February 07, 2007

2/7: Can A Netroots Candidate Not Care About The Netroots?

Recent foreign-policy blunders may have cost John Edwards his lead among lefty blog readers. In the latest Daily Kos straw poll his lead over Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is down to 1%. With the Catholic League putting pressure on the campaign to choose between them and netroots support, Edwards' position is even more precarious. However, notwithstanding blogger distrust of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), it's still unclear how Obama can tap into netroots support. While his position on the war still pleases some, more are beginning to notice that Obama just doesn't seem interested in reaching out to bloggers. If Edwards' online support craters with a firing of their lefty loved blogmaster, will Dems' '08 primaries conclude without any true netroots input?

DEM FIELD: Obamentum

The latest Daily Kos straw poll is still taking votes, but the results have not significantly changed since the opening hours of polling. With over 25K votes counted, John Edwards 1/17 35%-28% lead over Sen. Barack Obama has shrunk to 26%-25%. Rounding out the top five ex-Gen. Wes Clark received 14%, 'Other' took in 8%, and NM Gov. Bill Richardson had 6%.

Acknowledging that "in the real world," Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) would also be a factor in the race, DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas posted a second poll with just three options: Edwards, Obama, and "I'd stay home." At 16K votes, Edwards leads Obama 51%-42% with 'staying home' managing 5%.

DEM FIELD II: The Best Laid Plans ...

The unveiling of Edwards' health-care plan sparked a broad lefty blogger debate on the value/efficacy of candidates unveiling legislative specifics. TAPPED's Mark Schmitt didn't see the point: "The main argument, as far as I can tell, for releasing a detailed health policy proposal is simply that the people should know what you would do as president about health care. Fair enough, except let's be honest -- the minute you take the oath of office, whatever health plan you put together in the middle of a campaign will be forgotten. And that is as it should be."

The weight of lefty wonkdom came out on the other side. The Washington Monthly's Kevin Drum and TAPPED's own health-care expert Ezra Klein came out for specificity. Klein argues: "Every Democratic candidate elected promises to bring universal health care to the people. The party's ranks don't lack for generalities on the issue. But universal health care is a beast to get passed. Even more so if you've not built consensus for it in advance."

The Carpetbagger's Steve Benen doesn't think candidates should bother and Matthew Yglesias hedges calling for "flexible intransigence" instead.

CLINTON: Slipping Closer To Lieberman Territory

AMERICAblog set off a fresh wave of anti-Hillary Clinton blogging after unearthing a 10 day old Fox News story in which Clinton explains her vote on Iraq by saying: ""As a senator from New York, I lived through 9/11 and I am still dealing with the aftereffects ... I may have a slightly different take on this from some of the other people who will be coming through here."

AMERICAblog's John Aravosis responds: "Invoking September 11 when asked about Iraq is unconscionable. It is pure Dick Cheney, and an outright lie." Markos adds: "Cheney and the neocons at PNAC are beaming with pride." Atrios calls the statement "racist" and MyDD's Matt Stoller notes: "It's exactly what Bush does, repeatedly." The Left Coaster adds: "With each passing day, Obama is looking better and better."

Also in Iraq-HRC news, MyDD's Chris Bowers highlights a Politico survey of Senator views on Iraq, including a question asking those who voted for the war if they regret it. Bowers calls Clinton's refusal to express regret "the biggest news" out of the survey and adds: "Basically, it is the same thing we saw from Lieberman during the general election against Lamont: an absolute hawk trying to appear anti-war in order to pick up Democratic votes."

IA Progress links to Bowers write-up and predicts: "Hillary Clinton is going to lose the Iowa caucuses. Perhaps very badly. And it's because she is still fumbling on Iraq. ... As president, she would not have been for war, but as senator she would be? Isn't there a singular responsibility as an elected official to do what's best for her country, regardless of title? I'm sorry, but this is straight out of a 2004 John Kerry campaign."

CLINTON II: What A Party, Indeed

Ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe did Clinton a little favor while promoting his new book on NPR's KPCC in Pasadena, CA. In response to a caller claiming to be a GOPer willing to vote for HRC if she would drop her support for NAFTA, eliminate support for amnesty, and support deportation of illegal aliens McAuliffe said: "We've got to shut these borders down. These people shouldn't be coming in this country."

MyDD's Matt Stoller calls McAuliffe's words "straight up Jim Sensenbrenner racism, and an endorsement of the vicious attacks on immigrants we've seen for years." Also at MyDD, Chris Bowers reacts: "In my experience, this strikes me as a nearly uniform position taken among Democratic consultants within the DLC-nexus (which is most insider, high level consultants). Expect a lot of it coming from the Clinton camp, but only after she has won the nomination."

Markos calls Clinton "a true practitioner of laundry list politics" but does note that the campaign responded quickly to distance themselves from McAuliffe's remarks.

EDWARDS: A Time For Choosing

In response to growing MSM criticism of John Edwards for his hiring Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte Daily Kos diarist Expo urges Edwards to not "Back Down" to pressure led by the Catholic League. Expo calls this "a watershed moment for John Edwards's campaign. ... Here's the message to John Edwards: there isn't anything to weigh. If you want to have any credibility left in the liberal blogosphere, then you cannot back down. You need to stand-up to this run-of-the-mill right-wing attack and defend your decision to hire Marcotte and McEwan."

Expo concludes: "If you back down, if you give in to this right-wing head feint, you'll singularly destroy the rationale for supporting your candidacy. You'll demonstrate that you are just a regular politician. ... This is a time for choosing, John Edwards. You can choose to join the growing movement of liberal political courage, or you can opt for the counsel of a politics of fear."

OBAMA: Best Campaign Stunt Ever?

Teaming up with netroots candidate Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) to discuss legislation that might redeploy troops from Iraq beginning 5/1/07 at the earliest, earned Barack Obama high praise from Markos: "You know the rest of the presidential field is hating this. Not only is Obama staking out the clearest anti-war position (not even Edwards will call for a firm withdrawal timetable), but he's a constant reminder that their judgement on the war was abominable."

While Obama continues to receive high marks for his Iraq war stance, some in the netroots are continuing to question his commitment to their interests. Zach Exley writes: "Obama and his senior aides aren't doing the deep thinking they need to do on their own about this medium. ... In Obama's case, it's inexcusable because the Internet is just dying to make him president. ... They need to think about the Internet with the same intensity, curiosity and rigor that they apply to television, polling, speech writing/making and debate performance."

Also in blogland, Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall wonders is the irritability associated with the early stages of quitting a nicotine habit makes now the best time for Obama to quit smoking. Talk Left's Jeralyn Merritt asks: "Is this a campaign stunt? To get millions of America to join him and thereby become vested in his success? Probably not, but I could see it happening."

GIULIANI: "Let The Freak Show Begin!"

Christian Broadcasting Network's The Brody File has quickly emerged as Rudy Giuliani's biggest online critic. After digging up old Giuliani quotes praising Justice Ginsburg, TBF follows up with an interview with Family Research Councils' Tony Perkins calling Giuliani "far outside the mainstream of conservative thought" and warning a Giuliani GOP win would cause an "unenthusiastic Republican base which will suppress turnout and set up a Democratic victory."

IA's Caucus Cooler remarks: "Brody is the most active Christian conservative in the blogosphere and has done a lot on Brownback,Romney , Huckabee and McCain. Let the Freak Show begin!"

Giuliani's reception has been much warmer elsewhere in the blogosphere, particularly at The Corner where Rich Lowry now thinks Giuliani has a chance thanks to '08s national security focus. Plenty of Cornerites, and other bloggers, also responded to John Podhoretz New York Post article explaining that Giuliani has a much better chance of winning over conservatives than past moderates since he is not attempting a full frontal confrontation with social conservatives.

When Kathryn Jean Lopez pointed to the CBN article to demonstrate that social conservatives may want a fight with Rudy even if he doesn't want a fight with them, J-Pod responded: "The question is whether social-conservative rank-and-filers want to fight with Rudy. I mean, voters in the tens of millions, not leaders of organizations and those who live and breathe politics on a minute-by-minute basis."

Kate O'Beirne and Captain's Quarters both argue Giuliani has a better shot at winning than McCain did in '00 since Giuliani is not looking to antagonize social conservatives. CQ writes: "In Rudy's case, we haven't seen that kind of hostility, unlike John McCain in some instances where his frustration with conservatives got the best of him. Rudy doesn't apologize for his positions, but he casts them in such a way as to build a consensus for leadership as the overriding consideration in the primaries."

Also in negative Giuliani blogging, NRO's David Frum predicts a third-party challenge if Rudy gets the GOP nod, My Pet Jawa fingers gun control as Giuliani's biggest stumbling block, and Townhall's Matt Lewis claims 9/11 related scandals will be Giuliani's undoing.

HUCKABEE: He'll Talk To Anybody

The Right Angle's John Gizzi reports from "a standing-room-only breakfast of reporters in Washington hosted by the Christian Science Monitor" that Mike Huckabee "strongly hinted that he would have talked to Maumoud Admadinejad when the Iranian President was at the United Nations last year." Huckabee also came out against McCain-Feingold.

MCCAIN: The Straight Listener Express

Senior McCain aides, but not the Senator himself, listened to the advice of conservative bloggers for 45 minutes 2/6. David Allliveblogged the event which featured McCain aids Terry Nelson and John Weaver as well as Paul Mirengoff of Power Line, Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters, Mary Katharine Ham of Townhall, David All of the David All Group, Lorie Byrd of Wizbang and Rob Bluey of RedState.

Mary Katharine has the best write-up but came away feeling the "conversation" felt too much like a pitch than an honest hashing out of differences. Ham quotes CQ from the call:

"We're really gonna need to have a well thought-out discussion as to why (campaign finance reform) addresses conservative ideals I don't buy it and I know my readers don't...I think we'd all love to change his mind on it, and I don't think we will but we need to hear a better explanation than we're chasing the money and that's good because the money's the root of all evil. Because it's really not."

Ham adds: "The fact is, the McCain abandonment of market principles in favor of government regulation in the area of campaign finance-- in the area of something as important as free political speech-- makes me wonder how strong his free-market principles really are. Would like to hear more."

CQ later adds on McCain and reform: "How committed will he be on free markets as President in any sense, if not in political speech? He now sings the conservative tune on tax cuts, but we still remember McCain the Maverick opposing them when George Bush pushed them through Congress."

At RedState, Rob Bluey interviewed "one of the few Republicans who managed to survive the Democrat wave that swept the country" in '06, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty. On why Pawlenty supports McCain:

I'll give you three or four of the big reasons. First of all, I think the times both for our nation and for the Republican Party and the conservative movement are calling out for a certain type of leader ... And Senator McCain uniquely, in the presidential field on the Republican side, possesses that experience. ... Secondly, beyond kind of the times calling him out from a national and party perspective. On the personal level, and somebody I've known for quite some time, he's an individual of immense character. ... Then lastly, but also importantly, he is a person who conveys Republican and conservative messages and perspectives very effectively.

ROMNEY: A Full Context Kinda Guy

Reacting to the entrance of ex-NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani into the race, The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez advises the Mitt Romney campaign to give "big life speech" explaining his recent conversion on the issue. Lopez explains:

Right now the overwhelming images many have in their minds of Romney is a terrible debate performance and e-mail forwards chronicling a record that concerns anyone who cares about the sanctity of life and the protection of marriage. He needs to say his peace in some full-context way. Because the issues are that important."

IRAQ: FeinGOD!

Firedoglake is glad that Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), during his blogger conf call, echoed the appeal to the masses to contact members of Congress. "You whined that the Democrats would never be able to take back Congress in November, and yet they did. Why? Because a whole host of people got off their butts all across this great nations of ours and did the work necessary to make that happen, every day, for weeks and weeks on end. Here's a thought: how about we do that again?"

Casting him as Superman, DownWithTyranny! quotes Feingold as saying too many of his colleagues are "afraid of criticism from the White House ... They're trying to have it both ways ... People who know better are trying to take the easy way out." Feingold also noted that he introduced legislation two years ago calling for a 15 month timeline. Now he's "moved to the next step" with the Iraq Redeployment Act of 2007. Wu Ming at Calitics: "Feingold has been on fire recently. ... Hopefully between the Thompson-Obama-Murphy bill and Feingold's bill, they can put something together."

At TalkLeft, Big Tent Democrat takes in all of the "hot air" 2/6 on the Hill, and hopes Dems "stay firmly in favor of withdrawal. By defunding the Iraq War. It is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Meet The Old Boss ...

Following up on posts about the professionalization of the netroots and stagnating political blogosphere trafficMyDD 's Chris Bowers surveys the the established lefty blog world and concludes:

While blogging used to be the lowest cost means of democratizing political content generation, it isn't anymore. A MySpace page or a Facebook profile is easier than even a blog was four years ago. Higher entry costs in the blogosphere could very well be shifting large numbers of new participants to even more democratic forms of content generation. It remains to be seen what impact this will have upon the blogosphere, the netroots, and upon politics itself. It is very possible that the blogosphere will either collapse due to a lack of funding, or develop into a new form of establishment elite.

LEST WE FORGET: Mrs. Blogometer Feels The Same Way

The Corner's Jonah Goldberg shares reader email on Bravo's Top Chef ending:

My husband and I were (note the past tense) huge fans of the show for the past two years until Sam was eliminated. His elimination was made more egregious by Chef Tom's statement that the judges only look at that particular challenge when making the elimination decision. What a crock. The title of the show is Top Chef which in and of itself implies a consistent level of high quality cooking. Not to disparage either Ilan or Marcel but Sam was far and away the most consistent in terms of his food. When I go to a restaurant for a meal I don't want to pay $100.00 for a mean that consists of a bunch of chemicals (re: Marcel's cooking). I can get that at a fast food joint. With Jeffery's win on Project Runway and then Sam's elimination on Top Chef, it is clear that the producers at Bravo TV have already purchased the new (Saturday Night Live) Velvet Jones book "I Want To Be A H- For Ratings".

Posted by Conn Carroll at February 7, 2007 12:32 PM