response from "Common Dreams" on reprinting Boston Herald

[paulk]

Kerry smear job...

I know some of you have questioned why a liberal site like Common Dreams would reprint an article from a right wing rag like the Herald...

I wrote the editor and asked just that -

here's the reply:

"Smear Kerry?

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Kerry said "I am going to raise the issue" of Downing Street Memo then he went typically silent.

I know him. He's a fucking wimp. Right wing rag or not.

And you are an enabler of fucking wimpiness."


Just thought the members of this forum would find this interesting...

[whometense]

1. Wow.

Was there a signature attached to that edifying response?

I know him. He's a fucking wimp.
I'd like to know if someone was brave enough to claim ownership of that vile remark.

[paulk]

2. no sig

but the email I sent was addressed to the editor - they have a separate e-mail address listed. It's not an automatic contact through the site - you have to send it through regular e-mail.

[whometense]

4. Well, that tells us something

about Common Dreams, doesn't it?

[LittleClarkie]

5. Indeed

I wonder if that's where I got some particularly nasty articles about Kerry during the campaign.

M'god what a response. Not even vaguely professional.

Don't you love it when the far left and the far right agree. So far to the left and the right they are meeting around the back. The two groups should organized bowling parties.

[whometense]

6. This might be a good place to mention

David Fenton, author of Shots: An American Photographer's Journal, 1967-72 was a guest on Morning Sedition today, and he was talking about right wing dirty tricks. One of the things he mentioned was the right wing infiltration of left wing groups in order to sow dissension.

Sound familiar? I'm 100% convinced this is happening on DU and Kos right now. Think how easy it is to manipulate some of the kneejerk lefty freepers. Piece of cake.

[blm]

8. That would be a good post for GD. Remind them how GOP operatives work.

.

[whometense]

9. Done.

link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1876392

[paulk]

13. on second thought

I just got accused of being a right wing operative in your thread...

[whometense]

15. Yeah.

This is why I don't usually go over there. I got into an exchange about how evil the "democratic senate" is. Either these people are operatives, they're idiots, or their so minds are so closed the truth can't penetrate. You can't discuss anything. Which was, actually, the whole point of the original post - how these people can be used by the right wing.

I should have just said, thanks for proving my point.

[paulk]

17. yeah...

read that exchange. That's the same poster I was commenting about here in the Kerry forum a few weeks ago who said I had the demeanor of a "little boy". She's really good at making personal insults while staying clear of the rules.

It's a real inability to accept that someone else's POV is just as legitimate as their's - and instead of "discussing anything" that POV must be attacked and ridiculed, preferably from the comfort of a morally superior ivory tower.

Whenever she answers me now, I just don't respond - she's just looking for a chance to put you down somehow.

[whometense]

21. I quit responding too.

It doesn't take long to figure out who's interested in a dialogue and who's just trying to prove how clever they are.

[paulk]

10. I always used to be leery of the "right wing operative" thing

a little off topic, but

I don't know if you've been following the Justice Dept vs Tobacco RICO case - there were a couple of threads on this last week I was posting on (I know a lot about this case, for reasons I can't publically say...)

Anyway, both threads I was on had posters with low counts either disrupting or defending the tobacco industry. One of them got tombstoned - turned out he'd been axed twice before.

I started thinking about it - the Justice Dept. asked for 130 billion - the Bush admin. made them ask in closing arguments for only 10 billion - that's a saving of 120 billion dollars. That's a lot of money - certainly enough money to justify hiring people to run around the internet disrupting things.

And maybe setting up a few "leftist" web sites that occaisionally throw in a Dem. trash article every now and then...

[blm]

11. And it's not always money. Moonies do internet trolling as part of their

mission. They are supposed to seek susceptible targets and persuade them spiritually and politically. Lying is accepted because they are doing it for the greater good.

It really sounds tinfoil, but, we outed a few real moonies over at the old MWO and bartcop.

[ginnyinWI]

14. taking advantage of the ignorant

yes, it really fits. They leave no stone unturned, do they? But infiltrating common dreams? Do you think they could? Or is this editor just another angry disappointed liberal?

I'm also absolutely sure that some of our dissenters at DU are right-wingers. Even the ones with 1000+. What do you think is the best way to deal with them without getting banned? Ignore, point out the RW talking points they are using, or what?

[paulk]

16. I don't really think Common Dreams is an infiltrated site

but, there does come a point where the attacks of an "angry disappointed liberal" differ very little from a right winger's.

I'm also sure that some of the DU dissenter crowd are plants - some with posts in the five figures... maybe I'm being paranoid, but when attacks from the left do as much damage as attacks from the right, what difference is there?

How to deal with it? I've asked the admin. that several times - their advice was the "ignore" feature. Another tactic is to hide out here in the Kerry forum.

[TayTay]

3. What an idiot

Typical defensive, "question my judgement and I'll stomp all over you" style response. What a snivelling coward, didn't even sign it.

[JI7]

25. perfect description

i stopped going to that site or at least taking it too seriously some time ago because of the conspiracy theory crap.

his opinion of Kerry is one thing but then he goes on and attacks the person with the question. what a prick.

[blm]

7. Editor's name?

Ask him to name ONE lawmaker who has investigated and exposed more governmaent corruption than John Kerry or EFFECTED this nation more positively through his work in the last 35 years.

Remind him that few stood with Kerry while he uncovered IranContra and fewer stood with him when he worked 5 years on BCCI while the entire DC powerstructure was working against him.

There were no internet activists backing him up then. It was a much harder road to hoe.

[kerrygoddess]

12. Common Dreams

They have been anti-Kerry since the war vote. During the campaign they launched many attacks on Kerry through the far-leftists and greens.

I was not at all surprised they posted the BH article.

That reply is incredibly unproffessional.

[Dr Ron]

18. Remember How Nixon Was Forced From Office in 3 Weeks?

Yes, in the fanatasy world of some, there is always immediate gratification. Three weeks after the Watergate break in everyone spoke out and Nixon was forced from office.

Or did it take a little longer?

[ginnyinWI]

20. you've hit the nail on the head, Ron

It's the instant-gratification, short-attention span childish aspect of these posters that really gets to me. They are like screaming three-year-olds who can't wait for their daily dose of thrill-packed red meat. They want Kerry to zap Bush with the Downing Street Memo, and they want it right now!! They want him to make some sort of speech which would cause Bush to resign in shame--and we all know that's not going to happen any time soon.
I felt like posting a comment like this last night on a thread, but I knew I would just get flamed for it, and it wouldn't cause anybody to change anyway. sigh.
They think politics is so simple--and it's anything but! Sometimes it takes more than five min. to accomplish something. Another thing on the three-year-old idea: they seem to think of politicians as all-powerful beings, their subconscious parent-figures who can fix anything they want to fix. "My daddy can do anything! My daddy can beat up the whole world! ...Waa, Daddy won't fix it for me! Waaaa--I hate Daddy! I'm gonna run away from home!" Heehee--doesn't that sound familiar?

[whometense]

22. hahahaha

yes, sadly, all too familiar.

You're probably right that it's rampant immaturity (clearly, age has nothing to do with maturity.) It's really not all that hard to figure out at least five reasons why Kerry might feel it more advantageous to wait. I keep wanting to scream, RATHERGATE, you idiots. NEWSWEEK, anyone?? I know this is one of the reasons I wanted Kerry to be president - that he doesn't go running around shooting his mouth off before he's gathered the facts to back up his speech.

It's not fear, you morans, it's called responsible leadership. Why do they have so much trouble getting this?

[kerrygoddess]

23. Should post that on LUTD!

[Dr Ron]

24. I'm sure the idea will wind up there

I'll save it for the right time and a more detailed post.

[LittleClarkie]

19. Something else occurs to me

So a Right Wing Rag is right twice a day, but only when you happen to agree with them on someone.

I almost feel like comparing what the Herald says about other people vs what CommonDreams has said. If I find agreement, does that mean that the rag is right again?

I wonder if CommonDreams knows they also agree with Rush Limbaugh, who said the same thing that the Herald did.

So is Rush suddenly a bastion of progressive thought as well?

What about what they've said about Dean, the hawk in dove's clothing?

I'm not sure I can even be coherent on this issue, so I probably won't post in GD. I can barely see straight in regard to CommonDream and the Herald.