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1) How could this have happened? The entire weight and heft of the right-wing blogosphere stood behind a campaign to change the House leadership and nothing happened. Kos holds a putz-fest in Vegas and virtually the complete Democratic establishment comes to kiss his ring. Is the right wing blogosphere only capable of getting congressional types to give us a few minutes of their time on conference calls?
The right wing blogosphere has to deal with the facts. The politicians just aren’t that into us.
2) But how come the Democrats are so into the blogosphere and the Republicans aren’t? How come we don’t generate fear and respect like the Kosfather?
Because all we do is opine, and often in an annoyingly independent way. While all of us root for the Republican Party, we’re also pretty expressive when members of the party let us down. We might carry a little water, but as a group, I bet the Republican establishment thought of us as more as a pain in the neck than an asset during the last campaign season. I know I won’t be on George Allen’s Christmas card list.
3) And Kos is different?
Yes. Although he rips Democrats when he’s of a mind to do so, he also brings something else to the party. He brings volunteers and money and buzz. Although my modem might well explode as I type these words, Jon Tester would not be a senator starting in January if it weren’t for the Daily Kos. Same for Jim Webb. He never would have made it out of the primary.
4) Okay. So we should be more like Kos?
Not me. I have no interest in being a tool for the Republican Party, or at least not anymore so than I already am. But, and again my modem might explode, there is no denying that the Daily Kos is an asset to the Democratic Party in terms of winning elections. Or at least it was this past cycle.
5) Back on topic – how disastrous were the Republican leadership choices?
Eh. It would have been nice to have seen a new Newt Gingrich coronated, but I’m not sure there’s such a being in the Republican caucus. Besides, the congressional leadership just won’t be all that important over the next couple of years.
6) Now you tell me, after I waste a week of my life on conference calls with these guys who seem to think “book larnin’” is beneath them. Why’s that?
Because starting in about four months, the presidential race gets engaged. The message that comes from the party will be formed in that contest, every bit as much as the Democrats’ message in the second half of ’03 came from the fire-breathing mouth of Howard Dean.
7) But how about legislation? Won’t the lack of leadership hurt us there?
Well, we’ll probably cut-and-run on the minimum wage, but other than that I don’t see any Democratic boondoggles that will pass with a veto-proof majority. So all in all, it should be two years of stasis in Congress, which incidentally will beat the hell out of the last four years. (See “prescription drug benefits” for more details.)
8) But how about the war?
As you all know by now, I’ve had doubts raised this week about whether our Republican members of Congress actually understand the war beyond the battle in Iraq. As for the Democratic members of Congress, fuhgeddaboutit. A plane could crash into the Pentagon and they still wouldn’t get it.
The case for the war will have to be made by the White House and the presidential candidates. Personally, I have a lot more hope for the presidential candidates doing it competently than the White House.
9) What’s been the reaction in the blogosphere about the same Republican congressional leaders being re-signed for the 110th congress?
The reactions that I’ve read and that have come in my inbox have ranged from panic to outrage to outraged panic. Doesn’t seem like anyone is very happy today.
10) And yet you’re not on the verge of despair?
Not at all. Despair was last week with the election results, the shameful timing of the Rumsfeld firing and the Gates naming. The dye was cast then. There’s nothing that could have happened in the Republican leadership conference that could have put lipstick on this pig of a month.
Besides, I’m very excited about my Leave No Congressman Behind education plan.
Complaints? Compliments? Contact me at Soxblog@aol.com.
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