The conservative voice(s)

Posted at 4:53 PM on September 11, 2006 by Bob Collins (12 Comments)

I went to the Minnesota Organizationo of Bloggers get-together Saturday night at Keegan's and had a great time. I had a chance to put faces to the names of a dozen or so blogs, but didn't get a chance to meet everyone. I spent much of my time talking to Gary Miller from Kennedy vs. the Machine and John Swon, who blogs (formerly of First Ring and occasional contributor to KvM) , and is also chair of the Clear View PAC, and Robin Marty of Power Liberal and, now, Minnesota Monitor. I also enjoyed meeeting and talking with Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, and it's always good to see political columnist Barry Casselman who, it seems to me, could do the political version of those old E.F. Hutton TV spots.

I knew it was pretty much a den of conservatives and I work for an organization that some people think is, well, you know. And, truth be told, I did shake hands with a few people who, once they realized I was Polinaut, immediately seemed to take on a "nice to meet you" tone that really meant, "you should die." But, again truth be told, I like conservatives. I like liberals. I like most people who are likable.

So I was a bit disappointed to come up empty in getting some of them to join us on election night in November. See, we actually want to know what conservative bloggers think about things, especially with moderate and liberal ones in the room too, hopefully blogging.

OK, it's a crazy little idea, perhaps. But when I was listening to John and Robin talk the other night, I thought this is exactly what I want to hear on election night.

Trouble is, I'm having a hard time convincing the best and the brightest conservative bloggers to join us. Michael Brodkorb said he'd like to do it. And Jeff at Bachmann vs. Wetterling is coming. But so far, nothing else.

Kinda puts me in a bad spot because Power Liberal, Minnesota Campaign Report, Across the Great Divide, MNSpeak, and Lloydletta have all given a "yes" or "maybe."

So we're full up, I think on the one side of the spectrum, but we're on a low tank on the right side. And I'm guessing if we went with the lineup as constituted, we'd be providing fodder for...well... you know.

So if you're a bigtime conservative blogger -- or even a little-time conservative blogger -- and aren't completely afraid of the possibility that someone might put you on the radio and the Web video and audio would be beamed to the corners of the earth, drop me a note.

Don't make me beg.

Comments (12)

I'm neither conservative nor liberal.... Just color me cantankerous.

Posted by Eva Young | September 11, 2006 8:25 PM

It's been my limited experience that people who claim to be neither conservative or liberal are merely conservatives who don't want to have to defend their leaders these days.

By the way, I'm a liberal and always have been. On the other hand, I avoid taking responsibility for MY leaders by claiming that Democrats aren't liberals :)

Posted by Albatross | September 12, 2006 9:36 AM

This is a VERY interesting observation. Let's discuss it here.

I disagree, but probably not for the usual reasons. I think the two descriptions create an unfair and inaccurate picture of the voter using the term (or the non-voter as the case...ahem...may be). I think you hit the nail on the head, however, when you point out the disconnect between the term and an actual political party.

For example, I was just at GOPBloggers.com and they're running a poll and one of the questions was to rate your degree of conservatism. On one end of the spectrum was hord-core rightist and on the other end was RINO (Republican In Name Only).

I actually find that one of the most offensive terms in politics because of the arrogance of suggesting that the Republicans of, say, my father's generation -- and my father-in-law, former congresisonal candidate -- who embraced the Republican ideals of the mid-'60s of Massachusetts -- are not REAL Republicans because they're not REAL conservatives as they define conservatism.

In fact, they consider themselves REAL Republicans (well, my father is dead now so I don't know what political party he aligns himself with, but I'll be it's the *right" one. (g)), and aren't all that bothered that they're not REAL conservatives as defined.

We hear the same thing from the liberals, too, however the moment someone dares have a pro-life position as a Democrat. It's just that DINO doesn't really work.

I think people who are "in the middle" -- and I think, actually, most people are -- don't have a slavish ideological loyalty to a group. They might agree on items 1, 2, and 3 or items 2, 6, and 8 but disagree on some other aspect.

There are actually LOTS of people in this country, for example, who were -- and perhaps still ARE -- conflicted by the war in Iraq. It wasn't black and white and they're thinking was not all as determined and clear as the liberals and conservatives. They recognized some valid points on one side of the equation, and disagreed with others.

There's no voice for that kind of person in today's political discourse. And so they shut up because they don't feel "qualified" to participate. Sometimes they vote. Sometimes they don't.

I'd sure like to hear more of what they have to say, though.

Posted by Bob Collins | September 12, 2006 9:53 AM

Bob,

You have you Minnesota Monitor link going to KvM. I suspect Robin may object.

Posted by Gary M. Miller | September 12, 2006 11:02 AM

Bob, you left (ha!) off the last descriptor on there:

I'm a lefty troll.

nice.

Posted by rew | September 12, 2006 11:49 AM

Good catch, Gary. Thanks. The dangers of CTL-C/CT-V exposed. I once put a link up that actually was an e-mail to my mother. Nobody caught that one,though.

Posted by Bob Collins | September 12, 2006 12:08 PM

Bob,

Gary does that all the time.

BTW: I said hello. I was there to have a good time, not solve the world's problems. I believe you and I were gonna do lunch.

Posted by triple_a | September 12, 2006 12:19 PM

*Bob says he can't get the best and brightest conservatives to agree to come, and then says Michael and I are coming, though...*

well, thanks, I.... heeyy!

(I'm just having fun with ya!)

Posted by Jeff | September 12, 2006 12:27 PM

Argh. I looked at that afterward and said, "someone's gonna get me on that." Touche!

Andy, I actually think the world's problems ARE going to be solved in an Irish Pub, probably by people who were just there to have a good time. You know, that's just the way these big discoveries are made, I guess. Ivory Soap was a guy who left some soap machine on too long. Post-It notes, too, I think.

Of course, the problem is our leaders won't listen to a bunch of folks in an Irish Pub, but maybe we ought to put a few more bartenders in office.

I was just reading an article this morning about the "yellow pad brigade," a bunch of Americans who doodled on yellow pads back in the '30s and '40s, who tried to convince the government that jet engines were possible. Of course the government just considered them idiots until the Germans proved otherwise and then all of a sudden, they were interested... in what the Germans had to say.

But I digress. Bottom line? Bottom's up!

Posted by Bob Collins | September 12, 2006 12:58 PM

Bob,

Yeah well, I figured we'd get off the subject of the world's problems and such. Besides there were a bunch of blogging friends there that I only get to see once or twice a year.

I'm there most Thursdays. I'll buy you a pint next time.

Posted by triple_a | September 12, 2006 3:44 PM

"but maybe we ought to put a few more bartenders in office."

And Bob comes out with the Sue Jeffers endorsement...

Posted by bsimon | September 12, 2006 4:15 PM

don't feel bad... i can't get any conservatives to make videos either.

Posted by chuck | September 12, 2006 8:58 PM

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