For all the coverage of the DNC one thing has been missing both here and on the cable and network news. That thing has been the protests. On the streets of Denver, socialists, anarchists, feminists, environmentalists, anti-war activists, immigrants, liberals, progressives, and all manner of forward thinking people have gathered to stand for things that we believe in. They stand against war, poverty, corporate greed, racism, and sexism. They stand for universal health care, peace, an end to wire tapping, education. These brave men and women have been abused and silence this past week and we have been silent about it.
Why? Well, why not? Call it counter-programming. You'll be real grateful for that next week, when the other option will be watching Mitt Romney try to be authentic.
In any event, this is your regular weekly forum for asking questions about how this place works, and get them answered. We strive for accuracy, but results my vary, especially after a glass or two of wine.
This election season, the strangle-hold of the Bush corporate cabal, bent on establishing a permanent Republican majority and privatizing our country, including the military, has been seriously challenged through the unexpected power of the Internet. That power has been measured in terms of the ability of the Democratic candidates to raise money, the language of that power, through this new medium.
This has greatly upset the balance of power and the hierarchical structure of power and the plans of wresting all power from the people. In 2006 the new base of 'people power' brought a stunning defeat to the old structure and this year, that momentum is continuing, defeating old strategies and loyalities and those who are bought and paid for.
That's headlining AOL.com right now. Not Teddy Kennedy or Michelle Obama's amazing convention appearances. Not the Georgian leader's new accusations against Russia. But a story about supposed bickering between Daily Kos and Elizabeth Edwards. Both Foxnews and CNN are carrying the "story" on their front pages. I don't see it on MSNBC.
That's right folks, comments to a blog post are now being treated as national news and evidence of a major rift in the party. And who's the bad guy in all of this, according to the AP: the insensitive hacks at Daily Kos.
Don't know what the sketch is. Don't know if it's funny. (But it's always a good bet.)
Still, our job (sort of) is to bring you the news before it becomes the news. So tonight, we bring you the fake news before it... becomes... fake. I guess.
Also look for this comedic nugget on The Tonight Show:
Someone tell me in some later thread WTF these bits were. Because although I saw it all, I couldn't hear a thing. Thanks.
Here's my problem with Daily Kos: I am addicted to it. It's becoming the object of my procrastination and a place where I go to stoke and confirm my righteous indignation regarding the McBush travesty of the past 8 years. Each time I log on to the internet, it's the first place I go. I want to see the latest video about "Housesgate" or the take Kossacks have on Biden, etc. Does anyone else have this problem?
The other problem I have is that I am low on cash. I just had a kid recently, and I've gone into credit card debt. Thus, I do stretch to give to the Obama campaign, but not as much as I'd like. I am saving up for two more donations to the campaign by mid-October.
(ahem) The title of this diary consists of the correct tags for diaries discussing Obama's upcoming win in November. Believe it or not, there are other Obama's in the world, besides Barack. If you tag your diary with only "Obama, 2008" you only remind people of Norm Obama's unfortunate arrest last January. (We think Norm will be okay, since even in Montana, sheep can't testify...)
Over the course of his presidential bid, Biden cemented his reputation as -- how to put this nicely? -- less than disciplined on the campaign trail. ...
Plagiarizer In Chief ...
Washington Insider ...
Joe Loves Joe
One of the most overlooked episodes during the 1987 collapse of Biden's campaign was a snippet of footage captured by C-Span in which the Delaware senator, in response to a question about where he went to law school and what sort of grades he received, delivered this classic line: "I think I have a much higher IQ than you do." ...
I've been scarce online (thanks to my dismal AT&T DSL service) but I just had to get on DKos today to join the celebration over the announcement of Sen Joe Biden as this year's VP nominee. Sen Biden was my original candidate wayyy back in those days when Mike Gravel (shoutout to Ben Masel) was still being invited to the debates. So for me, the Obama/Biden slate is my personal 'Dream Team'.
Sen Biden is a bona fide foreign policy expert. I am not saying he is Churchill and Ceasar all wrapped up in one. But he has worked hard on FP issues for decades. IMO he has genuinely good instincts. His skills will be extremely valuable these next four years. Joe Biden makes our teams strong, so let's be happy.
Now I also know Sen Biden is not universaly seen as the ideal choice. You might see him as just another feckless long-time politician. For you I have re-published this summary of Joe Biden the candidate. Here you will find a variety of reasons to like Joe Biden, personal terstemonials, Presidential campaign highlights, Biden campaign releases - but mostly it a place to find a lot of Kossack wisdom.
And if that is not reason enough to feel happy, just look forward to him tearing into McCain's running mate in the upcoming VP debate... Enjoy
"If I were designing a system from scratch, I would probably go ahead with a single-payer system," Obama told some 1,800 people at a town-hall style meeting on the economy.
[snip]
But Obama repeated that he rejects an immediate shift to a single-payer system. "Given that a lot of people work for insurance companies, a lot of people work for HMOs. You’ve got a whole system of institutions that have been set up," he said at a roundtable discussion with women Monday morning after a voter asked, "Why not single payer?"
To all the naysayers, chicken littles, psychological Obama staffers and the what if crowd, here is MHO of what I have become accustomed to when reading the Kos.
Okay, DailyKos, we need to talk about us. We need to talk about our Goals.
slinkerwink's made the rec list again with another chicken little, little campaign manager diary, that exists with the purported intent of giving Barack Obama advice and the implied purpose of trying to audition for a slot as a campaign advisor to Barack Obama. This has been followed by a pile-on of diaries all ranging from less than sane and less than lucid to well completely insane and completely not lucid. All again with the stated intent of ... well I guess trying to give Barack Obama campaign advice. Sometimes it is pretty hard to tell.
And, over and over again, as I read the somewhat sane to the completely insane stuff I sit and wonder: What's your point?
Markos Moulitsas Zúniga will prove to be an important historical figure in 21st century American politics. The creation of Daily Kos not only provided an outlet for, organized and activated a frustrated liberal voting bloc, but it also helped establish they very discipline of political blogging. The success of Daily Kos has spawned books, political office holders, and good old fashion in your face journalism/activism (See, Mike Stark). However, the success of Daily Kos has put the site in the spotlight and is assumed to speak for large chunks of liberal voters. With great power, comes great responsibility. With greater prominence comes greater scrutiny. Under the spotlight, the question that must be asked is has the Daily Kos community met the challenge, or have they jumped the shark.
UPDATE: I changed the name of the diary because too many people only read the title and don't read the content.
As Friday August 15 dissolves into Saturday August 16th, you will note a ground breaking change of policy at Daily Kos. It is a startling reversal of policy. One is reminded of observing "glasnost" era Gorbachev's USSR.
Somehow it has become not only possible, but recommendable to suggest, without much convincing evidence that current US President George W Bush is "responsible for the Russian invasion" of Ossetia.
See a gnostic 's diary... or you couldn't have missed it anyway ?
I support a gnostic's right to post his diary.
But consider this.
Normally considered barely competent, President '43 is portrayed as capable of remotely controlling the armed forces of a foreign state widely thought to be governed by Vladimir Putin and a ventriloquist dummy by the name of Medvedyev. ( the y helps )
What does this embrace of unproven and unsubstantiated assaults on DKOS tradition mean ?
Jump below to consider the possibilites.
