The whole episode of Sen. Edward’s bloggers and Amanda Marcotte’s resignation brings to mind a concept I’ve put forward here before. I think too many on the liberal side of the blogosphere are interested in being activists over commentators. While there certainly is a value involved in working for a campaign, at a certain point the line between the activist and the campaign gets too blurry. Then, you open yourself up personally and your cause to yet another area of attack. Sure, a lot of it is noise and bluster ginned up by the noise machine (in this case Donohue, Malkin and Fox News) but sometimes there’s enough "there" there to be of honest news value to the mainstream press.
So what is the alternative model? Conservatives have an entirely separate culture of conservatism that exists in the wild but is "tamed" in the form of the Republican party. Outside of the GOP, commentators like Limbaugh, Hannity, Instapundit, etc. are freed of being tied to the party since they operate at an arm’s length, but at the end of the day are instrumental in bombarding the mainstream media with commentary friendly to the Republican party. The interesting part is that on the web the GOP is moving in the Democratic position with the good chance it’s going to blow back on them in a similar fashion.
“I think too many on the liberal side of the blogosphere are interested in being activists over commentators.”
While I don’t necessarily agree with your politics, I do respect your opinions.
Your observation is remarkably sublime- and on point.
If the GOP candidates ‘hired guns’ turned out to be the other side of the Amanda Marcotte coin, I hope they too, will resign.
These bloggers are no tribute to their candidates or free speech.
They are, in the end, testimony to an election system gone wild- and no one party has clean hands in that department.
People like Malkin, Fox News, O’Reilly and such no longer allow leftists like Marcotte to get away with garbage like that. You must really hate being held to the same standards conservatives have been for decades. You know darn well that you of all people OW, never miss a chance to point out so-called bigotry from conservatives. Heck, that seems to be your m.o.
Stings like a b**** when it comes back at ya, doesn’t it?
Nah- it really doesn’t bother Oliver at all. Say stupid or inappropriate things on the left, you deserve Pulitzers, Grammy’s and Nobel Prizes.
Say stupid things on the right and its “RACIST.” and “BIGOT ERUPTION!”
That’s just how it works here in OW land. Rarely ever anything to worry about (except those pesky demonstrators- for some reason Oliver thinks they are a bit silly.)
Hey Oliver- have they polished up your spoken word Grammy for that last “The Truth” bit you did?
You must really hate being held to the same standards conservatives have been for decades.
So we can expect O’rilly to resign for defending a child molester on the air?
ya, didn’t think so.
Not sure which “standards” you are referring to.
Except conservatives really do have racism at the core of their movement, not all conservatives are racist, but chances are a racist is a con. Liberals are held to a double standard by the press, always punished for the things cons make money from.
The heart of this issue is the discernment abilities (or the enormous lack thereof) of the John Edwards campaign.
As one conservative commentator observed, a Democrat hiring a hate-spewing bigoted misandrist like Marcotte to be your primary online voice would be akin to a Republican hiring Fred Phelps as his communications director.
Even though Oliver has tossed off his share of dumb partisan comments, he deserves thanks for not routinely posting viscious profanity-filled rants on his blog. When Oliver takes the time to write a long post, he usually puts a great deal of thought into it. I usually disagree with what he writes, but I keep reading his blog because he is not deliberately hurtful to those with whom he disagrees.
“liberals are held to a double-standard by the press”
That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.
Remember Trent Lott? Yeah, the guy who was persecuted for paying a compliment to that old fart at his birthday party…..
Is that the double-standard you’re talking about?
Puuhhleeeez.
And if you don’t mind me pointing this out, what you consider racism is so weak that when you make the accusation, it’s lost it’s sting. I think you’ve cried wolf one too many times.
I believe you were against a fence on the border, raids and such, correct? (tell me if I’m wrong) But what say you about the hispanics in this country that are against enforcement because those sneaking in here are of the same (gasp) RACE that they are?
That seems a bit “racist” to me. Gotta wonder about the motivation behind it.
Remember Trent Lott? Yeah, the guy who was persecuted for paying a compliment to that old fart at his birthday party…..
Umm… yes. The racist neanderthal was just re-elected to Republican leadership, and I fail to see Michelle Malkin or any other right-wingers stalking him with posts about his bigotry. You may sit down now.
bigotry?
paying a compliment to an old fart at his birthday party is bigotry?
Precisely what I’m talking about when I point out that people have cried wolf one too many times with the race card.
And call me crazy, but that pales in comparison to a certain senator from West Virginia who was a member of a REAL RACIST group back in the day.
But it’s cool now to you, he’s a democrat. To heck with principles, right?
The compliment in question being “wouldn’t it have been better off for America to elect a segregationist to the White House” (paraphrased). I love how cons just conveniently ignore what he actually said (and as August noted, Lott was so “punished” he’s one of the Senate Minority Leadership group).
You are soooooooo right. Thank you. I go to blogs for the commentary and not activism. One blogger asks the supporters of Obama why they do. He cannot understand this as he is not populist enough (or whatever else enough….)like Edwards.
I told the guy I am not looking for a movement. I’m looking for a president.
I’m not a con.
I’m an econimic conservative, social moderate, agnostic, politically incorrect dude.
Just for the record.
And you darn well know that Lott didn’t mean anything by his compliment of old fart. Politically correct libs made it into something for political gain. (again)
And can someone please tell me why you are so hard on Lott but keep electing Robert Byrd?
Never made sense to me. Not being sarcastic here, seriously. The hypersensitivity of liberals over race issues would make me think y’all should rather see the guy in jail?
Seriously, a leopard can’t change it’s spots. Especially when their KKK spots.
Hmm. Gotta wonder.