Warning: Obama is going to throw the liberal blogs under the bus Thursday. Frankly, we deserve it.

[beachmom]

This is a must read post by Al Giordano:

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/dont-blow-it-netroots-bloggers

Don't Blow It, Netroots Bloggers

Marc Ambinder, blogger-journalist for The Atlantic, asks aloud:

Does the McCain campaign think that their ticket can win if they go to war with the press 60 days out?

The answer is, most definitively, yes.

And the question reveals the very hubris on the part of so much of the media that makes such a war an irresistible and smart gambit by the McCain-Palin campaign.

What members of the national media don't understand - what they have never understood - is why "running against the media" is such a good strategy.

Most members of the commercial media don't want to face what everybody else knows - that as institutions go, that of "the media" is as hated or more so than George W. Bush and the US Congress.

Unfortunately, in recent days, too many bloggers and their commenters have forgotten that truth, too.

...

It's about the "unvetted diaries," stupid.

Netroots and pro-Democratic party blogs have become the staging areas for "unvetted diaries" - some planted, no doubt, by covert McCain backers, others as sincere as they are imbecilic - that screech about McCain not vetting his vice presidential pick while behaving just as irresponsibly as their target. Too many bloggers and their commenters have jumped on rumors - about pregnancies and other matters - that turned out to be false, and have harmed the messengers' own credibility by stating them as fact.

And in cases where the front-page bloggers at websites did not engage in such boneheaded activity, but their rank-and-file diarists or commenters did, we who run our blogs have a special responsibility to step in and put things right again.

...

If anyone in the Netroots wants to complain now that Obama has chosen to go on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program on Thursday, they need only look in the mirror to find the culprit. It was the excesses in the blogsophere that forced him into it. The whole point of appearing with the Netroots-obsessed-and-hating O'Reilly is to invite the question: "Senator, what do you think of what those blogs wrote about Palin and her family? Do you reject and denounce them?" And Obama will smack down the perps so cleanly that even O'Reilly will have to cheer. And that smackdown will hit all of us, even those that didn't take the bait and don't engage in making such unvetted claims.

I will be among those that receives the smackdown applauding, and who will lend a helping hand to spread the smackdown to those that whine or portray themselves as victims because of it. And I invite you to join in that as a group effort to support from below what Obama must now say and do from above.

Go to the link to read the whole thing.

[crispini]

1. As it should be. nt

[NightWatcher]

2. all I hear in my head is AC/DC's Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

[ingac70]

3. He can smack me down...

he still has my vote...

I'm still gonna dog the shit out of Palin for the type of mother she is, because if she had it her way, motherhood could be forced on me.

[cwydro]

Um, wouldn't you have SOMETHING to do with it?

[AndyTiedye]

118. Not Necessarily

motherhood could be forced on me.

Um, wouldn't you have SOMETHING to do with it?

Not necessarily. Palin would ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

[Heather MC]

97. Me too and if he cuts us Off we don't have to hold back!!!

Wait do we hold back?
:rofl:

[Franks Wild Years]

4. I don't think the "media" notion is correct.

The media can distort and contort anything they want to. McCain could be lampooned into oblivion - he'd deserve it, but they could easily exaggerate it and take it to a whole new level.

Obama's plan of action - if true - is absolutely correct though. Leave no open door for the GOP to sneak through.

[azmouse]

5. I was ashamed of DU last week.

I hope some will see themselves in what is said by Obama and be ashamed of possibly harming our candidate with the insane feeding frenzy that happened here late last week.

[Matariki]

10. I was PROUD of DU last week. We helped get the media do its job

Yay us! :woohoo:

[NightWatcher]

18. it got the MSM to pay attention. I have NO PROBLEM digging the dirt for my candidate

I feel like an unpaid operative.

[azmouse]

19. Whatever...

:puke:

[JVS]

80. Me too. It was awesome!

[cwydro]

25. I agree with you.

We've got a lot of bottom feeders here and they do not help Obama in any way, despite their protestations to the contrary.

[1corona4u]

62. That's what I tried to say, and got

my ass chewed out. One person even questioned whether or not I was for Obama, since I was asking for them to stop.

[azmouse]

94. All of us got shouted down.

Even the mods tried to get DUers to calm down by stating facts about the 'babygate' case and they weren't listened to either.
It was not DU's finest moment, I don't care what some want to claim about it making the MSM listen.

[Matariki]

99. For a good reason. This 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips' approach HASN'T BEEN WORKING.

[azmouse]

116. Was it necessary to fill every page of DU with Palin posts?

Was it necessary to have many posts from DUers about how they looked during their pregnancy? (Lounge material at best)
Was it necessary to keep the inuendo alive when Obama himself and a mod or two said enough was enough?

No one was saying NOTHING should be said about Palin. The feeding frenzy WAS NOT something that made DU proud.
Got it?

[Matariki]

140. If it helps get rid of her, yes.

[1corona4u]

102. I was respecting Obama's wishes....

he specifically said; "ANYBODY supporting me should know that it's off limits".

[pampango]

70. I'm with you. Thanks. n/t

[tekisui]

6. Good for him. He can take the high road. We can take the low road, we'll

meet in DC on Inauguration Day!

[iamthebandfanman]

14. yup!

the way i see it, its kinda our responsibilty to do the digging...
i mean, logically, if we get mud on our face no harm no foul... its if he obama does that matters...

we just gotta be careful while doing our digging as to not make it a view of all obama supporters or the campaign... even tho i think thats clear already but the MSM and right wingers are trying to make it the opposite

[tekisui]

43. The M$M and the RWers consistently belittle bloggers.

That clearly distinguishes the netroots from the Obama campaign.

[Egnever]

30. exactly right

he can wag his finger at me all he wants. Wont hurt my feelings a bit and I will still vote enthusiastically for him.

Wont stop me from disseminating all the dirt I can find on Palin or Mcsame.

As he said this election isn't about him its about us and I am not taking the republican bulshit sitting down ever again.

[TwilightGardener]

41. Yep. I don't mind if he condemns the internets. The internets aren't going ANYWHERE.

[IndependentDem]

49. yep, we are the attack dogs that this party has needed...

but we need to keep it real. Spreading rumors and half-truths do more harm than good.

[Fluffdaddy]

60. Yup you how the game is played. and I'm alright with it

[knixphan]

69. seconded!

[No Elephants]

82. I like the way you think, tekisui!

[msallied]

119. We'll be the hero that America needs, not the hero it deserves. Or whatever... LOL

[Virginia Dare]

139. Right on tekisui!...n/t

[WA98296]

146. Totally agree with that.

[NotThisTime]

148. As it should be....

[samdogmom]

7. Huhhh???

I quote:

"Too many bloggers and their commenters have jumped on rumors - about pregnancies and other matters - that turned out to be false, and have harmed the messengers' own credibility by stating them as fact."


UMMMMM, I think the pregnancy rumor turned out to be 1/2 right now...the rest is coming.....

[beachmom]

23. Well, if you read the whole post, he shows how if you don't get the

facts totally right, it is impossible to walk it back. DailyKos and other places have hurt their credibility by having DEAD CERTAIN diaries that got a lot wrong.

I remember the Alaska Independent Party diary from the weekend. I think I rec'd it. Al said since the fact that Palin was NOT registered with that party, all the other aspects of the story are not as big. Like that she attended their convention or that her husband was a member until 2002. He thinks blogs should get it right the first time, and not run with the story until all homework is done. OR .... at least the commenters should have said: hey -- we need more verification of this.

Now the pregnancy diary from Saturday was totally ridiculous. It read like the National Enquirer and did not get the facts right.

The last three days have been an important lesson for everyone to learn.

[JuniperLea]

58. DKos is making us all look pretty bad these days...

Troll hunting, banning... one guy was banned for saying it was plausible that Edwards met someone at the LA hotel in question... he got banned for just mentioning... and he was RIGHT! All sorts of rumors are given a LOT of credence because they are posted over there.

Thank God for DU... the vetting everyone puts everyone else through around here is priceless!

[karynnj]

133. Du if anything looked worse than Daily Kos

I think that the person was banned for more than saying that it was plausible that Edwards was at the hotel - there were many people who said similar things and were not banned. The fact is that until there was proof, the story was on both DU and DKos and people were taking care to use words like "if". There were many demanding verification. This was the correct thing to do. It would have been very unfair to Edwards, if the charges were untrue, to pile on when he had no platform to counter the charges from.

That same attempt to be fair should be extended to everyone. I regret some of my posts or recommendations this weekend. I still think that both DKos and DU, at their worst, were not close to where Free Republic was in 2004 or is now. The problem is just being better than them is not enough. On the AIP story, I think we can be somewhat excused as the story was also in the NYT. They had the membership verified by the head of the party, who later took it back.

[karynnj]

134. Du if anything looked worse than Daily Kos

The problem as the OP says is going with unverified rumours - not banning people who go too far.

I think that the person was banned for more than saying that it was plausible that Edwards was at the hotel - there were many people who said similar things and were not banned. The fact is that until there was proof, the story was on both DU and DKos and people were taking care to use words like "if". There were many demanding verification. This was the correct thing to do. It would have been very unfair to Edwards, if the charges were untrue, to pile on when he had no platform to counter the charges from.

That same attempt to be fair should be extended to everyone. I regret some of my posts or recommendations this weekend. I still think that both DKos and DU, at their worst, were not close to where Free Republic was in 2004 or is now. The problem is just being better than them is not enough. On the AIP story, I think we can be somewhat excused as the story was also in the NYT. They had the membership verified by the head of the party, who later took it back.

[JuniperLea]

8. Good! Then he can start on Freeperville and the O'Liely's of the world! eom

[beachmom]

9. I see Joe Klein wants war:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6904344

The media is falling for the tactic.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Um...stupid. Most of America doesn't read blogs. The blogs push

the media by scooping them. Americans, especially older Americans, get their info in short sound bites and blurbs. They don't know anything except what finally filters down to them. This is pointless handwringing, and a way to silence the internets. Email and blogger rumors have been VERY effective in taking down Obama's poll numbers, once the "legitimate" media picks up the stories, and the RW knows it--don't buy into their threats now when the sword might cut them right back.

[beachmom]

32. NPR cited DailyKos and "liberal bloggers" in their story about the AIP.

The story was relying on a member of that fringe group that she was a member. Well, she wasn't. She attended one or two of their conventions and her husband was a member until 2002. That is pretty damning, except it's not as bad as the original accusation.

[TwilightGardener]

37. So? Michelle Malkin and Red State and Free Republic make up smears

all the time that have NO basis in truth. And they work. Why, when the Republicans already have the media advantage because of RW talk radio all across the country, would we cede the INTERNET to them as well? We'd have no HOPE of winning.

[beachmom]

59. So two wrongs make a right?

[TwilightGardener]

72. There is no right or wrong. There is only winning and losing.

I want to win. If the media doesn't disseminate the facts and inform the people beyond the Bible Barbie image they're getting from the McLoon campaign, we will LOSE.

[beachmom]

79. Tell me the truth: Did you read Al's entire post I linked to?

It's about WINNING THE ELECTION. Al is saying that we could now lose if it turns into McCain/Palin vs. the media with liberal bloggers thrown in. Because people hate the media more than anything else.

[TwilightGardener]

90. People believe the media. They don't "hate" what they rely on. Giordano

(whoever he is) is stupid. And bloggers will gladly absorb the blame and take it on the chin, as long as they push the media to reveal the truth. And yeah, turns out Sarah palin is married to a guy who belonged to a secessionist party--borderline treason. Thank you, bloggers.

[beachmom]

101. That "stupid" Al Giordano? I didn't realize I have been arguing

with someone who doesn't have a clue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Giordano

In 1976, when he was sixteen, he went to Albany and testified before a legislative commission in the state senate against nuclear power, felt completely ignored and concluded that the tactic of lobbying the government was futile. He was arrested for what would be the first of twenty-seven times on May 1st, 1977. When he was twenty and living in a cabin in Rowe, Massachusetts, running the Rowe Nuclear Conversion Campaign, which ended in the first-ever shutdown of an operating nuclear power plant in America, he met Abbie Hoffman, who called him "the best political organizer of his generation." The two worked together until Hoffman's death in 1989, opposing U.S. intervention in Nicaragua and fighting to save the Delaware and St. Lawrence rivers. He also occasionally worked on political campaigns, notably for senator John Kerry.

On April 18, 2000, Giordano launched Narco News, a nonprofit news organization, to better inform Americans on the actions of the United States and other governments in the War on Drugs in Central and South America. Narco News features both original reporting and English translations of reports from Spanish-language media.


This is also interesting:

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n2065/a04.html?1485

[TwilightGardener]

105. I don't always agree with what I've read from him. And I think this whole thing

he wrote is, yes, STUPID. He confuses liberal bloggers, who are hit and miss in terms of accuracy and serve mostly as discussion-starters and are NOT "hard news" sources, with the media. Sorry, I am entitled to my opinion.

[JVS]

88. A statement from the AIP chairman that she is a member is as good a source as Palin claiming her...

kid is 5 month's pregnant.
It's not Kossacks' fault if the chairman and Palin disagree.

[robertpaulsen]

145. Vice Chairman, but you're right, and he said it in 2007, pre-VP selection.

Not like he was trying to create a smear to hurt McCain's campaign, he was just stating what he thought was a fact about their governor. As Vice Chairman, I tend to believe his recollection of who his prominent party members are, even if their records are sloppy.

[FrenchieCat]

12. I tried to discourage it....but it didn't work very well.

[azmouse]

29. They had their bright shiny new object

and they weren't going to listen to any voice of reason telling them to give it a rest.

Nice try though....

[beachmom]

40. Actually, I think it was DailyKos more than any other blog that is being targeted.

The diary has apparently now been deleted, but it was really sleazy, and it made the Rec List. I did not participate in it nor in furthering that fantastical story.

[weezie1317]

13. Good! He should do it. It will hurt McCain's culture campagin.

[Egnever]

15. deserve it?

um whatever. The fact that he is going to do it isn't the least surprising.

His job is to stay above the fray ours is to get in the mud and sling away.

[butterfly77]

16. I don't care..

he has to do what he needs to for the stupid people..He will still get my vote.

[zulchzulu]

17. If it's about the pregnancy stories...whatever... there's enough other stuff to smack Palin with

n/t

[beachmom]

48. Not just that story:

The logic in too much of the blogosphere - left, right, and other - is that if a claim is potentially damaging to the enemy, it gets shouted as "fact" far and wide, even before the claim is investigated and vetted. Beyond the already double-edged sword of preggers-gate, this occurred in recent days with blogger claims that Governor Palin was a "member" of the Alaska Independent Party (now swatted down with documents; she's always been a registered Republican) and that she "supported" Pat Buchanan for president in 2000 (she supported Steve Forbes).

Those misstatements were based on kernels of truth that the bloggers and commenters quickly exaggerated and distorted in ways that hurt the argument. Once you've overstated a case, you can't then walk it back and say, "well, okay, she's not a member but she attended a convention," or, "well, okay, she didn't endorse Buchanan but she once wore a his button." You've already poisoned the waters for the real facts to do harm, because you've given the target your errors off which to pivot.

[krabigirl]

83. Um, what about her extremist views? And her church?

And all of the other scandals?

Look, many people attacking her are women, like me. We don't like her. She is a traitor to our gender with her backwards policies, and thinks she can ride in on Hillary's coattails. I don't think so.

[beachmom]

89. That one was true. If ANYONE on this thread read the whole article

by Al, they would know he is talking about "unvetted diaries", as in diaries that contained falsehoods.

[krabigirl]

84. Um, what about her extremist views? And her church?

And all of the other scandals?

Look, many people attacking her are women, like me. We don't like her. She is a traitor to our gender with her backwards policies, and thinks she can ride in on Hillary's coattails. I don't think so.

[uponit7771]

20. This on the face of it looks like a stupid move, why generalize liberal blogs cause relatively FEW..

...people want to go low on it.

FEW out of thousands.

[The Traveler]

21. The blogosphere was abuzz with bile

Sometimes, I question the ability of my fellow human to keep his/her cool in situations like this. I must confess, however, that in the first day I had an inexcusable moment myself, posting in response to another thread something lewd and inappropriate. My intention was to have a little fun at dirty old man McCain's expense, but it was still wrong.

So I have made my small contribution to the crap storm. All I can say is Mea Culpa and Erin Gobama.

Trav

[iamjoy]

22. Let's Think of The Bigger Picture

Obama is a very smart and pragmatic man. I don't believe he is pure, but he is principled.

If we (bloggers and the like) are promoting ideas that are contradictory to his campaign message, Obama has a right to clarify and reclaim his position. If that means providing harsh words and dismissals for those who would (for sake of example) attack Palin's family it only elevates my opinion of Obama. Let his words be as strong as the condemnation of the Swift Boaters we wished we'd gotten from Bush and McSame.

Hey, maybe I'm one of those guilty of saying things that contradict the campaign's message and would serve as an embarrasment in the main stream/right wing media. I try to be fair, but then, DU is my way of venting some of my frustrations at the way things are in this country.

Obama has to be better than that, and we should respect that.

[grannie4peace]

24. i felt a little bad -but i didn't read any of the shit that lady on tv was

talking about. but then i closed my eyes and that f*cking picture of obama as bin laden came to my mind & i realized it's kind of justice

[Mojambo]

26. Whatever he's gotta do to get elected, I'm fine with it.

Doesn't mean the netroots should stop what they are doing...

[hasssan1]

34. AMEN BROTHER

[SoCalDem]

56. I expect him to.. Politics is not "nice" or "clean" It is what it is

I'm not worried about his "smackdown".. he needs to do it.:)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

27. We Don't Mind Playing The Bad Cop In The Good Cop Bad Cop Routine

I was ambivalent about this contest but John McCain's cynicism and naked ambition has awaken me out of my slumber...

[krawhitham]

28. He is doing what he has to do

And we need to continue what we need to do

This is how it is played

[hasssan1]

31. He can Jump up and down on my belly !

[peace13]

33. Obama can say whatever he wants to me but....

I wish that he would start soliciting more volunteers for the locals here on the ground in Ohio. Example, Dublin, Ohio on Saturday evening there were over 17,000 folks there. Some of us have been in the trenches for months, we need people to call and canvas. It wouldn't kill him to beg for help like we have to every day. Spank me Obama but for goodness sake send us some help.

[stevil]

35. I can't buy into that 100%

No problem with a smackdown, I agree that things got out of hand. But the media can bury McCain if they choose to continue this war.

[Beregond2]

36. Oh, balls.

First, blogs are hardly "the media."
Second, no one has asserted anything that has been proven untrue.
Third, the liberal blogs are beacons of truth and integrity compared to the conservative blogs.

[Jello Biafra]

42. If John Edwards is fair game...

If John Edwards is fair game, so is Sarah Palin. Goes with the territory.

[beachmom]

54. Excuse me, but I believe that was the National Enquirer.

[JuniperLea]

61. True, but they were right, right? eom

[JuniperLea]

66. Killer screen name!

I'm a huge Jello fan:)

Welcome to DU... :hi:

[beachmom]

51. Yes they have!!!! Go to the link.

[ProSense]

38. This sort of makes no sense.

Obama says what he says, it has nothing to do with people's opinions.

Does everyone realize that this entire episode is backfiring on McCain?

McCain is pushing the Palin pregnancy story and most people aren't buying it in terms of focusing on Palin's daughter. The focus has been on Palin's judgment, and as a result the McCain campaign is now whining to the media.

They're trying to pretend they're a well-oiled machine when, in fact, the McCain campaign is a train wreck.

[AndyA]

39. Oh bullshit.

I'm so f*ckin' sick and tired of Democrats tippie toeing around, afraid of stepping on some Republican's toes or offending them with THE TRUTH!

Meanwhile, the Republicans are the ones who are truly offensive. They start wars based on lies. They spy on us. Out covert CIA agents. Award huge no-bid contracts to their cronies, and then don't even require that the work is done. They tell US how we are supposed to live OUR LIVES so we don't offend THEIR LIVES. Yet their rules only apply to us, not to themselves.

They destroy our economy, take away our good reputation in the world, allow our troops to die because they don't have the proper equipment and transportation, provide third rate health care to veterans who return injured, and allow millions of Americans to live without any health care at all.

They want to tell us our daughters must have children, even if they're violently raped. They're selling off our country's assets like a pimp sells a whore in a dark alley. They condemn us for what we do, yet sneak around and do even worse things.

To me, that's pretty damn OFFENSIVE!

And now we're supposed to shut up and back off and let them steal another election, place an old man with a history of cancer and serious temperament issues in the White House, to be backed up by a woman with little experience in foreign affairs? A woman that was quite obviously NOT VETTED PROPERLY, and offered the job under suspicious circumstances.

I don't think so. We can't chance another 4 years of this crap. I'll work hard to get Obama elected, I'll donate money when I can. But now is not the time for us to shut up and be good little sheeple, even if Barack thinks we should.

We've had ENOUGH!

[Egnever]

47. Damn skippy

the pc police can kiss my ass this time arround

[BlooInBloo]

122. +1

[madmax]

44. That's ok n/t

[kath]

45. Bullshit -- the pregnancy rumors started IN ALASKA, more than FOUR MONTHS AGO.

It's a total freakin' bald-faced LIE to say that they started in "the liberal blogosphere"

And one more thing - Obama agreed to go on O'Reilly MONTHS AGO --read Howie Fineman's column, linked here today, that includes a link to a story about a "secret meeting" between Obama, Ailes, and Murdoch.

Cut the whiny "we deserve it" crap. Can't call you a concern troll, because people are apparently getting locked or even tombstoned for doing so, so I won't.
But the "we deserve it" whine is positively barf-worthy. :puke: :puke:

[blondeatlast]

46. Won't bother me a bit and he's still got my boots, my money, and my vote. nt

[endthewar]

50. O'Reilly will force Obama to reject and denounce dailykos and perhaps huffingtonpost

O'Reilly hates both of those websites with a passion and will put this topic right up there with the two wars and the economy.

[yardwork]

52. I'm proud to be part of the liberal blogging world and I'm proud of Obama for saying this.

Obama knows how to run a campaign. We know how to run down dirt and kick it up.

Kudos to us both!!!

[DeschutesRiver]

53. Let him do so

Sad to say right now that I have found something just as important as seeing Obama become the next president.

And that is ensuring that McCain does not. McCain is the one who picked a vp like I'd pick a pair of shoes to accessorize an outfit - that is something that not even I thought he would do. He has put my country at risk in a way I've never seen in politics - sticking some neophyte with stoneage views a heartbeat away from an old, half dead guy.

I love Obama, I want him to be president - but yeah. I love my country more than any candidate, including Obama. What McCain just did with Palin is over the top. The presidency is a serious thing, and I am not standing by watching McCain get by wih cheapening the office and our national security, while bloggers are taken to task. This Palin story STARTED IN ALASKA. Not on bloggers.

I remember when McCain stated, on many occasions, that he "hates bloggers." I hope Obama will remember that, and stand for free speech.

[TwilightGardener]

55. I made the point above, but will make it here: TALK RADIO--the RW haz it, we do not.

We are already at a HUGE disadvantage in terms of media and info-spreading, because many people in middle America ONLY get Hannity, Limbaugh, etc.--and let's not forget FOX. WHY WOULD WE tiptoe around and be polite and stop digging for the truth, when middle America hears Limbaugh calling Obama a "black man-child" and gets away with it?

[beachmom]

57. Lame rebuttal. So since they do it, we should, too?

[TwilightGardener]

63. You really don't understand, do you? The internet is all the LW has. That's it.

If something we say is inaccurate, it will be found out and forgotten. But if someone here hits on the TRUTH--it could do some real damage. This is WAR--unless you really want to let Miss Mooseburgers control your uterus when she gets to the WH. Go ahead and muzzle yourself, but you won't muzzle me.

[beachmom]

68. You don't get it!!! The blogs put out stories that had factual errors.

If it's the truth, hey more power to you. But they put out FALSE STORIES or PARTIALLY FALSE stories.

[TwilightGardener]

73. Did the Muslim smear work? Yep. Who fucking cares, at this point.

[beachmom]

86. I'll quit the movement if you are suggesting we mirror the smear

artists on the Right. I don't want to be like them.

[TwilightGardener]

95. Speculation is not smear. Sending mass emails based on a complete

figment of imagination is smear. No one smeared on the left.

[beachmom]

103. I guess you didn't read the deleted dkos diary that was not written as speculation

Nor the AIP one. They were written in a DEAD CERTAIN language.

[TwilightGardener]

108. ??--that's one member's opinion. The internets are "buyer's beware"--

everyone but you seems to get that.

[beachmom]

110. It was on the recommended list. It was not just one poster.

And really, the first I read of the rumor was here. The rumor, of course, came from Alaska. From my understanding, it originated in far right GOP circles in Alaska.

[TwilightGardener]

112. Turns out, there's some stuff in Palin's family that she thought she could hide, after all--

and now we know. Mission accomplished.

[Oak2004]

107. Did you ever notice that we are *actively investigating* and putting out *hypotheses*, not rumors?

We are not newspapers. Our process is wide open, and our investigations happen in public. That means our hypotheses, i.e., ideas we wish to test, are wide open and visible to all. They are not "rumors" -- any investigation requires the investigators to make hypotheses.

You think professional journalists don't make hypotheses? Of course they do. They just make them behind closed doors, the same place they make corrupt editorial decisions to ignore facts and bury stories.

If people don't know what to make of an open investigative process, that's their problem. Maybe they need to learn a bit about how the internet works.

[Psyop Samurai]

149. Giordano's piece is extremely problematic...

...and we need to revisit this under calmer circumstances. I have bookmarked your post for just such an occasion.

:thumbsup:

[depakid]

64. Depends on whether- like some here- he wants to lose

If he does, then he panders to O'lielly.

And he panders, rather than goes on the offensive against McCain, he DESERVES to lose.

[beachmom]

75. Uh, his remarks about family being "off limits" last week was

ensuring that he WINS. He will continue to do what will further the goal of being a leader and being elected POTUS.

[depakid]

96. He has to say that- but SMART people know what's implied

and what's necessary to win elections in America.

[bunnies]

65. Whatever. nt

[JVS]

67. Oh well.

Keep up the gossip!

[brindis_desala]

71. Tell him to call us back when T. Boone apologizes to Kerry

Abstinence my eye...

[TwilightGardener]

76. Word. This is unbelievable. If only half the shit that comes out is true, we've

still got a better record than the GOP and the media.

[Virginia Dare]

141. Exactly, and all of this is innoculating Obama from smears..

the GOP can't claim to take the high road and trash the media for all of this and then turn around and smear Obama swift boat style without facing serious blow back.

[chill_wind]

155. Sure they can. They always do, always have, and they always will.

And they haven't paid yet. The MSM just lets them do business as usual.

[krabigirl]

74. I don't have a problem with it. It's what he has to do politically.

He's just being savvy. I still will knock her down on her views and the issues.

[NatBurner]

77. i can live with that. n/t

[Arkana]

78. He's not throwing anyone under any bus--they'd have had to be on that bus to begin with.

Obama does not control the left-wing bloggers and is not affiliated with them. He can easily rebuke them.

[terrya]

81. I completely agree with Obama. Recommended.

This smackdown needs to happen. We want him to win.

[No Elephants]

92. I don't know about you folks, but I am not a blogger. I am a poster on a message board.

[beachmom]

106. Everyone who posts on political websites is called a "blogger".

[vaberella]

85. Doubt it. Obama would have said something by now!! n/t

[Cha]

87. Bring it Barack..we're taking it Back

with Barack, Jack!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJW67YfLWgs&watch_response

[Araxen]

91. He can bash the blogs all he wants

In fact he needs to do that if it'll switch some voters over to our side. The blogs could care less and I'm sure they understand he needs to do this. In fact it'll prolly get them more hits because of it so it's a win win for them imho.

[GoesTo11]

93. This isn't a big deal.

What do I care if Obama says blogs are irresponsible or whatever. This blog is meant for discussion, not as a vetted news outlet. The tone of the discussion reflects the range of DU members. There's a pretty high tolerance for free speech. It's only treated as something else because lazy reporters from news organizations scroll through to find their stories. Anyway, if Obama says these sites should be taken with a grain of salt, I agree with him. If, as a constitutional law expert, he says free speech and assembly should be curtailed, then I'd just be pretty surprised.

[kath]

98. Interesting that the OP was already on my Ig. list from the Canonization of St. Timmeh of Buffalo

days.

Ig for "Ignorant" List. This one was in the highest category - FSWI, for Freakin' Stubbornly Willfully Ignorant.
Several of her compatriots from that list have shown up here in this thread as well.

Gack. These times when all the stoopid come out of the woodwork are trying ones... :banghead: :banghead:

[BeyondGeography]

100. He has his big job, we have our little one

It's OK.

[girl gone mad]

104. A lot of people pushing the story were plants.

Others who tried to warn DU not to fall into the trap were labeled "concern trolls".

[dwahzon]

109. Well, Beachmom

I'm going to disagree with you and good old Al Giordano slightly.

One of the things that wasn't noted in the media though it certainly was present on the Big Orange website was all the comments calling for those pregnancy diaries to be DELETED. I know because I posted some of them.

So, though I understand why Barack will throw the lefty blogosphere under the bus so to speak and it's just fine with me that he takes the high road this time, I will not agree that we ALL deserve it.

We don't. Unfortunately some can "shout" louder than others.

As for the rest of the digging and vetting, I think that's the way it's supposed to work. Bloggers write stuff, citing viable sources where they can and labeling guesswork when they have no viable sources and then the blogging community tells them if they're full of it or they're onto something.

What we do need to work on is getting the media to understand that anyone can put up a diary at the GOS and that the comments are often most revealing as to what the community actually thinks of what the diarist has written. They cannot simply assume that because a diary is on the rec list that it represents the community.

What was different this time around is how directly connected the media was to what's being said on the blogs.

The transit time from blogs to media was short and it appears to be getting shorter. I think it's a "herding cats" proposition though to suppose that we can, as an entity, keep crackpot theories from getting posted on dkos and DU. Nor is that the function of the blogosphere.

To those in the blogosphere who want to be taken seriously as "new media" by trad media and others, it is perhaps more important to make sure they develop some policy that allows them to distance themselves but I think in part, we have to ascribe some of this to a lack of understanding of what the blogosphere really is.

And that's not a failure on the part of the blogosphere but by the trad media and the others.

[beachmom]

121. Well, I agree, that there were many "better angels" on Kos like yourself.

I didn't see that diary until Andrew Sullivan linked to it the next day so I did not participate in it one way or the other. But I was taken aback that it received so many recommends. You can't deny that a lot of people went along. As to the AIP story, I rec'd it, but I guess it turned out not to be totally true. Well, at this point, anyway.

I also agree vetting needs to be done. But if you look at some of the most recent "scandals", they are sounding pretty sleazy to me -- it seems to me that the National Enquirer has gone up to Alaska. That to me means we should stick to political scandals like abuse of power, mismanagement, etc. and start ignoring the tabloids.

And I TOTALLY agree with this:

What we do need to work on is getting the media to understand that anyone can put up a diary at the GOS and that the comments are often most revealing as to what the community actually thinks of what the diarist has written. They cannot simply assume that because a diary is on the rec list that it represents the community.

I still think Bill O' will bring out the strawman blogger and Obama will knock that strawman down. And we should be ready for it. And, yes, it sometimes is "We", even if it's not true or fair.

[lamp_shade]

111. Keyword - Imbecilic. We've had tons of it around here.

I give him my full support.

[glitch]

113. We can take it. nt

[coalition_unwilling]

114. Obama threw liberals under the bus with his FISA vote - n/t

[The Stranger]

115. What absolute bullshit. The blogs are doing what the worthless fucking corporate media should do --

-- journalism. And when they do it for 20 seconds at a time, such as Campbell Brown asking a simple question of a McCain campaign imbecile -- the McCain campaign screams bloody murder.

If the media would investigate and ask questions, the blogs wouldn't have to do it for them. Let the Republicans go to war with the media. That doesn't hurt us. Hope they knock themselves out.

[hasssan1]

117. You hit it right on the head my friend.

[AndyTiedye]

120. Because Only Republicans Are Allowed to Attack. Democrats Have to Make Nice And Just Take It

:puke:

[msallied]

123. You and people like you are the reason that Democrats lose.

[crimsonblue]

124. It's not DU's fault

that we had to do the vetting for Mccain. The rumors on here and elsewhere are no different or worse than shit on repuke sites. Why does McCain not have to denounce their sites that call Hillary a c@nt or smear Obama to no end. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You can't play with sunshine and daisies when the other side is playing dirty.

[crimsonblue]

125. It's not DU's fault

that we had to do the vetting for Mccain. The rumors on here and elsewhere are no different or worse than shit on repuke sites. Why does McCain not have to denounce their sites that call Hillary a c@nt or smear Obama to no end. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You can't play with sunshine and daisies when the other side is playing dirty.

[Raineyb]

129. Indeed

And I don't think McLoser vetted this woman at all I think he just picked someone who he could get past the religious riech and was dumb enough to join up to this losing ticket. McLoser thinks he can put any twit up on the stage and the twit in question would be considered acceptable. Well she's not qualified, it's painfully obvious and the surprises in the woman's closet would have been found out in private had he done his damn job. If he is this careless choosing his Vice-President imagine how bad a job McLame will do choosing an Attorney General, a Supreme Court justice or a FEMA director.

If I have to be "thrown under a bus" for pointing out such glaringly obvious deficiencies in both McLoser and Ms. Failin' then so be it. Obama will do what he has to do. I don't work for him and I'll continue to question what I see and participate in any discussion I see fit.

But I see no reason why we should once again allow the Republicans to frame the debate on this. McDumbass can't complain about the information going out about him, his VP or either of their families while running on a platform that guarantees that no one else has any bloody privacy. If they're so comfortable with the state being involved in women's uteri yet they're uncomfortable about anyone probing into their families. I guess privacy is only for them. Sucks to be the rest of us.


Regards

[crimsonblue]

126. It's not DU's fault

that we had to do the vetting for Mccain. The rumors on here and elsewhere are no different or worse than shit on repuke sites. Why does McCain not have to denounce their sites that call Hillary a c@nt or smear Obama to no end. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You can't play with sunshine and daisies when the other side is playing dirty.

[Life Long Dem]

127. I'll take your smackdown with "pride" Obama.

"...even those that didn't take the bait and don't engage in making such unvetted claims."

I'm one who didn't take the bait, and I'll take this smackdown with "pride" from Obama if true and he decides on doing this.

[L0oniX]

128. Big deal ...pfffft

[adamuu]

130. i am willing to be smacked down for this. i'm anonymous. n/t

[ShortnFiery]

152. Exactly! Gee, no one is "without sin" and we're just letting off a little steam.

Sorry that we can't be as perfect as the self-anointed DU decorum police. :eyes:

[Life Long Dem]

153. I didn't take the bait.

[TexasObserver]

131. Don't care. The candidate is supposed to disavow the rowdies.

But the rowdies are where negative media against the opposition originates.

The liberal bloggers didn't make Miss Thang commit all her screw ups, and they didn't stop McCain from actually vetting properly Palin before picking her.

[RollWithIt]

132. This article is dumb....

Of course Obama is going to repeat that families are offlimits, but he'll never start talking about leftwing blog sites. Never gonna happen.

[jillan]

135. but - but - Obama - we are the ones that have your back.

[Orsino]

136. Deserve what? The ire of a politician who *has* to denounce scandalmongering?

His stance is admirable for a political campaign, and I applaud it, but standards for campaigning ought to be higher, and it's not his business what his supporters (or others) do with their spare time.

It'll be an opinion, not a "smackdown."

[mhatrw]

137. The media IS the whole game.

The only way you can win "running against the media" is if the media makes that the story.

[Virginia Dare]

138. He's going to throw Skinner under the bus?

or a bunch of anonymous posters on Skinner's site?

What's the point, why do I care if Obama throws me under the bus or not?

Maybe Obama doesn't like it, and I'm sure he doesn't, but it IS firing up his base and unifying the party.

[kwyjibo]

142. He HAS to do this so that they can't blame him. Meanwhile, keep it up DU!

There is absolutely no way to stop people from seeking the truth, and I don't think Obama would ever want to.

[Raine]

143. I'm for anything that helps Obama ...

he can throw me under the bus, infact I'll throw myself under if it helps him get into the Whitehouse.

[mmonk]

144. Ask me

If I care. I certainly haven't posted anything out of hand. Why should I care anyway after I've been called so many outrageous things and Obama has been called by the rightwing a threat to national security. When the hell are those rightwing politicians going to be asked to denounce that?

[Forkboy]

147. If Al wants to flaggelate himself he can feel free.

I will be among those that receives the smackdown applauding

I bet he will.

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

150. Think about it this way

The more time we commit to chasing rumors and focusing on Palin, the further down our message gets pushed. For every thread that gets started about Palin, we should have 2 for our message. We need to focus on what our guy is going to do and what McCain won't. The fact that the republicans aren't saying what they would do, it's all attack, no message. Mr. McCain---- WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?

Everytime someone says that Obama has no plan, make sure that after you school them on his plans, you ask them, "What is McCain's plan?"

It's time to turn it back on them. It's time to define ourselves as FOR Obama/Biden, not just AGAINST McCain/Palin.

[Life Long Dem]

151. Kicking with pride

:7

[glancingthefuture]

154. I hope Sen. Obama denouces the sexist comments coming from the blogs

(including here on DU).