and have your worst fears confirmed AND have a good laugh.

How are blogs changing politics in your state?

My guess is they aren't. I do not overestimate the impact of bloggers on a day to day basis. The general electorate doesn't even know what a blog is, much less read one. But there's always hope.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 12:44 PM

2/27: One Giant Focus Group

Some critics may assert that conservative blogs do little more than get bloggers fired from their day jobs. But as WH'08 continues to play out, it's clear they can also serve as testing grounds for candidate responses to troublesome issues. Since ex-NY mayor Rudy Giuliani convinced more conservatives he was running, hardly a day passes in The Corner without some contributor offering his/her defense of Giuliani on some issue (guns, gays, immigration, abortion, etc.) and then later reporting back on email response, often even adding reader suggestions on how to improve Giuliani's case. Frank Luntz could only dream of this kind of instant feedback.

GIULIANI: A Coming Out Party

Noting that some conservatives "have wondered when he would begin making appearances at events targeted at the conservative community" Captain's Quarters lets readers know Rudy Giuliani will be speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 3/2. Forwarded the story by Giuliani's eCampaign Adviser Patrick Ruffini, CQ comments: "This is a smart move for Giuliani."

A quick tour of The Corner previews the issues on which Giuliani will face a skeptical crowd. John Derbyshire tries to defend Giuliani's record on immigration, explaining Rudy "has a personality and intellect not the least, NOT THE LEAST, inclined towards the sappy-sentimentalist kumbaya view of humanity at large, or of immigrant humanity in particular (here, at least, his family background will have been informative)." Bull Dog Pundit at Ankle Biting Pundits responds by linking to Giuliani efforts to fight federal welfare-immigration reporting requirements requirements and comments: "To me this position is very troubling. It seems that not only is Rudy in favor of a [John] McCain-like amnesty program, he actually went to court to protect illegal immigrants.

Also at The Corner, Ramesh Ponnuru notes Giuliani had other problems with the '96 welfare bill prompting Kausfiles to wax: "Hillary Clinton was almost certainly in favor of the 1996 welfare reform law while Rudolph Giuliani opposed it. ... That could mean Giuliani is more liberal than people realize ... or it could mean that Giuliani is more opportunistic than people realize and therefore more likely to reposition himself. ... My guess: Both, but definitely the latter."

Looking to help Giuliani rehabilitate his gun-control past, Derbyshire later admits how silly Giuliani would look duck hunting and posts photo-up suggestions from a reader: "A much more suitable photo op would be for him to shoot an IDPA match, where shooters emulate concealed weapons permit holders acting out real-world bad-guy situations. It fits much better with his tough-on-crime image, and would appeal more to the hard-core 2A [ i.e. Second Amendment] types."

Back in IA, the Caucus Cooler passes along rumors that "former RNC Early Vote/Absentee Ballot director Tony Delgado will manage Rudy Giuliani's campaign in Iowa. In addition KC Jones will be the reg. pol. dir. who oversees the state. Jones spent a brief stint in IA working for Pres. Bush. In '04 she was the Minnesota deputy exec. dir. for the pres. Most recently she ran Rick O'Donnell's cong. race in CO-07. A number of Iowa activists with ties to Jones have said they've received calls from her in the past week regarding Mayor Giuliani's campaign."

MCCAIN: No Word On Whom Hagel Is Endorsing

RCP Blog's Tom Bevan tells John McCain: "If you're looking to mend fences and try to become the choice of conservative Republican primary voters, it's best not to go around trumpeting news of an endorsement by Senator John Warner of Virginia - especially after Warner just finished spearheading an effort in the Senate to rebuke the President and undermine his Iraq policy."

In more positive McCain blogging, Extreme Mortman reviews jokes from McCain's recent IA tour. After posting McCain's, "I don't know if you heard the story about in the state prison, one inmate, they were in the chow line and one of 'em said to the other one: 'The food was a lot better in here when you were governor.'" joke, Mortman comments: "the joke works because McCain saves the kicker - "governor" - for the very end. All too often bad joke tellers telegraph the punchline early in the joke, rendering it useless by the end. McCain's got a good sense of timing. Must be why he skipped Iowa last time."

ROMNEY: Iraq Rarely Comes Up

RCP Blog's Tom Bevan interviewed Mitt Romney 2/26 including:

• RCP: What's the question you get asked most?
• ROMNEY: From Republican crowds most often the question relates to immigration, then education and health care. Interestingly, very rarely is there a question about foreign policy, Iraq, Iran. I typically have to insert those into my opening remarks to get the audience to draw out on that at all.
• RCP: What's your impression of the job Rumsfeld did?
• ROMNEY: I really don't think pointing fingers at individuals is a productive exercise at this point. Clearly the president would agree the buck stops with him. He's responsible for the management of our affairs, and I would not suggest we go and try and find individuals within various departments to assume the blame.

Reacting to the Romney's thoughts on interview response to questions about Iran, Ankle biting Pundit's's Bull Dog Pundit writes: "So the bottom line - Mitt is saying the right things and is short on specifics, but I don't think any candidate could have given any more detailed answers and really known what the hell they were talking about."

ROMNEY II: Like A Virgin

The Corner's Peter Suderman got a laugh out of Grover Norquist's explanation as to why conservative seem willing to forgive Romney's past liberal positions: "It's called secondary virginity," Mr. Norquist said. "It is a big movement in high school and also available for politicians."

Suderman comments: "That's cute ... And I think he's right: Conservatives ought to be open to converts." The Brody File, however, notes that not all Evangelicals are impressed with Romney's wayward teen impersonation posting text from a former NH Christian Coalition dir. Paul Nagy email: "As a longtime conservative activist in New Hampshire, I thought it was important that my fellow conservatives see these videos of Mitt Romney passionately outlining his SUPPORT FOR abortion, SUPPORT FOR gay marriage, SUPPORT FOR Affirmative Action, and OPPOSITION TO Ronald Reagan's economic policies."

Brody comments: "It's too early to go counting numbers but this email illustrates an important point. There seems to be a split in Evangelical conservative circles about Romney."

CLINTON: Sisterhood Only Goes So Far

Noting that "as my mother's daughter, I feel obligated to support and vote for Hillary Clinton" Alternet's Courtney Martin asks if she is "obligated, as a young feminist" to support HRC? Explaining why not, Martin writes: "As a young, fed-up progressive, I want to vote for someone who seems real, who strikes me as outside of the old guard and its outrageously overblown campaign spending. I want to support a candidate who doesn't compromise on certain issues -- violence, the constitution -- and understands the wisdom of the 'middle path' in others -- taxes, Social Security. ... That person is not looking much like former first lady, current Senator Clinton."

Talk Left's Jeralyn Merritt links and adds: "I don't think feminism requires one to to vote for a female candidate. ... if I decide to support Hillary, it won't be because she's a woman. It will be because I think she's the best choice to lead our country, based upon her experience, intelligence and position on issues -- all issues, not female issues."

EDWARDS: His Better Half Indeed

"As an aside" DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas tell readers, "I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say (in DC and outside it), 'I wish Elizabeth Edwards was running instead of her husband.' I don't take that as a knock on John, but testament to how much of a star Elizabeth could be."

Also at Daily Kos, David Mizner links to Ezra Klein The American Prospect profile of John Edwards and asks: "Edwards Rejects Clintonomics; will Obama?" Over 850 Kossacks commented on Mizner's diary (overwhelmingly positive) which included: "Here's a layman's explanation of Clintonomics (the only kind I'm capable of giving): limited, targeted social spending-especially on education, research, and science-combined with an obsessive commitment to "free" trade and yearly balanced budgets."

Mizner identifies where Edwards departs from the plan: "Edwards is tipping over the two sacred cows of corporate-sponsored Clintonomics: "free" trade and yearly balanced budgets. Instead, he's promoting fair trade and an activist government that helps the middle class, the working class, and the poor." Mizner then challenges Obama: "But where Barack Obama stands is an open question. The early signs are not promising. He recently headlined the kickoff event for the Hamilton Project-the Wall Street backed group that seeks to quash progressive reform of America's trade policy."

GORE: But He Bought An Indulgence At The Church Of Native Energy, So It's All Good

Seeing The Forest's Dave Johnson and The Huffington Post's James Boye co-wrote a Daily Kos diary examining a "Right Wing Smear Machine" attack on Al Gore following his big Oscar night 2/25. The diary tracks "The Tennessee Center For Policy Research" (which claims: "Gore's mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES)") dissemination through conservative news outlets, starting with The Drudge Report, moving to many conservative blogs and finally ending up at ABC News and Fox News.

Johnson and Boye attack the report: "How did they get the utility bills? They also didn't have the courtesy to ask Vice President Gore about them (despite their hollow claim of being non-partisan.)" They also link to Gore's response, via Think Progress, which does not refute any of the facts asserted in the Drudge Report but does offer:

• 1. Gore's family has taken numerous steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their private residence, including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch, installing solar panels, and using compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy saving technology.
• Gore has had a consistent position of purchasing carbon offsets to offset the family's carbon footprint - a concept the right-wing fails to understand.

OBAMA: Wasn't Dean The King Of Meet-Ups?

Calitics diarist 'atdleft' is amazed at the "grassroots infrastructure" the "Obama folks" are already setting up across the country. After attending meet-ups in Fullerton and Costa Mesa, CA, the self-identified Obama volunteer writes: "Again, people from all walks of life and from throughout the county braved the gloomy weather outside and the always busy freeways to come and meet fellow Obama supporters in OC. And yes, about halfway through we were all setting up a real grassroots primary campaign here in Orange County, a place with so many Democrats, yet a place that is often ignored by the national Dems (except when they want money)."

IRAQ: More Partisanship Wanted

Stu Rothenberg received rare agreement from Kos and Atrios after advising Dems to make Iraq a more partisan issue writing: "In fact, a partisan division over the war probably would help Democrats by further damaging the Republicans between now and next year's Presidential election."

Kos comments: "Make the war partisan. The GOP already did." Atrios adds: "Republicans want to continue the war and Democrats want to end it. It's that simple. ... Make it partisan. The Republicans are. Let them have their war." Also following the story, The Carpetbagger Report's Steve Benen writes: "Dems want to end the war. Republicans prefer an open-ended commitment and falling in line behind a president who's been wrong every step of the way in this crisis from the outset. Let's take that dynamic to the country and see what happens."

Hoping Dems do take their proposals to the public, Townhall's Dean Barnett attempts to tell Kos why the Dems are unwilling to be more aggressive in ending the war: "When the Democrats ran in 2006, they positioned themselves as anti-Bush on Iraq. No further elaboration was forthcoming. That was their entire Iraq platform. They insisted that providing plans for Iraq wasn't in their job description, much in the way my petulant maid at Soxblog Manor insists that she doesn't do windows."

Dean adds: "While the public clearly doesn't like the war in Iraq, it also doesn't like the idea of losing the war in Iraq. If the Democratic congress declares defeat or undermines the war effort, then they'll risk public scorn. And it there's one thing that the Democrats don't want is public scorn. After all, we're only 21 months away from a presidential election."

IRAQ II: Prelude To Spring

The Washington Post is under heavy netroots fire for not adequately promoting its poll's finding that 58% would support "Congress trying to block Bush's plan by creating new rules on troop training and rest time that would limit the number of troops available for duty in Iraq." The Left Coaster's Steve Soto comments: "The real reason that the Democrats are losing some support with the public over Iraq is because the White House and the congressional GOP leadership have successfully established a narrative with the media that the Democratic Party is flailing each week to defund the troops."

Soto advises: "Democrats should ready themselves for the next stage in this debate this spring, such as the [Joe] Sestak plan and a limit on funding in the FY 2008 appropriation process. In the interim, the weekly message from Democrats should be that the GOP had a chance to take control of this war, and instead voted to keep it on autopilot."

Happiness with Dem action on Iraq remains highly mixed. At MyDD, David Sirota responds to an AP's description of internal Dem 'divisions' writing: "Make no mistake about it: The renewed refusal by Democrats to use their majority in even the most basic way to stop the war is a declaration that the new majority is not close to using even the most basic powers afforded to it to stop or slow down the war. In other words, in backing off, the Democrats have just weeks after the 2006 anti-war election mandate effectively declared themselves as supportive of the Bush administration's stay-the-course policy - a truly sickening act of cowardice."

But fellow MyDDer Chris Bowers argued the AP was selling Dems short: "First, the article never actually quotes Pelosi saying anything against Murtha's plan--it just claims she said that. Attacking her because of words a reporter put into her mouth is unfair, especially considering how often it happens to Democrats. ... Yes, the war is the most pressing issue we face, and yes there are Democrats who are not on board that we need to pressure. However, this is a crap article that is utterly unfair to the Democratic leadership that is in fact still pursuing plans to end the war as vigorously as ever."

NEVADA CAUCUS: Leaving Las Vegas

Citing NV Dem refusal to disassociate Fox News from 8/14's WH '08 forum, Kos says top-tier candidates looking to both free up their schedules and score points with the netroots should just skip the event. He writes: "The best thing Barack Obama may have done this young primary season was to freeze out Fox News after their "Madrassas" smear of him. I don't know if he's still cutting them off, but fact is, he sent an unmistakable message -- he'll only deal with legitimate news operations, and Fox News ain't one of them."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Another Campaign Must

Techpresident's Fred Stutzman did a quick survey of the top links generated by Googling WH '08 names and reports: "For each candidate, their Wikipedia entry is ranked no lower than 5th place by Google. In addition, the Wikipedia entry ranks higher than the election web presence of that particular candidate for 25% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans. There is no other entity on the web that plays such a systematically influential role in candidate information positioning as Wikipedia, pointing to its increased importance as a messaging tool in the 2008 cycle."

Stutzman continues: "This is truly eye-opening data. Wikipedia's influence is systematic and pervasive, perhaps to the point of overreaching. Should Wikipedia outrank a candidate's electoral site? Clearly, this shows that monitoring Wikipedia is a must for every campaign - thankfully Wikipedia makes this easy with RSS-based monitoring."

LEST WE FORGET: As Long As Were On The Subject ...

The Corner's Jonah Goldberg shares the rules of a reader's new poker game called -- Wikipedia:

Each player is dealt three cards, with five common cards on the table, meaning each player has eight cards with which to make his best 5-card poker hand. After a round of betting, each player is given to the opportunity to "overwrite" one common card with one of his hole cards, and take a replacement hole card from the deck. The "overwrite" costs 10c (for bandwidth). Another betting round ensues, followed by a second "overwrite" round with the cost raised to 20c (next round 30c, etc.). Once a player passes on the chance to overwrite, he cannot elect to do so in a later round. Betting and overwriting continues until all players pass their chance to overwrite. After one last round of betting, players reveal their hands.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 12:23 PM

February 26, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: Democrats in the South

Not even jury duty can stop the Blogometer's Blogger Spotlight from moving down to SC as expected. Better late than never, please enjoy our interview with Democrats in the South's Max Blachman.

What is your full name?

Max S. Blachman

What is your age?

21

What's your hometown?

Columbia, South Carolina

Where do you live now?

Charleston, South Carolina

What is your educational background?

I'll graduate from the College of Charleston in May with a bachelors degree in political science.

What is your occupation?

Student

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

I grew up in a political home. Both of my parents were active in Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992, and I have fond memories of running around the Clinton headquarters in Columbia while everyone else was hard at work. I began to pay closer attention to politics during the 2000 election, which coincided with my freshman year of high school, but I was finally bit with the political bug during my senior year. I settled on the College of Charleston and began pursuing a degree in political science from day one. I've been a volunteer, intern, and staffer during the last two election cycles, and decided to establish a political blog after returning from a six-month internship on Capitol Hill.

When did you start blogging and why?

I needed a hobby, so last July I decided to start a blog called Democrats in the South. I spent an exciting six months as an intern in South Carolina Congressman James E. Clyburn's office on Capitol Hill, but I had a tough time adjusting to life in South Carolina after it was over. One night I was reading several of the more popular political blogs in South Carolina, and it occurred that I might enjoy becoming a blogger. Political campaigns in South Carolina and across the country were heating up, so I decided to join the blogging community and share my point of view. I solicited a number of established South Carolina bloggers for advice, and began to post regularly on my own blog and comment on others. The whole experience has been tremendous. Political blogs promote a wider variety of viewpoints than traditional media, and allow for a dynamic discussion of current events without the usual filters and bias of corporate owned media.

How are blogs changing politics in your state?

Political blogs are constantly evolving, but the most important consequence of blogs in South Carolina is the decentralization and democratization of information. There are two major political news aggregators in South Carolina that steer web traffic to relevant political news sources, and blogs are commonly linked on these websites. Blogs have changed the rapidity with which we receive information, and traditional political reporters have come to rely on the blogs for additional information. The South Carolina blogosphere is constantly changing, but there is clearly an appetite for this kind of non-traditional news reporting and commentary.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 03:03 PM

2/26: The Movement Candidate?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em ... especially if you don't really have anything against 'em in the first place. That seems to be the M.O. playing out in the awkward-but-warming mating dance between the netroots and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). Slowly, Obama seems to be winning liberal bloggers' praise, but he's doing so more by proving his electability and the aura of inevitability (i.e. huge crowd numbers in TX over the weekend) than by spouting rhetoric more pleasing to their ears (he talks about unity and there's now mention of poverty on his issues page, while John Edwards is all about poverty). Meanwhile, Al Gore had fun at the Oscars last p.m., but so far this a.m., the only ones having any Gore-related fun in the 'sphere are those on the right.

OBAMA: Biggest ... Rally ... Ever

It's not so much what he said on his 2/23 stop in Austin, TX, (although hitting Dick Cheney can never hurt either). It was the size of his crowds that seemed to most impress the 'roots bigwigs. Texans for Obama reports their clicker counter armed volunteers counted 22K in attendance in what they called: "the biggest rally ever in American history for a presidential candidate this early in the campaign cycle."

TFO has the best collection of Austin video and pictures including more, here, here, here, and here. Burnt Orange Report's Katie Naranjo liveblogged the proceedings writing: "The band is playing "One more step to the promise land," sending the message that Obama will "not be denied" on his quest for the promised land."

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas doubted the 22K report but added "even the 15,000 mark is pretty darn impressive. No one else in the field, not even Hillary [Clinton], is competing with those numbers." Kos then provides perspective: "At this point four years ago, us [Howard] Dean people were ecstatic over Dean drawing 3,000 in Austin, and that was considered huge at the time, much bigger than what anyone else could manage. 15,000 is mind-boggling."

MyDD's Chris Bowers also sees Kos' Dean's reference and raises him a Kennedy: "This is getting bigger than Dean. The last Democrat to draw these sorts of crowds in a primary season was probably RFK. Even then, he didn't draw them eleven months from the start of the primaries."

CLINTON: He Just Said What Everyone Else Was Thinking ...

Not yet done with the David Geffen/Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton spat The Huffington Post's political editor Melinda Henneberger says Geffen's HRC concerns are nothing she hasn't "heard over and over in 18 months worth of interviews with women voters across the political spectrum, in 20 states from Massachusetts to Arizona and Oregon to Louisiana."

Henneberger quotes FL Dem Mary Jane Arrington: ""I think Bill Clinton could get reelected, but I don't think Hillary can, and I hope she's smart enough to know that. She's smart, but she comes across as a pushy woman. She's not the right one, and to break the glass ceiling, you have to be the right one."

And for a peak at what a general election will look like for HRC on YouTube, check out this Hot Airproduction courtesy of Air Congress.

EDWARDS: He's All Growed Up

Providing a overview on the prospects of all WH '08 Dems in NH Blue Hampshire's Dean Barker writes of John Edwards: "At the beginning of the year, it felt like Edwards was poised to be Howard Dean 2.0. (whether perception or reality -- of no consequence to me). I don't see that now, and it's not just the bloggerdrama. I don't know why he's been polling with a guy who keeps saying he's not running (Gore). Why no traction? Will this weekend's visits will change that?"

An Edwards convert before this weekend's NH trip, Blue Hampshire's NHTimes reports on the attendees of two Edwards house parties and includes this recap of Edwards pitch: "John Edwards spoke succinctly about his health care proposal to cover all Americans, about the need for big steps not baby steps or incremental change. He spoke to the crucial importance of the next President's re-establishment of America's position as moral leader of the free world, about the need to rebuild the reputation of our great country through actions that the rest of the world can look up to. I am very proud to see that the man I supported in '04 has grown to become a true social progressive, one who could be a great President."

Just when you thought the Amanda Marcotte saga had subsided, Majikthise's Lindsay Beyerstein writes at Salon that she was offered the Edwards' campaign blog job and turned it down. RedState's Nelson writes that Beyerstein's article reveals a few things about the whole Marcotte episode: "First, it's clear that the Edwards campaign was looking for someone who would be as abrasive as Marcotte on issues such as abortion, birth control, and social conservatives. They went for Beyerstein first, and when they couldn't have her they went for Marcotte - and "Bob" was well aware of the things that both Beyerstein and Marcotte had written in the past. It was no accident that the Edwards campaign ended up with somebody like Marcotte. That's who they were looking for all along. The second thing this reveals is the completely disingenuous nature of John Edwards' announcement that he would not fire Marcotte. He said: "The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me." If that's the case, then why did he hire them in the first place? Before, we might have assumed that he didn't know about their moonbat posts. We now know that wasn't the case, which makes his assertion that he found their posts offensive awfully suspicious. If he did find them offensive, he must not have minded hiring them despite the offense their posts caused."

DODD: Lamonsters For Dodd

Campaign MattersAri Melber recaps Chris Dodd's recent blog outreach focussing on the support of "popular figure among the netroots" Ned Lamont and including favorable posts at Booman Tribune, Firedoglake, and My Left Nutmeg.

GIULIANI: How The Social Conservatives Were Won

Rudy Giuliani phoned into Townhall's Hugh Hewitt's radio show 2/24. Highlights include:

• Hewitt: Richard Land, I'm sure you saw, he was on record this week saying I don't think Evangelicals will vote for Rudy. I disagree with that, but how do you get past that kind of a block?
• Giuliani: Well, I have spent a great deal of time over the last three, four years in various places, talking to many, many people including clergy, who are, who would describe themselves, I think, as Evangelicals ... And I find that when we spend time together ... that they come away feeling that on most issues, there's agreement. There are some disagreements, but that there's a basic core of looking at the world in very much the same way.
• Giuliani [on imposing a litmus test on judges]: No. No, not a litmus test on a single issue, a philosophical test, meaning what I wanted to know was what's their view of how you interpret the Constitution and laws? Are they...do the Constitution and laws exist as the thing from which you have to discern the meaning and the intent? Or are you going to superimpose your own social views? And I want, I like the first kind of judge, who is a judge who looks to the meaning of the Constitution, doesn't try to create it.

Power Line's Paul Mirengoff links to the interview and comments: "You have to admire the way Rudy Giuliani handles himself. ... It's all there -- the willingness to laugh at himself, the eagerness to share credit and throw in the kind word, the recognition of human imperfection, the respect for the views of others, and the ability (enhanced by all of the above) to talk up his accomplishments and leadership skills without appearing unduly immodest. He's good."

Fellow Power Line contributor John Hinderaker updates: "I heard part of Hugh's interview while driving home tonight. Rudy is indeed very, very good. I was listening while he described how he helped crush the Mafia in the 1980s. I wonder how many voters know that story; not many, I'd guess. People who wonder how Giuliani can appeal to conservatives haven't seen him in action."

Over at Captain's Quarters, Ed Morrissey is happy about Giuliani's decision to address CPAC this week. "This is a smart move for Giuliani. He needs to make his debut with conservative groups soon, before a meme of avoidance starts to gain traction. If my earlier experience with Giuliani gives any indication, he'll shine there as he does anywhere he speaks live. Conservatives there will ask tough questions, and I'm interested to see if he decides to engage in a dialogue at CPAC rather than just a speech."

Not ready to jump on the Rudy train quite yet, IA's Caucus Cooler links to New York Timesstory on the absence of social issue discussions during recent campaign stops in NH, CA, and SC and blogs: "We at the Cooler are starting to wonder when the "softball phase" with Giuliani will be over."

And finally, National Review's York has this nugget at The Corner: Longtime Rudy friend Bill Simon Jr., a darling of social conservatives who unsuccessfully challenged then-CA Gov. Gray Davis (D) in '02, will join Rudy's Rudy campaign today as policy dir.

ROMNEY: At Least No One's Talking About Anyone Else's Mama

The right and left are unhappy with the AP's 2/24 story on the marital histories of Mitt Romney's great- and great-great grandfathers. Power Line's John Hinderaker explains the MSM's motives: "It gives the press an opportunity to take a pot shot at Romney's religion. He is a Mormon, and Mormons are Weird; the best evidence of this proposition is their former practice of polygamy."

The story did let Hinderaker add: "Several readers have pointed out that Barack Obama's father was a bigamist. Somehow, though, there doesn't seem to be any interest in this story, even though it's several generations closer in time." Back talking about Romney and the AP, Captain's Quarters quips: "... And Brigham Young's Great-Great-Great-Grandson Won A Super Bowl

Over at The Brody File, David Brody has received a confidential email circulating within the network of Romney's supporters. "I thought I'd share it with you. I don't put this up as fact just simply to give you an idea of what's being talked about among his supporters." Here goes: "Rumor has it that it's McCain's 'opposition research' team that is pushing all this stuff to a more than willing MSM. They love their guy McCain, and they hate anyone with conservative values. The good news is, with each passing week they become more marginalized as people turn more to the blogosphere for more accurate reporting. I think McCain views Mitt as the bigger threat at this point, so he'll keep his Giuliani powder dry for another day." Brody: "Let the record reflect that The Brody File is not saying this about McCain but Romney's supporters truly believe this. As to what evidence they have, that hasn't been shared ... yet."

BLOGGERS VS. BELTWAY: Viva La Revolution!

NV Dem Chair Tom Collins did not put out any blog fires with his 2/23 defense of FOX News' sponsorship of 8/14's WH '08 forum in Reno, NV. At Daily Kos Collins invoked DNC chair Howard Dean's 50 state strategy and assured readers that "before agreeing to have FOX sponsor this debate, we looked at the debate in Baltimore in 2004 and got, in writing, a number of concessions to fix many of the issues that came up around that, including joint approval of moderators, sets, questioners, signage, etc."

Noting that "during the eight presidential elections from 1976-2004 Democrats received an extremely stable percentage of the self-identified Republican vote" MyDD's Chris Bowers responds to Collins: "the point in bringing this all up is to show that the main talking point the Nevada Democratic Party is using to justify holding a debate on Fox News is hogwash."

Trying to be constructive Bowers suggests that NV Dems attempt to add either/both NPR or/and Air America as co-hosts for the debates writing: "Fox isn't the only place where you can reach new voters, nor the best place to reach new voters. Partnering with Fox on a project does endorse them and provide them with credibility, no matter what someone may claim otherwise." In a less diplomatic vein Bowers adds: "You may think we act like a bunch of snotty know-it-alls, but believe me when I write that during an episode like this, that feeling is absolutely mutual."

Taylor Marsh wants to use the controversy as a rallying cry to change the state party: "Nevada is very unique. At the core of the population is a long, strong, very independent, conservative base that has been fully infiltrated by Republican Lite types and traitor D.I.N.O.'s (Democrats in name only) masquerading as true blue Democrats. ... It's past time for the progressives and moderates in the Nevada State Democratic Party to rise up, organize and vote these traitors out of every leadership position and chairmanship. It's time the registered Democrats of Nevada say enough is enough and we want change now in Nevada. I say, Viva la Revolution! and viva Las Vegas, baby."

IRAQ: Mmmmm, Porridge

RedState's California Yankee shared Min. Leader Mitch McConnell's thoughts on recent Dem legislative action on Iraq: "Senator McConnell said the Democrats are looking for a Goldilocks resolution that's hot enough for their antiwar base, but cool enough so they can continue to claim that they support the troops. Their problem is that none of the Democrats' resolutions is "just right." Senator McConnell stated several times that the only way for the Democrats to end the war is to cut off funds for the war."

Definitely in the "not hot enough" camp, The Left Coaster's Steve Soto writes: "The next time one feels like rationalizing, making an excuse, or denying Democratic party failure with the glib "it's early days yet" they should instantly stop: it's February 25th, precisely 56 days into the new year and 49 days into the new Congress. ... There's still a chance to prove to the American public Democrats are different, Democrats see the vast dangers and did everything they could to stop it. Americans don't expect them to accomplish everything, but they have to see a real effort. There isn't an American alive who thought a non-binding resolution on escalation was a real effort, Jesus save us."

Soto goes onto outline what he wants to see from congressional Dems: "There's still a chance to pass a Congressional resolution (here is where non-binding is appropriate, it's supposed to be a threat only) stating if Bush attacks Iran he and Cheney will be impeached the next week. No ifs, ands or buts, simple instant impeachment, along with total cessation of all funding for any American war effort, anywhere. That's the only kind of leadership that earns respect and elections, and until the Democrats actually do it they'll continue to fail in their duty."

Also with suggestions, The Reality Based Community's Mark Kleiman asks: "Note to Democrats In the debate over the "surge," why isn't the need for troops in Afghanistan among the best arguments against?"

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Politico As Outsourcing Villain?

Townhall's Hugh Hewitt pressed Politico's John Harris on the future of media in DC, including:

• Hewitt: Obviously, there is internet advertising, but this looks very much to me like you're going to make all of the Washington, D.C. bureau of mid-major papers obsolete if you succeed in syndicating this content out. It's written by more experienced reporters, it goes much, much deeper, and you're much better staffed than they are. Shouldn't everyone be polishing up their resumes in that particular part of the business? ... it just seems to me clear that what you're doing is very innovative, and it will replace the bureaus that these out of town newspapers run at great expense inside of Washington. Do you intend at some point to sell your product to them as a sort of wire service?
• Harris: We have no intention of doing that before 2008 in this cycle. I think you're right. I do think the traditional regional newspaper bureaus are soon going to be a thing of the past. Most of those papers are retreating. It wouldn't surprise me if long term, that was a model that we looked at, but I can tell you it's not something we're looking at in the near term, or you know, really even in the medium term. 2007, 2008, we are all about getting our brand established, and sort of making the relationships and the connections with the audience.

LEST WE FORGET: Deep Thoughts By A .249 Hitter

Seamless Baseball's Derek Nelson points us to Tampa Bay Devil Ray Jorge Cantu's perspective on rebounding from his poor 2006 campaign:

"He told me something really wise," Cantu said. "Human beings, we're dumb sometimes, and animals are not. Animals can go down a road and if they see a hole, they go around it. Human beings go and get in that hole. So what he's trying to tell me, if I want to make the same mistakes, I'm going to go into that hole again, but if I'm smart, I'm going to go around that."

Posted by Conn Carroll at 02:52 PM

February 23, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: Pun Salad

Closing out New Hampshire blogs stage right we talk to Pun Salad's Paul Sand. Next week we move to South Carolina and start the week with Democracts in the South's Max Blachman.

What is your full name?

Paul A. Sand

What is your age?

55

What's your hometown?

Rollinsford, NH

Where do you live now?

Is this a trick question? ... Rollinsford, NH.

What is your educational background?

I have a masters degree in physics. That was quite awhile ago, but I can still recognize Schrodinger's equation when I see it.

What is your occupation?

I am a computer sysadmin (aka "geek") at the University of New Hampshire.

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

I was a (very young) volunteer for the Barry Goldwater campaign in 1964 back in Omaha, Nebraska. As one measure of my effectiveness, I believe this is the only Presidential election since 1936 where Nebraska voted Democratic.

When did you start blogging and why?

I'm coming up on my two-year blogiversary at the end of February. "Why" is a complex question, but I think it's primarily due to my juvenile infatuation with seeing my own words on the web.

How are blogs changing politics in your state?

I don't know. I would like to think they are encouraging grassroots participation, a greater awareness of issues, and a sober weighing of options. But if someone claimed those kind of things were actually happening, let alone blog-driven, I'd want to see the evidence.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 02:09 PM

2/23: Unity Before Strength

Criticism of Victory Caucus traffic numbers aside, the conservative blogosphere has largely united behind Pres. Bush's Iraq surge plan. As Dems continue to move through war plans in Congress, however, there's a growing rift among left-leaning blogs on what both the goals and tactics of cong. Dems should be. The netroots can be a powerful force when they concentrate their efforts in unison. But when divided, there's little evidence they can affect office-holder behavior on an issue.

GIULIANI: Social Issues Matter, Unless They Don't

"[P]ro-life fiscal conservative" ex-Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA) was RedStateradio with Erick Erickson 2/22 to discuss his "surprise" early endorsement of Rudy Giuliani. Erickson recaps: "When I asked Congressman Nussle about Rudy's social stances, he said he felt strongly that those issues would not be as serious in the next few years as national security issues. He also said that of all the candidates running in either party, Rudy is the one guy who has truly been tested."

Not in Rudy's camp, The Corner's Terry Jeffrey seconds Kate O'Beirneclaims that a Giuliani candidacy would spell disaster for the GOP: "Bottom line question: If the GOP runs a candidate such as Rudy Giuliani, who mirrors the Democratic candidate's liberal positions on key social issues, and who will not benefit from the presence of a marriage amendment on the ballot, does the GOP increase or decrease its chances of winning Ohio? Running against a senator who just won a landslide reelection in New York, Giuliani is far more likely to paint Ohio blue than his home state red."

HUCKABEE: Hawkeyes Not For Huckabee

IA's Krusty Konservative has dropped Mike Huckabee from his latest caucus power rankings, writing: "[W]hile it's very early and there is plenty of time to campaign in the state, I'm starting to wonder if Iowa is a priority for the Huckabee campaign. Huckabee made a two day visit to Iowa in late January. On that visit he also announced that Bob Vander Plaats and Danny Carroll, two respected conservatives, had joined his campaign. Since the visit, there has been no news about his campaign, and he has yet to hire any Iowa staff."

MCCAIN: Somebody Get Jonathan Silverman On The Phone!

Any blogmentum gained earlier in the week by John McCain has officially been killed with a recent solid round of negative blog posts. RedState's Rob Bluey hits McCain for yet again not attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on 3/1-3/3. Bluey notes that this will be McCain's third conservative confab skip, in a row, including the National Review Institute Conservative Summit and the Heritage Foundation's Conservative Members Retreat. Blury further reports:

A source close to McCain's campaign told me the senator felt he could skip CPAC because conservatives are familiar with his credentials. When I told this to American Conservative Union President David Keene, he replied, "They are right in one respect; we are certainly familiar with his record on campaign finance reform, global warming and taxes to make a judgment even in his absence."

The Right Angle Blog's Amanda Carpenter and Ivy Sellers remind readers that McCain's "amnesty bill" is set to go through committee soon. Sellers reminds readers McCain co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and writes: "The bill ... is even worse than the reform bill proposed by the two lawmakers last year, which cleared the Senate but was never signed into law."

McCain also took heat for supporting "the kind of mandatory reductions in carbon emissions that California" enacted under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in '06. Townhall's Matt Lewis comments: "Every time McCain starts to gain some traction with conservatives, he goes and does something like this. It seems to me that if his staff just locked him in the basement for the next few months, he'd win in a landslide. Maybe a "Weekend at Bernie's" campaign (figuratively speaking, of course) is in order?"

Also tracking the story, Ankle Biting PunditsBull Dog Pundit says McCain sided "with the loons on the left and Arnie in supporting environmental policies that would cripple the nation's economy." When fellow ABP contributor and McCain aide Pat Hynes fired back with "a recent South Carolina poll, McCain is well within the mainstream of GOP thinking on this matter" BDP responded: "Come on Pat, let's look at who commissioned that poll. It was done for "Environmental Defense," a far left environmental organization."

ROMNEY: Boppin' Around The Blogosphere

Responding to Jonathan Martin's 2/21 Politicostory featuring pro-life litigator James Bopp's "He's still on a journey" abortion quote, Bopp commented on conservative blog Race4'08: "The last four paragraphs of Jonathan Martin's blog combines answers to several questions to me creating the erroneous impression that I am uncertain about Romney's pro-life position. I am not."

RedState's J Bonham further beats back the Martin story: "When Bopp's statements are misconstrued in the Politico all the cynics knock Romney for not being Pro-life enough for Bopp. I hope today these cynics will follow suit and admit Bopp believes in Romney, and admit that just as a damning statement from Bopp carries weight, so does a strong statement of endorsement."

Also in defense mode, The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez defends her claims Romney "had a bad week(s) in terms of the commentariat" and goes on to defend Romney: "I hope he rises about all this and I have no doubt he can. Whether or not he does, the coming weeks and months will tell. It may turn out that airing all this stuff early will be an advantage to him. ... And maybe it's a good sign for Romney that there are a lot of passionate well-spoken (or written) Romney fans on the Internet - I'm certainly hearing from them today."

Also commenting on 'passionate well-spoken' online Romney fans, RedState's Hunter Baker marvels at Townhall's Dean Barnett attempt to portray this as "a great week for Romney." Baker summarized Barnett: "He's been giving the press the old rope-a-dope technique. Romney is Ali and the media (maybe meaning the conservative media) is Foreman. Don't worry, Romney's detractors will punch themselves out and he'll land a haymaker."

In other Townhall Romney push back, Barnett attacks Strategic Vision assertions that Romney is 'tanking' responding: "In the past month, Romney's gone from 8% to 9% in Strategic Vision's Iowa's polling. At the risk of splitting hairs, I feel it's necessary to note that this means Romney has actually picked up a point. Believe me, I spent a lot of time crunching the numbers on this."

ROMNEY II: Cat Fight In SoCo Land?

The Brody File continues its coverage of Romney's rocky relationship with MA social conservatives this time reprinting assertions from Orthodox Jew Don Federer, who claims: "Except for offering lip-service to traditional marriage, Romney did exactly what gay activists wanted him to do -- nada."

Via TBF, the Romney camp responds: "The Governor did everything in his power and went beyond just a symbolic gesture in his effort to preserve traditional marriage! He launched a drive for a constitutional amendment that would be guaranteed by a vote of the people, thereby protecting it from activist courts. Governor Romney fought for a long-term permanent defense of the institution of marriage with the participation of the people of the state."

Brody takes a step back and observes: "I received an interesting response from Brian Camenker from the conservative group Mass resistance. They think Romney's a phony and that I'm buying in to the deception. ... Since I have brought up Mass Resistance, let me make mention of something I've discovered. It's important to make a distinction between conservative in-state grassroots groups and the bigger, national ones like Family Research Council and Focus on the Family. These smaller grassroots groups tend to be more rabid when it comes to fighting the fight on their pet causes. ... My sense is that these smaller groups believe the power player national groups have an interest in power and a seat at the table, watching closely so they can back the right candidate in 2008. The smaller groups know they won't have a seat at the table so they focus elsewhere."

DEM FIELD: Edwards Had Trouble With Bloggers Recently?

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas is out with his latest "cattle call" reminding readers this isn't whom he likes, just his take on "where these candidates sit in the race today."

• 1. Hillary Clinton (up arrow): "Her announcement rollout was masterful. ... Iraq is already giving her fits, and will present a long-term problem for her campaign. But for now, most people are blissfully unaware of her Iraq record."
• 2. Barack Obama (up arrow): "He has parried off the early attacks skillfully and is getting a great deal of traction on Iraq. He's drawing thousands to his rallies, hinting at a Dean-like popular phenomenon in the makings. ... Oh, and the money will be there. Lots of it."
• 3. John Edwards (down arrow): "Boy, that blogger stuff wasn't his campaign's finest hour. They betrayed a lack of preparation, foresight, and basic vetting. ... The good thing is that this happened so early that it won't register as even a blip in a few months.
• 4. Bill Richardson (up arrow): "Put aside his hokey desire to have the candidates make a pledge to campaign only positively (those things never survive the heat of battle), Richardson is quietly building up support and raising money.Of all the announced candidates, Richardson has the greatest potential to break into the top tier."
• 7. Chris Dodd (only remaining up arrow in field): "His remarks at the DNC and AFSCME cattle calls were generally well received."
• 10. Wesley Clark (down arrow): "He's not even in the race, has no operation, and his public profiles is fading as the rest of the field takes center stage. This is the last time I include him in either the straw poll or cattle call unless he announces."

CLINTON: Didn't Edwards Whiff The First Time Too?

Claiming "The swiftboating season has already begun," Carson City forum attendee Taylor Marsh posts the full text of the "Why Can't She Win?" anti-HRC fliers posted on car windshields during the debate. The flier begins:

If John Kerry had won Ohio in 2004 he would have won the presidential election. Unfortunately, he lost. Why? Many pundits blamed the gay ballot initiative, a statewide measure than mobilized conservative voters to turn out in larger numbers than their liberal counterparts. This should give pause to anyone considering voting for Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for the presidency.

and ends:

In short, if conservatives are motivated to turnout across the country like they did in Ohio in 2004, we risk losing more than the presidency. We also risk losing the Senate, House, and other statewide offices. Let Sen. Clinton stay in New York and use her intellect and skills to help further the Democratic agenda. We can't afford her at the top of the ticket.

Not in an HRC-defending mood, Kos had twoposts hitting HRC on Iraq 2/22 including: "Hillary is in trouble in Iraq. She has no out. The time to change her position in Iraq should've been when it wouldn't look like clear pandering, before she stubbornly dug in her heels. ... But I don't want people who find religion before their presidential bids. I want people who got it right the first time."

DODD: Moving Uphill

Commenting on Chris Dodd's hiring of Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) aide Marc BeltrameIA Progress ' Geraldine writes: "It seems like he's building a good foundation with these hires by tapping into the networks of incumbent Democratic Congressmen. It's still an uphill fight for Senator Dodd in Iowa but he's off to a solid start."

OBAMA: Keep Geffen, Ditch Gibbs?

The netroots are unhappy with the surfacing of their long time foe and Kerry '04 aide Robert Gibbs in Barack Obama's campaign. At issue is Gibbs role in the group 'Americans for Jobs, Health Care and Progressive Values' and their anti-Howard Dean ad (found here) featuring grainy images of Osama bin Laden with a voice over suggesting Dean was "unqualified" due to a lack of foreign policy experience. MyDD's Jerome Armstrong quotes Dean aide Joe Trippi at the time calling the ad "the kind of fearmongering attack we've come to expect from Republicans," one that "panders to the worst in voters."

Kos adds: "Obama clearly dipped into the slimiest corners of DC to pluck out Gibbs. But one can't help but get a little cynical hearing Obama talk about "changing the tone" and all that bulls**t, while hiring a well-known smear-meister best known for his work trashing other Democrats."

Looking back to 2/19, Juls at Calitics picks up on SF Gate blog reports that some San Francisco, CA, Dems did not appreciate Obama's calling Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) a "cutie." SF Gate's Carla Marinucci posts the thoughts of a Dem strategist: "From an opposition research point of view, this marked "a swing and a miss" by Team Hillary: "It would have been easy to get the blogosphere and make sure Fox News and Drudge Report knew about (the quote), and watch it go .. because in a few months, nobody could have gotten away on it."

Juls responds: "I guess I could have emailed the quote out to all of the top bloggers and tried to create a swarm, but it didn't even cross my mind. Brian probably even has the quote on video. Even as we talked about the speech over dinner, the word cutie didn't even come up. I wonder who Marinucci is quoting in this post. Did a Hillary staffer really consider pushing this out into the blogosphere?"

IRAQ: Some Surge In Iraq OK?

Netroots reaction to Washington Postreports of Dem shifts away from Rep. John Murtha's (D-PA) Iraq funding limitation plan and towards Sen. Joe Biden's (D-DE) war authorization rescission plan was mixed. AMERICAblog's John Aravosis likes the move "a lot" and suspects "a majority of the American people are going to like" it as well.

MyDD's Matt Stoller saw the shift as a setback for those wanting to end the war, and a sign that more netroots action on the subject was needed: "And let's be real. This talk of authorization is coming from Joe Biden, and while I agree with it, it's only a starting point which will only get worse as McConnell takes a whack at it. Already the House is moving from Murtha's hard stance to the Senate's position. This is soft negotiating. ... As for us, let's get rid of our illusions. Democrats in the House and Senate will move only if we move them. As of now, they are laughing at us openly ... It's time to get to work."

The Left Coaster's Steve Soto, however, is all for the measure especially since it redirects "our focus back to the real war on terror, against Al Qaeda." Soto adds: "The Democrats should wholeheartedly endorse the al-Anbar part of this surge, and insist that our efforts be focused on Al Qaeda in Iraq. Sealing the borders, and pulling back to safe bases while the Iraqis take over in the cities."

Finally, Mystery Pollster's Charles Franklin looks at Public Opinion Strategies recent poll that received strong blog reaction fromleftandright and concludes:

The ironic bit is that the poll isn't far out of line with other polling that has asked somewhat similar questions, yet those previous polls have not touched off a flurry of debate about opinion on the war. Rather, the strongly worded interpretation of the results, both in the POS press release and in the New York Post story, has provoked a reaction out of line with the novelty of these finding. ... A further irony is that the POS survey uses wording for some options that seems likely to draw opinion towards those alternatives rather than others, and yet the results are only modestly different from previous polling. Whatever bias may exist in the wording, it did not produce results dramatically different from others we have seen in the last three months.

BLOGGERS VS. MSM: When Bloggers Attack

Writing at The Huffington Post "Steal This Movie" prod. Robert Greenwald finds FOX to be "painful and infuriating" -- so much that "sometimes I just can't bring myself to watch it." However, he follows Media Matters. Greenwald: "When I started reading their alerts about FOX's vicious and irresponsible smear campaign against Barack Obama, the OutFoxed blood in me got boiling once again and I knew it was time to take action."

In response, Greenwald and his colleagues at Brave New Films launched FoxAttacks "to illustrate what a biased and partisan mouthpiece for the right wing FOX is." Greenwald: "Fox is not a credible news outlet and needs to be stopped. Foxattacks.com will give you the information and tools you need to hit fox where it hurts."

In addition to the video concerning the "erroneous and slanted stories" FOX ran about Obama, the site features a petition asking the NV Dems to drop its recent plans with Fox News to team up for a WH '08 primary debate.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: See, We Can All Just Get Along

Jeff Jarvis advises newspapers trying to adapt: "Cover what you do best. Link to the rest." He explains: "Instead of saying, "we should have that" (and replicating what is already out there) you say, "what do we do best?" That is, "what is our unique value?" It means that when you sit down to see a story that others have worked on, you should ask, "can we do it better?" If not, then link. And devote your time to what you can do better."

Jarvis goes on to to provide an example: "We saw that happening with the Libby trial and Firedoglake's liveblogging of it. As Jay Rosen said at our NPR confab last week - and I've heard this elsewhere - theirs became the best source for keeping up on the trial. Reporters and editors knew it and were using it. So those same reporters and editors should have been sending their readers to the blog as a service: 'We're not liveblogging it, but they are. We'll give you our analysis and reporting later. Enjoy.' That is where the architecture of news must go because links enable it and economics demand it."

LEST WE FORGET: Probably Not Actually Posted By Jim Jeffords

Reacting to news Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) may become a GOPer The Corner's Rich Lowry "got a hoot" out of this comment posted on the story:

by j jeffords on 02.22.2007 at 04:27 PM

Inconceivable! I simply cannot believe someone would switch parties over funding the military during a time of war. He should at least holdout for subsidies on dairy farming or education concessions or some other important matter!

Posted by Conn Carroll at 12:35 PM

February 22, 2007

Blogger Spotlight: Democracy for New Hampshire

Democracy for New Hampshire editor Nany Tobi is our guest today, and before moving on to South Carolina next week, we close out NH blogs with a look at Pun Salad author Paul Sand tomorrow.

What is your age?

49

What's your hometown?

I grew up in Lexington MA

Where do you live now?

Milford, NH

What is your educational background?

MS Environmental Education

What's your occupation?

Product Manager, Instructional Design (online learning products)

When did you first get involved in politics and why?

I used to serve on a citizen's recycling committee. I wanted to contribute to the community.

When did you start blogging and why?

I am more of a content editor than a blogger, per se. I manage the DFNH website. Occassionally I write articles of my own on issues that concern me, primarily election integrity. But mostly I post news articles and moderate the site. I am doing this because I believe it is a positive contribution to help our democracy, which, as we know, only can exist with a free press. The corporate media - TV and radio - have fallen down on their patriotic duties to provide the public with accurate and timely information on many issues. So the internet provides an alternate forum for people to help bridge that gap.

How are blogs changing politics in your state?

I think the effects are similar in the State as what we are seeing nationally. Politicians and mainstream journalists watch the blogs to get their finger on the pulse of what people really are concerned about. They also provide a valuable communication tool for both getting news out to, and bringing it in from, ordinary people.

Posted by Conn Carroll at 02:47 PM

2/22: Open Season On Hillary Clinton

CLINTON: Just Stop It

Hillary Clinton's prickly response to comments from Hollywood billionaire David Geffen may be the final straw that pushes the netroots from HRC-ambivalence to HRC-hating. AMERICAblog's John Aravosis writes: "[Y]ou'll recall that we were one of the blogs that, up until recently, didn't have a problem with her ... But Senator Clinton's increasingly nasty campaign tactics and anti-Democratic messaging is getting out of control." Aravosis claims Clinton is "Sistah Souljah'ing the entire Democratic Party" compares her to netroots bogyman Joe Lieberman and repeats Washington Times' accusations that her campaign shopped the Barack Obama/madrassah to news outlets.

The Left Coaster's Steve Soto says "Team Clinton Is Losing Its Mind Already" while MyDD's Matt Stoller asks both camps to "just stop it."

Long time Hillary-Hater Arianna Huffington couldn't get enough of the story helping Chris Matthews fact check Howard Wolfson's claim that Geffen was Obama's "campaign finance chair." Huffington writes: "This wasn't the only ludicrous claim Wolfson made. He also suggested that the Obama campaign "put Mr. Geffen up to this." Does Wolfson really expect anyone to believe that David Geffen is taking his marching orders from the Obama campaign?"

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas didn't comment on the story, but did dredge up HRC's three day old "Some people may be running who may tell you that we don't face a real threat from terrorism. I am not one of those," quote. Kos comments: "Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Biden, Dodd, Kucinich, Vilsack, and Gravel -- Hillary just accused you of running around saying we don't face a threat from terrorism. Who needs Republican foes when our own "front-runner" accuses you of being soft on terrorism?"

AFSCME: No, What Have YOU Done To End The War?

AFSCME sponsored MyDD's Jonathan Singer to cover the 2/21 Carson City, NV, debate. Reacts to WH '08 Dems includes:

• Chris Dodd: "[S]cores major points with the crowd by correcting Stephanopoulos mispronunciation of Nevada. ... Prompted by Stephanopoulos, Dodd emphatically states that his vote in favor of the Iraq War "was a mistake", but that it is more important that we move forward at this point than think backward -- and that's it's time to end the war.
• Hillary Clinton: "Clinton speaks directly to the issues facing unions and working Americans, like those who are members of AFSCME. She states that she is strongly opposed to the privatization of the federal government, which elicits a positive response. ... On the question of her spat with Barack Obama over David Geffen's comments, she says it should be up to "the other campaign" to decide if they should disavow the comments and that she's happy to be in Nevada (a notable jab at Obama, who is not here)."
• John Edwards: "Talks about working with AFSCME in Nevada to increase the minimum wage in Nevada, and a handful of other states, in 2006. ... Implicitly attacks candidates who won't admit that their support for the Iraq War was a mistake. Stephanopoulos asks a question directly aimed at this point, specifically how it appears aimed at Clinton, which Edwards doesn't directly address, though he does touch on his thoughtmaking process on the issue."
• Bill Richardson: "On the first question from Stephanopoulos, Richardson states that he does believe Barack Obama should denounce David Geffen's comments, that he believes there should be a positive campaign for the nomination, because "that's what the American people want and that's how we're going to win."

Tom Vilsack killed off whatever slim chances he had of becoming a netroots favorite last night by suggesting social security benefits be indexed to prices. Obsidian Wing's Hilzoy writes: "Darn. I didn't know much about Tom Vilsack, but he was somewhere below Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson, but above Hillary Clinton and Mike Gravel, on my list of people to consider if Obama self-destructs and Clark doesn't run. With that one paragraph, however, he has dropped to the spot right above Dennis Kucinich."

Even Vilsack's anti-Iraq war message fell on deaf blogger ears. Responding to Vilsack's questioning the audience, "What have you done... to end the war in Iraq?" Kos shoots back: "What has Vilsack done to end this war? ... where was he the last few years? Well, for one, he was chair of the Democratic Leadership Council between 2005-2007. ... Of course, the DLC has been a haven for pro-war Democratic warmongers, and has been used by the media to paint a picture of a divided party."

In other AFSCME forum coverage The Nation's Marc Cooper says Edwards repeatedly aimed his "rhetorical barrels right at Clinton" over Iraq and took "another indirect swipe" at her by "mocking her promise to achieve universal health care by the end of her second term." And Reno and It's Discontents asks readers not to "pass out from shock" after learning that "Clinton flat out avoided the press" throughout the night.

OBAMA: Subtle Outreach To A Netroots Hero?

Barack Obama came out of the Geffen/HRC dust up smelling like roses. On Daily Kos diarist praised his "DEVASTATING Rapid Response Team" and TAPPED's Ezra Klein writes: "it's becoming satisfyingly clear that the Obama campaign can throw a devastating counterpunch. Good for them. This shows, too, that the campaign is looking for the win, not the vice-presidential slot, as some have speculated."

In other Obama news, Burnt Orange Report looks at Obama's use of Google AdWords noting that Obama ads appear when only three Dem names are queried: Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Howard Dean.

GOP FIELD: Whose Frontrunners Are These?

Trying to explain recent "unrelentingly negative coverage [Mitt Romney]'s received from the MSM" Power Line's Paul Mirengoff theorizes: "The MSM has been trying to nominate a progressive/liberal/centrist/moderate/or maverick Republican presidential candidate since the days of Nelson Rockefeller ... But 2008 (including 2007) may well be the MSM's year. That's because the two leading Republican contenders, [John] McCain and Rudy Giuliani, arguably fit somewhere in the progressive/liberal/centrist/moderate/maverick continuum. ... Right now, the MSM faces only one obvious obstacle -- Mitt Romney. Of the major figures committed to running on the Republican side, only Romney takes the conservative position on all major issues."

Captain's Quarters also has worries about McCain and Giuliani, this time surrounding their failure to sign Americans for Tax Reform no-new-taxes pledge: "How big of an issue will this be? For McCain and Giuliani, probably more so than the other candidates ... who has no chance of winning even a respectable showing anyway. Conservatives have issues with both front-runners, and the ATR pledge is almost an entry fee to the caucus. It's the bare minimum for conservatives who want to see smaller government and fiscal discipline, and that cuts across most factions of the Republican Party."

BROWNBACK: Not The Slogan He Was Hoping For

The Corner's Mark Krikorian points readers to news National Council of La Raza honored "Amnesty Sam" Brownback with their Capital Award in '02 and links to photos of Borwnback addressing La Raza in '06.

MCCAIN: When Not Showing Up is 80% of Life

Corner readers unhappy with 2/20's outpouring of John McCain love flooded contributors with email prompting Jonah Goldberg to post one email summarizing many concerns:

The big problem with McCain is that he repeatedly takes a high profile stand for the Democrats on important partisan issues. He does this on important policies like W's tax cuts and torture legislation, and of course campaign finance. ... Maybe he'll be different as a President, but as a Senator he's just been the New York Times' favorite Republican. Great on the war to be sure, but most of the Republican candidates are pretty solid on that front.

Back in IA, the Krusty Konservative argues few conservatives will fault McCain for ditching the Senate's 2/17 non-binding Iraq resolution debate: "I think he made the right call in coming to Iowa and skipping the sham/fraud/stunt that was the resolution to lose the war. There was no substance in that debate in either chamber. It was all grandstanding and rhetorical maneuvering and conservatives know this. I'm confident they won't hold this against McCain and this may even serve to rally additional support for his campaign."

ROMNEY: Long Journey Still Not Over

RedState's Erick Erickson front-paged a user blog pointing readers to well known Pro-life litigator James Bopp's NRO article praising asking social conservatives to evaluate Romney's "conversion" on abortion "in light of the pro-life movement's consistent effort over the years to educate, and thereby convert, people to the cause." The blogger adds: "Good point. Pro-lifers work hard to convert and now they have Romney on their side. They should be celebrating, not providing the DNC some talking points."

Any positive social conservative blogging buzz was short lived though when The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez pointed out this Bopp quote given to Jonathan Martin: "I don't know yet about Romney ... I'm not really sure where [abortion] will ultimately fit in his agenda. He's still on a journey." Lopez later adds: "Is amazing when you consider what a big deal the Romney camp made - if, say, e-mails are any indication - of Bopp joining the team as and adviser. So much for that."

Ankle Biting PunditsBull Dog Pundit surveys romney's recent abortion issue damage control and declares the candidate is "Self-Imploding."

BLOGGERS VS. BELTWAY: Hey Hey, Ho Ho, We Don't Have To Go On Fox No Mo'

Netroots efforts to kill Fox News affiliation with an 8/14 Dem WH '08 forum in Reno, NV, have strengthened. MyDD's Chris Bowers directs readers to a BlogPAC campaign allows users to "send an email to Nevada Democrats letting them know you oppose having Fox News host a presidential forum." Over 1,900 have sent emails so far.

Myrna Minx of Reno and Its Discontents reports the campaign is part of a larger effort involving MoveOn.org to "assault" Fox's "status as a news agency." Myrna explains: "I initially had a knee jerk reaction to the dismissive posts about the debate from some of the big blogs because the whole 'dumb Nevadans' thing is already getting old, but I see the wisdom of this Moveon.org effort."

Reading Myrna, Markos suggests NV Dems would never have agreed to the Fox sponsorship without Sen. Harry Reid's (D-NV) approval and urges pressure directly on Reid.

CA 10: Ellen To Become Jane Or Joe?

The netroots are hitting back at The Washington Post's 2/21 article on the possibility of a primary challenge to Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA). The Left Coaster gives the most generous treatment to the piece, calling it "a so-so job of writing up a good story" until the second-to-last paragraph when "they squat a huge dump of contemptible reason and reality, a stinking turd of DC arrogant, deliberately false diction that earns an instant reply here."

TLC is upset the articles closing worries that "the left blogosphere is already grumbling that Democrats aren't doing enough to stop the war. And there's always the left cliff." TLC replies: "Cliff? The Left Cliff? What cliff is that, pray tell? ... Amazingly, these supremely arrogant WaPo pointyheads just leave it there."