More praise for John Kerry from the National Review than the "Kool Kids" in the Netroots

[beachmom]

Not that I'm keeping score, but isn't it interesting that there not a peep by the major "personalities" from the Netroots about John Kerry's diplomatic coup in Afghanistan? Even if they are decidedly anti-war, and think we should up and leave, you would think they would at least appreciate the incredible work Kerry did, especially since Obama's campaign was about emphasizing diplomacy over military tactics. But no, the news of what Kerry did hit the traditional media and foreign policy-centric sites, but NOTHING from the front page of DailyKos. No comments from the supposed leaders of the netroots movement. (TPM front paged several articles, so I am not talking about Josh, who is quite fair overall to all Democrats) This is a sleight that is incredibly remarkable.

Now this very critical piece by the Nat'l Review below is not nice:

corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZTkwNDFhOTg3MTYzMWIzNGY3YmJiMzc2ZDBkNTcxYzg=#

(add http://)

But it does in a backhanded way acknowledge what Kerry did (in order to knock Obama's team, unfortunately).

I find it beyond remarkable that there is more from the Right than from our so-called allies on the Left. But, they are former Deaniacs, and Kerry will never, ever be forgiven. His good attributes will never be acknowledged. Well, unless Kerry stood in the chamber of the Senate and said Republicans want us all to DIE. Then, I guess he would get grudgeing coverage.

[MBS]

1. I was just wondering about the "Kool Kids" silence myself.

No way it's appropriate to take this kind of achievement for granted. . . nor should this be fodder to carp about.

[blm]

4. I'm not surprised - they are used to posting whatever spin comes from Clinton-Schumer's elves

who have become their 'sources' when it comes to anything about Kerry.

Same with Stewart's Daily Show. They don't KNOW their actual history and depend on their relationship with the NY staffs of Clinton-Schumer for their read on these matters.

[Luftmensch067]

2. I'm not at all surprised about DK

But there were several mentions over at HuffPo, I think? The one I can remember this morning was Taylor Marsh. Her coverage was a bit odd -- it was in the context of an interview she did with Holbrooke and mostly quoted his effusive praise of JK's work -- but it was mostly snark-free, as I remember.

Edited to add link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/richard-holbrooke-adminis_b_329522.html

[beachmom]

8. Huff Puff is actually not part of the "Kool Kids Network"

It went live in '05, well after the 2004 primaries.

I am thinking of Dkos, FDL, Atrios, Mydd, Open Left (which has alum from mydd), TalkLeft, etc. These guys were around prior to the '04 primary, or had alum who were around on other sites and then went on to start their own site.

The Kool Kids, although they don't say it much, have contempt for Huff Puff. I agree with some of their criticisms (the sensational headlines for one), but I think it is also because they, who were there FIRST, were rather quickly eclipsed by Arianna's site.

And, also, it is not just the "stars", but also their followers who go along with whatever they say. I still remember in 2007, when I went to Chicago for Netroots Nation, a weird scene. Markos was standing around, so I briefly went over and introduced myself. No big deal. Then I was talking to this other guy, and with a fervor he was saying, "Oh, my God, I can't believe it's HIM, and he is right there! It is so cool." There really is a cult following vibe to some of these folks. Luckily, dailykos matured some with the Obama campaign, which flooded the site with people who were NOT there during the '04 primaries. Sadly, a lot of them left, and the site has reverted to its whiny self. I am positively shocked my diary on Kerry's diplomatic coup made the rec list, but notice I didn't put his name in the title, and spread some credit around. It's still like walking on egg shells there in regards to Kerry.

[Luftmensch067]

9. Yeah, I see what you're saying

And I have lots of contempt for Huff Puff (and Arianna!), myself! It is a tribute to your diary savvy that your diary made the rec list despite the diminished maturity over at DK!

[beachmom]

11. Well, plus luck, that a lot of you were around to rec it plus a few

Obama supporters.

Basically, I am nothing over at Kos without you guys!!

[Luftmensch067]

3. This is certainly not front page stuff at DK

But I did find this diary: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/20/795437/-What-Should-We-Do,-John-Kerry

The diarist seems a bit surprised by his own compulsion to praise JK and that hideous EOR-promoting troll dominates the (tiny amount of) comments, but the discussion is a microcosm of the attitude over there, I suppose. I like the MA resident who argues with the troll.

[karynnj]

7. Actually, the surprise is that that sunk almost immediately

getting just 2 recommenders. With the troll, I kind of guess he spends his life looking for posts on JK and posting. I guess I can't knock that because it sounds like me, though it seems better to support than to ineffectively attack someone obsessively.

[karynnj]

5. Though you are too modest to say so, I think your diary was the only thing to make the rec list

and many quibbled with you not mentioning, at the beginning that HRC played a role. The fact is that all subsequent information shows that Kerry really was the one who made the "sale". In contrast, there was jubilant coverage of Bill Clinton freeing the 2 journalists. The fact that various people from the state department, Susan Rice's office, SFRC etc had between them worked out the deal and Bill Clinton's accomplishment was that he was willing to make this trip - it was on a par with similar resolutions in other cases by anyone from Bill Richardson to Jesse Jackson. (Oddly, though the media played up BC's success, Bloomberg equated Kerry's to Richardson and Jackson - which understates it completely.)

I think here, the Deaniacs are so anti-war that they can't see anything that helps us there as useful. Here they might have been happy had Kerry shouted "out now" as his policy. But, on your diary, the problem was more the Clinton supporters - reacting to the unspoken and unintended attack that this shows Kerry would have been a better Secretary of State. (My guess is the root may be their own longing for HRC to have a spectacular diplomatic accomplishment herself.)

[wisteria]

6. I am not surprised at all. Some will never acknowledge his efforts at all.

Childish and petty, but I don't expect much else from most netroot types. As for the National Review, what else could they say? They had to go back to the idea that Kerry is after the media attention and his staff pushed most of the hype. They have nothing else to criticize in his efforts. Oh, and I doubt it was his staff that pushed this story. I think it was other news medias thinking they could possibly have a story of conflict between Clinton and Kerry. Nothing gets them going more than some gossipy nonsense about Washington insiders.

[ProSense]

10. The fact is a lot of these bloggers intentionally

downplay Kerry's efforts because they don't want praising Kerry to conflict with their loyalty to other politicians. A lot of them are either biased toward Obama, Hillary, Kucinich or Dean. For example, when Kerry-Boxer debuted, there was a related diary about Senator Bingamon on the rec list, no mention of Kerry. LOL!

Steve Benen (who reports everything about Hillary, never mentioned Kerry-Lugar or Kerry-Boxer -- on edit he did mention Kerry-Boxer), has a really nice post, but check out the emphasis on framing this as if Kerry has done nothing since 2004. If anyone doubt Benen's Hillary leaning, check out last paragraph of his post.

I saw a post devoted to Kerry-Lugar (under the Lugar-Obama name). Seriously, Kerry put a lot of work into finalizing the legislation, its targeted goals related to Obama's agenda and the clarification statement to allay Pakistan's concerns.

[beachmom]

12. Okay, I am keeping score:

I receive an e-mail every day which gives me links to all stories about JK. So, as far as I know the following is true (but, please correct me if I am not):

DailyKos front page - radio silence
AmericaBlog - radio silence
Mydd - radio silence
Glenn Greenwald - radio silence
FDL - radio silence
Digby - radio silence
TalkLeft - radio silence


Posts from left leaning blogs/sites favorable about Kerry:

Huffington Post
Talking Points Memo
Washington Monthly (Steve Benen, formerly the Carpetbagger)
My diary on dkos (so that means the community is slightly different from the FP)
Liberal Values (woo hoo! Dr. Ron)
Memeorandum entry: http://www.memeorandum.com/091022/p45#a091022p45
Spencer Ackerman on Wash. Independent (but not on FDL)

Also, radio silence from Andrew Sullivan, who discussed the situation in Afghanistan without any mention of Kerry. If Kerry brokers anything in Iran, however, he will get a reminder from me that he called Kerry a total "DISGRACE" back in 2007 just for talking with Katami, and pointing out that the U.S. had become an international pariah, something even Sully acknowledges these days.

I am not including all blogs, because some of them really are issue-centric (like 538.com). But the above blogs have no problem at all attacking John Kerry, like AmericaBlog did back in August. The only time they will praise Kerry is if he repeats their agenda in extremely forceful language, AND during campaign season if he throws out a talking point they like.

Frankly, paging through some of these blogs, they really suck, regardless of whether they like Kerry or not (Andrew Sullivan's blog does not suck, so that supercedes if he disappoints me from time to time). Their themes are the following:

Public option, public option, public option, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Attacking GOP figures
Attacking Democratic figures including the President for every sleight they perceive
Gay issues (which is fine, but other blogs already cover it and do a better job)
Current elections around the country

So basically, these are not thought provoking places to read overall (obviously, there are a few front pagers on dkos who do write interesting pieces from time to time). They are just the mirror image of redstate.com. Ideologically driven drivel. Democrats should NEVER concede influence to those yahoos. The public option is in play because of REAL grassroots organizations, including unions, backing it. The netroots will of course take credit if it happens, but they are part of a network of progressives only. And other orgs, I think, have done a better job.

[karynnj]

13. What a sad commentary on the netroots

Thanks for writing it as it does put them in perspective.

On the public option, they will take credit if it occurs - though there obnoxious attacks on the character and integrity of every legislator who they disagree with is unlikely to have had any positive effect. Not to mention, the long term impact - if any - of running ads attacking conservative Democrats from conservative states calling them bought by insurance companies could do long term harm.

[beachmom]

14. Andrew Sullivan has now mentioned it, quoting S. Ackerman on Kerry's Afghan plan:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/10/the-kerry-approach.html#more

Daily Kos FP has condemned the runoff election as a "kiss of death". Meteor Blades seems to be on the Afghan "beat", and is extremely anti-war.

[beachmom]

15. Post on Dick Cheney barb by BarbinMD:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/27/797292/-The-Good,-The-Bad,-And-The-Ugly