3/8: A Dem-Free Zone?

The main focus of the netroots campaign to force the 8/14 Reno, NV, Dem debate off of FOX News is to de-legitimize it "as a neutral news outlet." If the netroots do push Dems off of Fox this primary season (and it looks like they have the NV Dem establishment on the run now), will they step up their campaign for the general election? If Brit Hume and Co. are still around in Aug. '08 will the netroots press their nominee to avoid Fox altogether? How far are they willing to go in their campaign to push Fox out of the news business?

NV CAUCUS: A Day Late, And A Dollar Short

NV Dem efforts to address concerns over FOX News sponsorship of 8/14's Reno, NV, debate are not placating the netroots. Forwarding an email from NV Chair Tom Collins proposing a compromise where "a local progressive voice" would be invited on the panel, Reno and Its DiscontentsMyrna Minx blogs, "It looks like the [John] Edwards campaign's refusal to participate has forced the mysterious decision makers of the NSDP to rethink their position. So the big question now is, will Edwards participate under the new deal?"

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas hopes he does not: "Actually, there was no "good faith effort" to address concerns until John Edwards dropped the debate. Before then, there was nothing but arm-twisting efforts to get people to support their asinine decision. Now that the debate is falling apart, they want to compromise. Too late. The time for compromise is past. At this point, all that's left is killing this Fox News Debate dead."

Later, Kos updates readers on which '08ers have gotten back to him on whether or not they would attend: Edwards: No; Richardson: Yes; Obama: Decision will be made within the week; Clinton: Too early to make a decision; Dodd: They haven't decided yet; Biden: No response." MyDD's Jerome Armstrong urges readers to keep up the pressure, posting campaign phone numbers for each of the '08 candidates. Fellow MyDDer Matt Stoller also urges calls to Maj. Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) office.

In other FOX News/NV Dem blogging, Taylor Marsh posts a Carson City, NV, Demo Cent. Cmt. resolution opposing Fox affiliation with the debate, The Washington Monthly's Kevin Drum marvel at the speed of "the activist community's" big impact, and TPM Cafe's Nathan Newman chides Markos for buying into a "Rightwing Frame" by using the term "local union bosses" to criticize the NV Dem establishment.

CLINTON: So How Much Do You Make?

TAPPED's Dana Goldstein defends Hillary Clinton's "Paycheck Fairness Act" from colleague suggestions that the bill does not address the "social conditions that leave women out-of-the-loop when it comes to salaries and disproportionate domestic responsibilities as major problems." Goldstein responds: "But if we take a close look at the proposed legislation, we see it is designed to address exactly these issues. It prohibits employers from penalizing workers for sharing salary information with one another, and requires firms to keep detailed records on pay classified by gender, race, and national origin."

OBAMA: David Geffen Strikes Again!!!

The New York Times came under heavy netroots criticism for its 3/7 story on past Barack Obama investments. Atrios dubs the piece "Whitewater Journalism" and adds: "The fact that, for example, in the Obama story the money involved was a tiny amount of money both brings it down to a human scale people can understand and makes people believe that if an important newspaper like the New York Times is writing about what seems to be a trivial matter it somehow must be important."

The story did, however, provide Team Obama with another opportunity to prove their rapid response mettle. TAPPED's Garance Franke-Ruta notes: "Proving once again that he's got the fastest media operation in the race, Barack Obama has already gotten The New York Times to publish a second story following up on its front-pager this morning, in which he explains his finances at length -- "At no point did I know" -- and also manages to demonstrate surprisingly good humor, given the topic."

At TechPresident, Micah Sifry tracks down the decidedly not amateur "ParkRidge47" behind the "1984" Macintosh YouTube mash-up with Hillary Clinton as big brother. PR47 tells Sifry: "The idea was simple and so was the execution. Make a bold statement about the Democratic primary race by culture jacking a famous commercial and replacing as few images as possible. For some people it doesn't register, but for people familiar with the ad and the race it has obviously struck a chord. ... A friend suggested the idea after reading a New York Times article about the Clinton's campaign bullying of donors and political operatives after the Geffen dustup."

GIULIANI: The Information Age Candidate?

IA's Krusty Konservative is no fan of Newsdayspeculation that Rudy Giuliani might skip the IA caucuses: "Craig Gordon of Newsday thinks that Giuliani announced his travel plans a full month in advance in a bid to head off a spate of Rudy-skips-Iowa stories. I don't understand his logic, and it makes me wonder if Mr. Gordon is backing a different presidential candidate."

Krusty goes on to handicap Rudy's chances in IA: "While the media and the talking heads think that Giuliani will not fare well in Iowa because of the states konservative Republicans, I actually think Rudy could do very well in Iowa. ... 9-11 changed the political landscape of the entire country, including Iowa. The most important issue for the vast majority of caucus goers is national security, not social issues. While I still think that social issues are still very important, nothing trumps national security, which is Giuliani's strength."

Still posting about his 3/5 coverage of a Giuliani fundraiser in Brentwood, CA, Austin Bay blogs: "Why is "the Mayor" a war winner? I think Rudy Giuliani is the American political leader who can bring the missing media to the great world war for hearts and minds - and in the War on Terror the economic and political dimensions are the determinative dimensions. ... The Brentwood fundraiser I attended wasn't Hollywood ... but Giuliani is positioned to attract America's Information Age media talent. ... Rudy, unlike George W., can also communicate what that crisis means and why it takes blood, sweat, toil, and tears to meet it and defeat it. Giuliani's brief speech made it clear he intends to fight and win the War on Terror -or to use his nom de guerre, The Terrorists War on US. I like that name."

In less positive Giuliani blogging Ankle Biting Pundit's Bull Dog Pundit tracks MSM Rudy doubts on abortion and divorce and argues abortion will be his bigger obstacle: "I think the abortion issue is going to be a much harder obstacle to overcome than his marital behavior. Why? Because the voters don't have to live with him -- but they have to live with his political decisions and judicial appointments."

GINGRICH: Wouldn't Conservatives Want A 'True Red' Conservative?

After listening to Newt Gingrich tell James Dobson he got "on my knees and sought God's forgiveness" over his marital problems, The Brody File riffs on what Gingrich might say for his Sept. '07 WH announcement:

As I've studied the issues and candidates for almost a year now, I have come to the conclusion that I must run. Grassroots conservatives want a true blue Republican that has fought with them on every conservative principle throughout the years. I'm that guy. So today, my fellow Americans, will you not join me in a new Contract with America.

Brody adds: "Cue the music. Cue the balloons. Cue the kids singing America the Beautiful. Cue Lee Greenwood. Cue Charlie Daniels. Cue Sean Hannity."

HAGEL: Hagel/Chafee in '0never

Confusion would be the most generous description of conservative blogger reaction to speculation the Chuck Hagel might soon announce his WH '08 intentions. Ankle Biting Pundit's Bull Dog Pundit asks: "My question is in what party's primary is he running? And how is his 'base' (the "international community", the MSM, and the New York Times editorial board) going to vote for him? ... who is next going to announce and think they can win? ... Is Lincoln Chafee going to come out of retirement?"

The Corner's Michael Ledeen is a bit more welcoming: "I think the appeasers ought to have a candidate in the Republican primaries, and he's their ideal standard-bearer. So far as I know, he never met a dictator he didn't want to appease."

HUCKABEE: In Case You Were Wondering How Bloggers Feel About 'Compassionate Conservatism'

The Right Angle's Ivy Sellers confirms Mike Huckabee has followed through on his CPAC promise to sign Americans for Tax Reform's "Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge." Sellers comments: "For someone who calls himself a 'compassionate conservative,' a move like this is somewhat surprising for Huckabee. Here's hoping he stays true to his word and doesn't end up in ATR's Hall of Shame."

MCCAIN: It's Like Rain On Your Wedding Day

Townhall's Matt Lewis posts SC AG Henry McMaster's quote in The Hill: "The people who used to sit around the table and decide how much money would be raised for Bush in 2000 and those that sat around the McCain table, which was a smaller table in 2000, are all sitting around this table."

Lewis comments: "After dooming his 2000 candidacy, it would be ironic if the "Palmetto State" once again serves a decisive role, this time, making John McCain the GOP nominee."

IRAQ: It's Like They've Been Working With Frank Luntz Or Something

Progressive Caucus members Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) are letting the netroots know Dem language on Iraq must change from "cutting off funding for our troops" to "fully funding the withdrawal of troops from Iraq."

Woolsey at Calitics: "A fully funded withdrawal would ensure that our military commanders have any and all resources available to them to bring our troops home, while providing for their security during the process." Lee at The Huffington Post: "I believe that the best way to do that is for Congress to protect our troops and fully fund their safe withdrawal from Iraq over a clear timeline."

For the first time in a while there is also some optimism that progressive are moving the debate on Iraq. Talk Left's Big Tent Democrat is by no means a fan of the current Dem compromise that would have Pres. Bush 'certify benchmarks' on Iraq, but does describe the position as "certainly better than just a few days ago." BTD urges: "The pressure must continue to build from the Out of Iraq Caucus, the grassroots AND the Netroots."

MyDD's Chris Bowers is also pleased with increased coverage of anti-war voices noting that The Out of Iraq caucus received more Google News results (78) than the Blue Dogs did (55) over the past month. Bowers also looks forward to the upcoming vote on the Iraq supplemental, suggesting the results could dictate netroots plans for '08 House race targeting: "That vote will provide us with essential knowledge on which Democrats are serious about ending the war in Iraq, and which are unwilling to take the decisive action that is necessary from Congress in order to end the war. It will be the start of accountability moment, as we know which Democrats are taking the will of the American people to heart, and which will require substantially increased pressure."

CA 10: Speaking of Blue Dogs ...

Perusing the Blue Dog membership page, CaliticsBrian Leubitz noticed Rep. Ellen Tauscher's (D-CA) was conspicuously missing from the list and asks: "Has Ms. Tauscher unceremoniously dumped the Blue Dogs? As far as I can see, she didn't issue a press release noting the exit from the hawkish group. She tried to do it all quiet like, but as she knows from the "The Caress", the internet has a long memory. It never forgets."

Blogswarm later updates Calitics readers: "Josh Richman ... gets Tauscher Flack Kevin Lawlor to say that she is only taking a "leave" because she "wouldn't be a valuable member."

PROSECUTOR PURGE: It's Got An Official Name And Everything!

Urging readers to follow the latest coverage "in the Prosecutor Purge case," Daily Kos' mcjoan points Kossack to TPMmuckraker reports on which DOJ officials the Senate Jud. Cmt. plans to subpoena for the next stage in their hearings.

SCOOTER: Book Deals For Everyone!!!

Juror #9 and Bob Woodward colleague Dennis Collins posted a seven page diary entitled: "Inside the Jury Room: What the Jury Thought, Day by Day Witness by Witness, at the Scooter Libby Trial" at The Huffington Post a few hours after the final verdict was read.

The Corner's Byron York followed up with Huffington's staff:

• York: Was there any contact between Denis Collins and the Huffington Post before the verdict was announced yesterday?
• HuffPo: No.
• York: Did Collins have his diary already written yesterday, or did he write it in the time since the verdict was announced and the jury was dismissed?
• HuffPo: We have no idea.
• York: Are there any more entries of his trial diary on tap for publication in the Huffington Post?
• HuffPo: No.
• York: What was Collins paid by the Huffington Post for the trial diary?
• HuffPo: Zero.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What Would Jesus Reference?

RedState's Erick Erickson is doing his best to end "The Latest Dumb Idea From the Separatist Right." Erickson says Conservapedia "is destined to fail miserably to expand outside the clutches of a few conservative cultists" and will "draw away from Wikipedia the conservatives who choose to participate there, while failing to gain popular traction due to its very name -- an upfront banner of separatist conservative anxiety against the liberal biases of an online encyclopedia anyone can edit."

Erickson closes: "I do not deny that wikipedia has a liberal bias. It certainly does, as does modern academia. But conservatives do themselves and the public a disservice by walling themselves off. Christ said to the apostles, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations," not "wall yourselves off from the world and only talk to each other."

LEST WE FORGET: We Wish We Had Majored In Social Skills

After witnessing 5th grader mastery of astronomy and anatomy on FOX's new "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" The Dilbert Blog concludes: "Clearly, our kids are being taught a lot of useless crap." Scott Adams continues: "I try to imagine a situation where I would need to know the name of my largest bone. I suppose I might someday be in a museum when a pack of wild dogs attacked, and someone would see me standing next to the exhibit of early human skeletons and yell "Quick, grab a femur and start swinging!" But realistically, I can count on one hand the number of times anyone has asked me to hit a dog with a femur.

Adams concludes with his ideal core 5th grade curricula: "If it were up to me to add some classes to the grade school curriculum, I think I'd put more emphasis on these skills: public speaking, risk assessment, bullshit detecting, social skills, decision-making, managing your own body, and influencing people."

Clarification

The Blogometer apologizes for using the term 'stalker' 3/5. We did not use it as a technical legal description of anyone's behavior. 'Heckler', 'provocateur', and 'prankster' would all have been more appropriate descriptors. Sorry for the confusion.