James Kirchick likes to crow about how the Netroots don’t matter. There are a few former (Republican and Democrat) office holders that might beg to differ. But, Kirchick is right about one thing. If Obama listened to the Netroots’ advice all the time he wouldn’t be president-elect. However, the FISA bill is not one of those examples. The FISA vote was excessive and unnecessary caution and it was Obama’s biggest mistake. Having said that, he generally ignored the Netroots’ advice and, for the most part, he was wise to do so. He ran a far smarter and more disciplined campaign than I could have ever dreamed up.
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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As soon as Obama defeated Hillary Clinton, he turned INTO Hillary Clinton.
At that point McCain was doomed to crash yet again.
By the way, I just heard, and this is no joke, Mike Huckabee and Bobby Jindal are in Iowa doing retail politics with an eye toward 2012.
I don’t know that there is such a thing as Netroots. There was a lot of frantic advice that he should go all-out left, stand by Wright, attack Bushist ideology, etc. There was also plenty of the usual Dem/liberal chickenshit about how he should play to the center-right, never speak of race, and generally say nothing that would make the wingnuts mad.
To my eye, he started out following the latter, then later moved more toward the former. What we out here tend not to see is the arc of a campaign — probably because it’s been so many years since a Dem campaign had one.
Given the seeming center-right (Clintonite) thrust of his current decisions, I’m hoping his administration develops in a pattern similar to his campaign. I have a feeling that it will. The overanxious gnashing of teeth by folks like Sirota seems kind of absurd at this point — he’s not even going to be in office for some time yet. I think he’s earned some slack before we get hysterical about every little nuance we can detect.
So you’re hoping that once the initial crisis is over he can move to the right of Clitonism?
Not parsing your meaning. You think his campaign was more rightish in its last month than its first? I don’t see that at all.
Does this post contain any logic? I fail to see it.
I don’t know, does it?
Saying we are too stupid to listen to, but you should listen to us on Fisa.
I really don’t see why we should be taken seriously if we are dismissive of ourselves.
It’s amazing to me the lack of motivation on the part of the self-important Netroots to do anything without drama prompting them. Obama’s filling out his cabinet and administration with people are already in office. If the so-called “leaders” of the Netroots had any real leadership in them, they’d be out there with list of “progressives” they’d like to see fill these empty slots. Is no one curious as to what kind of Democrat will be filling these Congressional, Senatorial and Gubernatorial seats? Is the Netroots rallying behind some Representatives to get them into the Senate? What about retired or inactive Democrats who are acceptable to the Netroots?
Two weeks and I’ve heard nothing. I contact friends in other states, asking them who’s up for filling a vacant seat and they want to talk procedure. I know procedure, but do they want more Lieberman’s or more Ryan’s? Seems no one really cares. Instead we get two weeks of whining about all the former Clintonites in the administration, which is amusing and annoying to me at the same time.
That would make a “fun” game.
Name a person for each Cabinet position that is
a)progressive
and
b)has no experience in the Clinton administrations, a major bugaboo of many on the left.
Kind of cuts the list down a bit, no?
Wow. It’s like you didn’t even read my comment. Talk about missing the point.
Most of the “netroots” is people who like to bitch, and who are often simply not clear about the real dimensions of problems. They are excessively pure in many cases – there is no compromising when you are composing posts.
I see some proactive thinking, but not much.
I will agree with Boo on FISA – I think that it was excessive caution.
you’re reading the wrong blog. Openleft has come up with several people. So have the diaries at Kos.
.
not in a trumped-up loose complex of political activists named netroots.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Which is exactly why I will not criticize the Lieberman vote.
As long as Obama can count on the support of the netroots without suffering consequences, the netroots don’t matter in the least.
But as Double G says, why are we surprised by that?
Meet the new boss.
Same as the old boss.