Harold Ford Enters The Lion's Den
AUSTIN -- One of the most anticipated events from Day 2 of Netroots Nation was the discussion between Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas and DLC Chairman Harold Ford. The event was essentially a reprise of their 2007 duel on Meet the Press, only this time the battle was fought on Moulitsas' turf. For about an hour, Moulitsas and Ford had a polite discussion in which they agreed on many topics and respectfully disagreed on others. The audience treated Ford politely, although several audience members blasted the centrist ex-congressman during the Q&A that followed. One male questioner accused him of "smearing Democrats on TV and using right-wing attacks."
Early in the discussion, Moulitsas addressed the netroots' anger at Barack Obama over his FISA vote: "The one issue where we had a little disagreement was FISA, and it wasn't because Obama was moving to the center, it was because he was not moving to the center. There was no popular support for this bill...People don't really like being spied on by the government."
That said, Moulitsas said that Obama's FISA vote isn't a deal-breaker for the netroots: "We're gonna get over it, because we have much more in common. He is incredibly talented and inspirational, and he is going to be a good President because we're going to have a Democratic Congress to keep him honest. And we're going to keep them all honest."
Ford suggested that there will be bigger issues in this election than FISA: "I think the majority of voters in this country -- with all due respect -- as much as they may be focused on FISA today...I think there's probably a greater concern [about] the housing and credit crunch. There's a greater concern about how high gas is going to end up being by late summer when their four kids have to go back to school."
Moulitsas also described the type of candidate whom the netroots support: "We can overlook disagreements on policy, but what we really don't like are Democrats who are afraid to be Democrats. And people like Jon Tester and Jim Webb -- they're not afraid to be Democrats. We disagree on occasion, but they're not afraid to be Democrats. That's what we're looking for. We're not looking for ideological purity."
Ford, however, expressed concern about the netroots' plans to challenge various Dem incumbents in 2010: "I hope that if we look at challenging Democrats in 2010 -- there may be those that deserve to be challenged -- I only ask that there's a clear criteria for what that means. Because if you're asking my friend Travis Childers down there in Mississippi to vote on guns in a certain way, he won't win."
(Hotline's IAN FAERSTEIN)
Oh, for heaven's sake!!! Obama's going to spy on us, he's on the wrong side of FISA, he's trending towards the CENTER (???--that seems like the RIGHT to me) but STILL "we find him INSPIRING?"
How stupid can these "netroots nitwits" be? That Kos clown is even stupider than he looks, apparently. Are they so anxious to have the "cool looking" candidate that they disregard his rightwing views and suspend ALL judgment? I guess that's the case. What morons!!
Party Unity, My Ass. The people voted, and the DNC didn't count all the votes. I won't vote for an inexperienced, closet-right-wing Rezko-pal crook just because he has an "ethnic look" and is the standard bearer of the party I'll probably leave after thirty some odd years. I'll vote for myself, instead. And I'll keep the money I used to give to Democrats and stick it in my gas tank(since no one needs a gas holiday, either).
It's a disgrace, how these pouting self-important clowns have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and their disgraceful petulance is going to give us President McCain--and I'll hold those "netroots nitwit nobodies" responsible for that, too.
Stupid, childish, under-educated little foot-stompers...they're selling us all down the river because they're so desperate to be "hip." Here's what's hip--choosing the experienced candidate, the one with the best ideas, the one who could think on her feet, the one who never backed down, the one who had a husband who could do that "roving ambassador" thing without any issue.
Instead, they wanted the My Little Phony candidate. And that's what they've got...and he's gonna lose, too, just like Kerry did.
Idiots.
That said, Moulitsas said that Obama's FISA vote isn't a deal-breaker for the netroots...And we're going to keep them all honest.
Well Markos doesn't speak for everyone and there are lots of people who are plenty mad that Obama wimped out and voted for a bill that contained telecom immunity, despite his earlier promise to filibuster.
As for that last part, ask Markos what successes "we" have had with Democrats in control since 2006.
What a blockhead.
Ophelia,
Hillary's over it. She's working to get the Democratic nominee elected, just as she and Obama always said they would. Maybe it's time for you to listen to her. If, that is, you're really a disgruntled Hillary supporter, and not just playing one on the Interwebs.
Yeah, Kerry sucked as a candidate. Then pretty much all the myopic party hacks who'd backed him in the 2004 primary shifted over to the next "inevitable" nominee and backed Clinton. You presumably, had more intelligent reasons for supporting Clinton than that she was The Anointed One. It therefore ill behooves you to proclaim that all supporters of Obama are necessarily motivated by folly and fantasy, merely because you are incapable of conceiving how your opinions and perceptions could possibly not be shared by rational human beings.
Harold Ford is right that Democrats must maintain a broad base of support and appeal to the center. Less emphasis on fringe issues like FISA and more on fixing our economic crisis will bring about a decisive Democratic victory in '08 that can also provide a mandate to govern. Progressives are a minority of the electorate. Obama has no choice but to compete for the middle ground.
Ophelia
"Stupid, childish, under-educated little foot-stompers..."
Projecting much?
Ophelia: After you take a breath, do a bit of research. Hillary is the one Democratic candidate who would have delivered the WH to John McCain. BTW Barack Obama has more legislative experience and a deeper record of legislative accomplishments than HRC. Just read it. Sorry you're upset and so visceral, but such extreme "feelings" are exactly what we don't need in our government right now. Sen. Obama, and the downticket Democrats, is the only reasonable way our country may (I stess MAY) recover from the disasterous Bush and Co. Administration. Heaven help the U.S. if McCain becomes president. P.S. I am not a Democrat. It is BECAUSE of the Clintons I went independent and intend to stay that way, despite the fact I came from a UAW household and Democratic stronghold. It would serve you well to get a little more informed.
RJ Kruger
Bakersfield, Calif.
Oh it's only the 4th amendment...give me a break. Imagine if Hillary was the candidate, and she voted for FISA...holy cow, the Clinton haters would have had a field day.
When you find that Barrack is legally reading your emails, listening to your phone calls, and tracking your purchases, don't blame us, we voted for Hillary.
PS...No we won't get over it, too many Progressive talking heads and Internet sites, ripped Hillary, who had a great shot at being the Democrat Candidate. (that in itself made no sense...she was one of us!) I can't think of ANYONE, no on line blogs, no radio shows, no TV shows, who even came close to dissecting Obama's every move.
So now we are suddenly suppose to forgive and forget? I need more time...and apologies from people like KOS, HUFFINGTON POST, OLBERMANN, RHODES..etc etc etc.