Daily Kos “Bloggers’ Strike” Shows Increasingly Bitter Obama Clinton Democratic Rift
In yet the latest sign of how bitter the divisions in the Democratic party are getting in the epic battle between Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama for their party’s presidential nomination, some writers at Daily Kos have gone on “strike” due to what they charge is abuse aimed at them and Hillary Clinton.
These writers write the diaries on the right side of the page. The key post is by Alegre, a call for Hillary Clinton supporters to stop posting on Kos, or to take their writing elsewhere:
I’ve decided to go on “strike” and will refrain from posting here as long as the administrators allow the more disruptive members of our community to trash Hillary Clinton and distort her record without any fear of consequence or retribution. I will not be posting at DailyKos effective immediately. I will not help drive up traffic or page-hits as long as my candidate – a good and fine DEMOCRAT – is attacked in such a horrid and sexist manner not only by other diarists, but by several of those posting to the front page.
Alegre undermined the ire by going over to the other Big Democratic site, My DD, which has some posts often more sympathetic to Clinton.
To those who don’t visit blogs or get their news from them (which a recent poll shows includes the vast majority of the American public) this might seem to be a provincial conflict, but it is highly significant.
In political terms, it underscores the raw, angry and bitter rivalrly between supporters of Obama and Clinton (as I noted in my appearance on CNN’s blog segment last Sunday).
The mirror image distrust, hatred and dismissiveness felt by each side towards the others’ candidates accentuates by the day — raising the authentic prospect that even in an awful economy the Democrats will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — as some supporters of the losing nomination candidate stay home.
How symbolic is it of the party’s worsening rift? ABC News’ Jake Trapper has covered it and even got an update comment from the site’s owner:
I asked Kos himself, Markos Moulitsas, what he makes of all this.
His response: “First, these people should read up on the definition of ’strike.’ What they’re doing is a ‘boycott.’ But whatever they call it, I think it’s great. It’s a big Internet, so I hope they find what they’re looking for.”
In freedom of speech terms, the strike/boycott raises the issue of whether those online who don’t adhere to a certain line are subject to abuse or — a differing view — whether some are angry seeing views strongly expressed that differ from theirs on the same site (on both sides).
Indeed, big sites such as the progressive Daily Kos, My DD, and Huffington Post often contain various viewpoints within a defined ideological area. Ditto for Republican Red State.com. They are not quite as monolithic as their critics charge.
Pro-Clinton blogger Tom Watson writes:
A writer’s strike at DailyKos is the latest symptom of a fast-moving infection in the progressive blogosphere – the all-too-real political fissure driven by online bullying that shows no signs of healing by August. Does this virtual walk-out presage the real thing in Denver? Too early to tell, but the real anger among Democratic bloggers who do not ardently support Barack Obama swats down the dismissive conventional wisdom of “they’ll come back in the end” – at least for now.
Watson details the larger issue:
The resentment among non-Obama backers is growing rapidly – you can see it in the comments here, and I can see it in my emails. There’s a real split among party activists, and it’s getting wider.
Some of it is motivated by the media’s love affair with one candidate – and hatred for the other; Keith Olbermann’s embarrassment drove many over the edge. But much of it comes from boorish, Stalinist behavior online – the kind of “you’re either with us or against us” attitude we saw so much of when the Bush crowd was flying high. It’s disturbing, particularly because so many of the targets are women. This is not the Democratic Party many of us have worked for; this is not the progressive blogosphere we’ve supported.
On the other hand, bitterness in this race can be seen all around. Where progressive and moderate bloggers and commenters used to get worked up arguing about George Bush, there is now a real angry, scolding tone in many comments left by Clinton and Obama supporters.
Marc Ambinder notes that Alegre has set up The American Federation of Concerned Bloggers (AFCB) and the post on Kos generated more than 1100 comments “many of them supportive.”
He sees a bigger issue:
Who Hillary Clinton is and what she represents has been THE debate among Democratic activists for years. It is now THE national debate. The Democratic Party may well come together and support its nominee. But the debate about Clinton, her (and his) politics, the legacy, the tactics — will endure.
In short, the strike/boycott is a symptom — and with so many months to go until the Democratic convention, the prognosis for true Democratic Party unity going into the election seems “questionable.”
Comments to “Daily Kos “Bloggers’ Strike” Shows Increasingly Bitter Obama Clinton Democratic Rift”
TO: Anyone
RE: [OT] SOMEONE….PLEASE….
….tell PayPal to stop with the obnoxious certificates!
Regards,
Chuck(le)
P.S. I'm REALLY getting PO'd at PayPal for slapping me in the face everytime I re-load or go-to some page where they have one of those blog-ads that tries to pass me a 'certificate'.
P.P.S. Or, perhaps it's the donations thingie.
Whateveritis….STOP IT!
I agree with Ryan's thoughts (and the others on here who echo him), “As with any election, it isn't certain that the person running will live up to expectations, but Obama is the first in a long time who has been able to inspire vast numbers of people to believe that a better type of politics is possible; we can either cynically dismiss that inspiration as an impossible illusion, or trust in our judgment and hope that we have judged correctly.”
I'd like to add that we've seen that experience is doesn't guarantee success (Bush was a gov of a big state and he's been Prez. for eight years, and he still doesn't know how to run the government) and Hillary and her husband have been around for the last couple of decades with plenty of political enemies (and many Americans find them both to be very divisive).
Obama may not have as much executive experience as Bush did, but he has far more legislative experience than Hillary (who only got the job by being the President's wife- otherwise she would have been an unknown from Arkansas and the NY voters would not have voted for her when she moved to NY to run for that seat. Obama had no political connections and has had to work his way up. He's also less divisive than Hillary.
So he does represent a break from the past- and there is no guarantee of his success, but then there never is with anyone. We have a real chance with a intelligent guy to make a break from our past fighting. And there are plenty of Republicans who DO like him. So let's not blow this chance.
BTW: I'm becoming more convinced every day that the presidency will go to McCain- I mean even Hillary prefers McCain over Obama. Americans are seeing a totally divisive and split Democratic party. Whereas poeple know that McCain will be the Republican nominee. That certainty of who the Republican is psychologically very strong.
Voters are thinking, “It's McCain and…. who? We're waiting… If those Democrats can't even come to an agreement and unite their own party, then they have problems and certainly won't work with Republicans. We know McCain is the Republican nominee so let's vote for him. Even Hillary Clinton likes McCain over Obama.”
Anyway, if voters aren't even thinking exactly those things, that's where this race is headed for the Dems.
[...] Daily Kos “Bloggers’ Strike” Shows Increasingly Bitter Obama Clinton Democratic Ri… [...]
Few thoughts:
1) Circling wagons and attacking bloggers and echo chambers. Yeah, definitely, and it isn't just politics. Try reading a message board that supports a particular American Idol contestant when someone posts a dissenting message. The swarm attacks with vehemence and cruelty. Try being the new hire who disagrees with the CEO in a board meeting. The attacks are much more civil, but no less profound.
2) I've admitted here that I am an Obama supporter (after Richardson dropped). That said, I've definitely seen an air of sexism in attacks, even on TMV's commenters, on Clinton and any supporters who happen to be female. References to PMS, getting panties in a bunch, getting hysterical, and on and on. One never knows when it's better to call it out and when better to ignore so that the bomb thrower gives up and moves on.
3) I don't read KOS or RedState or Michelle Malkin, etc., because they are echo chambers of varying sizes. I would guess that KOS is about as representative of Democrats as Michelle Malkin is of Republicans. While TMV seems to be about 50% Obama, at least we've got 20% McCain, 15% Clinton, and 15% none of the above. That's better than most places for diversity of opinion. Similarly, while we've a fair number of posters who love bomb throwing, labeling, and deriding, maybe half of the people here seem to like speaking to others. You take what you can get.
4) The current young generation are unfairly maligned. I'm teaching a college course this semester in which (I routinely try to brainwash them into socialism and) I think every single student has a job as well as taking courses. Some of them have full-time jobs and full-time classloads. Some do arrive late for my 8:30 class, but otherwise they appear to be working just as hard as me in college. The problem is that they are working about half the time selling clothes at the mall in order to eat instead of on their homework. The same laziness attacks on the current people in their 20s were used for my slacker generation, now in their 30s and early 40s. Every next generation is disrespectful and lazy in the view of the previous generations. (Which hints that 1) either it's false, or 2) it's true but is common to all people passing through early adulthood.)
[...] Moderate Voice, the voter analysis publication, commented on the exodus saying that “This might seem to be a provincial conflict, but it is highly significant. In [...]
Jim S? I like your health care plan better too.
My point with Obama would be that we all want those things (well, all of us who are not deranged, anyway). But what's the realistic plan for getting from A to Z on any particular, and is it at all feasible? Or is it just the usual populist promises?
The flap at DKos is indicative of a real internal party conflict, but the excess vitriol level evidenced is simply indicative of what passes for rational discourse at DKos, not the intensity and depth of the conflict within the Democratic Party itself. DKos is not the party, just as Freep or RedState are not the GOP.
[...] DailyKos Writer’s Strike Shows Increasingly Bitter Obama/Clinton Democratic Rift [...]
As a black woman that used to work for my home state governor's election to the senate I can tell you that politcs are the most superficial pomposity of a career. This is fake outrage at Obamas comments, it really is . I live in a small town now. I have a ton of friends from all cultures, my hubby is a white guy. Yeah people are bitter, its the truth…and that is not a lie or mis-statement bu the TRUTH and unfortunately that is Obama's fault he told the truth. People get mad when you speak the truth.
I remember I asked Ted Stevens (republican senator) why he was always bitching about the 9th circuit court. Of course I said it in a way that was more tactful and appropriate but after his shock that I would ask this. ( I was 17 or so at the time) he gave some fake answer about how the government is divided blah blah, and how the courts were overstepping their power blah blah. He thought I didnt know my shizz though and I gave a follow up before my teachers started giving eachother worried looks and I let it go. Afterwards a ton of them came up to me and thanked me for saying the truth, because they could never actually say what they think…or no more school trips to D.C.
At that time I didn't understand the b.s that was and is involved in the managing of this country but once I left D.C and came back home to Anchorage, my love of politics died. I still am interested in it, but that whole idealism was gone, the wanting and longing to make this country something better than it is…died. It pops up here and there as you can see with the following of Barack Obama, but I fear that a big let down is only a few months away.
There are many other things that helped me form a more pragmatic view of the political landscape along. One being a stump in a ground to represent Martin Luther King ( a few hundred feet from where the Lincoln memorial is…that I was supposed to be proud of, and having to hear a mostly conservative republican youth group talk about martin luther king wasn't an American hero but a trouble starter…and he doesn't DESERVE a statue.
Now I know America thought he was the most dangerous Negro and all that jazz, and the f.b.i wasn't fond of him…I know that. But to say he was not an American hero that has radically changed this country for the better was a slap in the face. Also the fact that DC is surrounded by ghettos when they claim to fight to build the poor in this country up. Yet, insulate themselves away from a mostly minority D.C that isn't even represented because of stupid politics that I won't even go into. I thought in this country taxation without representation was illegal. If I was a d.c politician I would demand no more tax paying by my people until we got the votes we deserve…but alas I'm not a politician and I can still be honest…which are complete oxy morons now adays.
Im completely off topic…so ill end in saying Obama has the possibility to change this country in a positive way. Sure hes not strapped with an American Flag and singing God Bless America everyother second but he is a proud American. Hell what else would he be.
I'm a proud American, let down, but still proud even though I think that America has F*ckd up more than enough times. But I still think that America is a good country despite itself. They are going to try to turn Obama into an anti white, elitist liberal, anti American anti jew softy that cant protect America and probably a makaka too if it didn't get noose hanging George Allen's racist behind out. (THANK YOU VIRGINIA FOR KICKING HIM OUT). To be honest from what I have seen inside and out of the political spectrum I feel that hes a snowflake, that has fallen into a volcano. and has only one place to fall that wont burn him up. Which is near impossible right? Im over it all. Being black your never patriotic enough, even though youve had ancestors die for this country just like anyone else.
At the very least it has gotten more black people involved and that will either make more Martin Luther Kings…or more Malcom X's. If they continue attacking him on bs claims then I gurantee their will be a rise in true anti American blacks…that will believe the bull that anti American forces try to purport. I have so many friends that are black guys that feel they get more respect from muslims who see America in a negative way than from their own country. They are watching this election just like everyone else and if this ends badly, which I hope and pray it doesnt…but most likely will. Then all hell will break lose. Obama has opened a pandoras box to the minorities in this country…Perhaps thats not the right analogy but what I mean is now that he has ran such a good campaign and if he is not the nominee or elected in November then blacks and other minorities will begin to ask why later…why not now. In every facit of their lives…and if America doesnt stand for what it says its stands for; liberty and justice for all…then America will fall. I never once thought or think America will succomb to the pressure of a foreign entity, but like Rome will die from a cancer inside. This cancer is many different things, but left unchecked will destroy this country.
We shall see wont we…what America wants