Out Of The Parents' Basement And Into The Streets!
Bloggers of both political stripes descended on Pittsburgh this weekend, swapping their cutting-edge News 2.0 tools for something even the crotcheties old-skool scribbler is familiar with -- face-to-face human contact. Liberals gathered for the fourth annual Netroots Nation conf and were joined by a cavalcade of media and political stars, from Bill Clinton to PA-and-Netroots favorite son, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA). (Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) was there, too, but -- as we show below -- he wasn't really anyone's favorite). According to media reports, there was a healthy showing for the conf's dozens and dozens of panel discussions.
This year's Netroots was the first of the era of total Dem control in the WH and Capitol Hill and the mood at the "graduate-level political convention" was "upbeat." More from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette blogger Timothy McNulty:
"The scene is about what you'd expect. Upbeat ... Casual (I just walked the whole registration area, through a couple hundred people, and counted exactly one dude with a tie). Earnest" (8/13).
Meanwhile, across town, conservatives bloggers held RightOnline, an answer to Netroots that media reports characterized as far smaller than its rival. The guest list was also featured conservative media stars as well as the PA SEN race: ex-Club For Growth chair Pat Toomey (R) delivered a keynote address.
McNulty blogs:
"There was a bit of envy about the bigger convention a riverboat ride away. [One blogger] mentioned how she stopped by Netroots and paged through their giant agenda, and how they don't have to tell people to blog, tweet, email or post YouTube videos, as is still happening on the right. Netroots 'isn't about instructing people how to use the tools, it's about engaging in the conversation,' [she said]" (8/14).
In between all the showering and offline social interaction, however, bloggers found time to keep the web humming with chatter about health care, the '09 races, and corporate boycotts.
PA SEN: Sestak's No Straw Man. Except When He Is
Pollster Stan Greenberg ran a straw poll of 252 attendees at Netroots Nation. Among his fidings? "Participants prefer" Sestak over Specter "though neither" PA SEN cand reaches 50%. 33% of Netrooters "remain undecided" in the race. But Sestak is "viewed more favorably than Specter personally": Setak had a 46% favorability rating "compared to" 15% for Specter.
Other results from the poll:
• 53% "say that they cannot support a health care reform bill that does not include a public option."
• 46% "support the compromise energy bill passed by the House." 27% "oppose it...because of concessions to special interests."
• Pres. Obama "is immensly popular" with Netrooters while ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) "is extremely unpopular."
• 36% say Palin "would be easiest to beat" in 2012. Ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) "is second with a fifth of attendees choosing him" as most beatable (DemocracyCorps.com, 8/15).
VA GOV: All's Well That Ends Well?
They may be outgunned on the blogosphere, but conservatives are stoked about ex-AG Bob McDonnell's (R) chances against state Sen. Criegh Deeds (D) in VA GOV.
• Powerline higlighted the Washington Post poll from 8/16 which showed McDonnell extending his lead over Deeds. From the post: "Sixteen years ago, the Republicans signaled their revival with wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governors' races. This year, they seem likely to replicate these victories. This hardly guarantees a 1994 style comeback next year. But right now, Republicans need a psychological boost and their chances of obtaining one in November seem good" (8/16).
• Firedoglake's still hoping the new Deeds focus on McDonnell's social record will pay off for the Dem. "There's a reason the GOP nominee is nicknamed "Taliban Bob." And there's a reason the GOP is making every effort to clean up McDonnell's record and reputation" (8/15).
CAVEAT EMPTOR: Bring On The Boycotts
The health care debate is, of course, still cranked to 11 across the blogosphere. The new battlefield? Retail aisles. On 8/11, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed that opened with a quote from Margaret Thatcher before going on to to say "the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system." Needless to say, liberal bloggers choked on their gluten-free carob chip cookies and soy milk when they read it.
• On 8/13, OpenLeft called for a boycott, and credited another blog with the idea. "Not very smart for a company that depends almost entirely on wealthy Democrats who are willing to pay five dollars for a six ounce carrot soda. Come on, you can do it, boycott them for at least a week and discover how much money you can save at Trader Joe's."
By the weekend, the idea had picked up steam on the left, with MyDD, and Matt Yglesias picking up the call.
• For their part, conservatives are suddenly discovering an appetite for seitan. National Review's Jonathan Adler blogs, "Others of us are also free to shop there more often — and I think I will (though I'll still buy the conventional produce instead of the organic)." Human Events agrees.
Meanwhile, conservatives have their own list of business to avoid. On 8/13, the New York Times reported "About a dozen companies have withdrawn their commercials" from Fox's Glenn Beck show after Beck "said late last month" that Obama "was a racist with a 'deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture.'"
• RedState blamed the left for the move and called for a boycott of the firms that are no longer advertising on Beck's show. "If they are successful, they will move beyond Beck to others."
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What's Old Is New Again
TPM's Josh Marshall blogs on the health care protests: "I remember when Dems started bringing guns to all those Social Security phase-out events back in '05. Heady Days."
LEST WE FORGET: Full Of Win
The Comment Of The Day over at Wonkette: "That child is the grandson of a mill worker."
