In his debate yesterday with Larry Kissell, Robin Hayes now has a new explanation for why he said "liberals hate real Americans." First he didn't say it, then the audio clip surfaced, and now -- it was all because of liberal bloggers! [...]
I'm personally quite thrilled that we've become such great all-purpose bogeyman. I feel like I need a foot rub and a cigarette.
Add me a margarita to that order. Yowsa!
Peter Daou has a thoughtful piece looking back on the growth of the netroots at the Huffington Post, entitled "On November Fourth, the Netroots Should Be More Than an Afterthought":
We should acknowledge that the netroots kept hope alive when our system of checks and balances was in mortal danger, kept hope alive when civil liberties were fast becoming disposable niceties. We should realize that back when Billmon and Bob Somerby and a gentle soul with a sharp pen named Steve Gilliard were required reading, when Digby was a mystery man and Firedoglake was a new blog with an intriguing name, when citizens across the country began logging on and conversing from the heart, there was no glory in political blogging. There still isn't. No one knew if blogs would become quaint artifacts. Many hoped they would. Blogging was about speaking up for America's guiding principles, liberty, justice, equality, opportunity, democracy.
We did all that? Little old us?
Daamn.
It's a good thing we're too busy standing up for liberty, justice, equality, et al to let all those good deeds go to our heads. Otherwise we may not fit into our hats.
But let's just take a moment to appreciate the fact that regular citizens speaking out have changed the political landscape. That would be us. The political bloggers and their readers, together, have become a force that politicians fear - or, at least, think are powerful enough to be viable as an all-purpose scapegoat when they get their asses scalded by their own burning stupidity.
I'm damned proud of us. Pour another glass and raise 'em high:
Salud, netroots!
1 comment:
(thoughts from the UK)
I wonder what the correlation between the 'net generation and US voting looks like? I wouldn't be surprised if penetration into demographics shows up higher for young educated liberals, with your traditional 'redneck' not being tech savvy (and yes I know there are many GOP blogs etc- the point is the net may be 'liberal').
What does seem to have happened, and partly because the Republicans haven't realised it can happen, is the whole web seems to be acting as a 'wiki' (both the good and bad sides). Everybody links to everyone else. And that means lies are picked up quickly.
In addition the information and access is there instantaneously. 8 years ago Bachman could have got away with her comments, but now anyone can find her opponent, and contribute to his campaign. GOTCHA
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