Bloggers attack!

Saturday, the WashPo acknowledged that many of us lefty bloggers have been attacking the Democrat's new reach for the center approach.

And, what I thoroughly enjoyed seeing in the NYT's was this editorials headline: Senators in need of spine. (thanks to Bush v. Choice for the link)

From the WashPo article:

Democrats are getting an early glimpse of an intraparty rift that could complicate efforts to win back the White House: fiery liberals raising their voices on Web sites and in interest groups vs. elected officials trying to appeal to a much broader audience.

Ya think? We lefties aren't gonna vote for another Bush, that's for sure, but yes, we have been feeling disenfranchised for a while now, especially when it comes to women and minority rights. Nevermind that we've been criticizing the new Republican-Lites since before Shrub was elected for a 2nd term.

These activists -- spearheaded by battle-ready bloggers and making their influence felt through relentless e-mail campaigns -- have denounced what they regard as a flaccid Democratic response to the Supreme Court fight, President Bush's upcoming State of the Union address and the Iraq war. In every case, they have portrayed party leaders as gutless sellouts.

And well, we have. We want to see more of Murtha's gumption, the kind that doesn't care if others will boo him, but will speak up for what is right regardless. Isn't that what Senators and Representatives were originally elected for in the first place? (You gotta love the use of flaccid, eh?)

First, liberal Web logs went after Democrats for selecting Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to deliver the response to Bush's speech next Tuesday.

This is questionable. Did we lefties really attack Dem's for choosing Kaine 'cause I don't remember seeing anything about it. I remember not being surprised because I think Kaine swings to the side of Republican-lite too much, which ultimately works for the Democrat's centrist message: Kaine is pro-life, anti-death penalty, very Catholic and anti-gay rights (he supports the Marriage Protection Act amendment that will we vote on in November).

This from the mouth of Kaine:

"Blogs can take up a lot of time if you're on them," Kaine said to reporters Thursday. "You can get a lot done if you're not bitterly partisan."

Heh. He'll get to test that *bitterly partisan* idea when he tries to work with a very Republican Lt. Governor, Bill Bolling.

At long last, the article does mention the Dem's desertion of Howard Dean, who was the favorite until they realized he might actually win and that he didn't reach to more centrist voters, but stood his ground from the very beginning. I voted for him and backed him all the way. I'm sure you aren't all that surprised. And how dare a freakin' doctor be pro-choice!

"John Kerry is beginning to bring the traditional Democratic leadership in Washington together with the untraditional netroots activists of the country," James Boyce wrote on the Huffington Post.

Meanwhile, Kerry is supposedly bringing tradition together with new-age stuff. Where has that been happening exactly? He lost the run for President but he knows his face was out there so I thinke he's still fueled off the recognition it gave him.

And he obviously plans to run again. Hopefully this means he's learned that us radicals shouldn't be left out in the middle of nowhere.

Having said all the above, I think the article was too nice. We also haven't been attacking as much as we've been criticizing. I agree with Maha in that we want the more centrist Dem's to work with us who are more to the left of center, creating a partnership if you will.

Or hell, I'm still up for creating an entirely new party of Liberals. You know, like in Canada and everywhere else on this earth.