Dispatches from 'cuckoo land'

Posted at 7:18 AM on September 25, 2007 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

David Brooks, the Republican columnist of the New York Times, pens a particularly strident -- and to a degree, compelling -- dispatch today with more lessons for Democrats on how to win the White House. Building on a theme long held in the dusty and graying (not to mention, empty) newsrooms of mainstream media everywhere, Brooks advises ignoring the bloggers and netizens.

The fact is, many Democratic politicians privately detest the netroots' self-righteousness and bullying. They also know their party has a historic opportunity to pick up disaffected Republicans and moderates, so long as they don't blow it by drifting into cuckoo land. They also know that a Democratic president is going to face challenges from Iran and elsewhere that are going to require hard-line , hawkish responses.

... Both liberals and Republicans have an interest in exaggerating the netroots' influence, but in reality that influence is surprisingly marginal, even among candidates for whom you'd think it would be strong.

Ouch.

Comments (3)

Bob,



Its so unfortunate that you are back posting at Polinaut. It was such a better blog without you.

Many Democrat politicians detest the netroots because they want to be left alone to do their backroom deals without anyone paying attention. They don't want to be called out for supporting George Bush's war. They don't want to be called out for supporting expanding warrantless wiretapping foisted upon the Congress at the last minute. They don't want to be called out for shameful and gutless votes that poorly represent the constituencies that elected them.



Furthermore, David Brooks has been wrong on so many issues that he's become more of a comic than a journalist. For example, he has been a cheerleader for the war despite all evidence that it isn't going well. By journalistic standards, he should have been fired by the NYTimes long ago. His lies, fudging and shilling for the Bush Administration has been thoroughly documented at places like Media Matters, Crooks & Liars and Daily Kos. The fact that you cite him as a credible analyst of Democratic politics shows your ignorance of who David Brooks is and what he represents.



Hoping they take you off the Polinaut beat soon...



The Big E

(Collins: It's not for me to explain MPR's decisions; that's for MPR. I am going to continue cashing the checks, though. Sorry.).

Posted by The Big E | September 25, 2007 10:46 AM

Oops ... forgot to mention Glenn Greenwald who just happens to have a post up slaying David "Mr. Serious" Brooks for the umpteenth time:



David Brooks and the deceitful tactics of the Beltway pundit



The Big E

Posted by The Big E | September 25, 2007 11:53 AM

The Big E -
Wow for a netroots' Blogger to not like a Republican columnist. That is compelling.

And then attack a person who simply posts a link to a major newspaper columnist.

I wonder why Bob might find the column compelling.

All you have to do is look at the last few posts you have on mnblue to know that the column must somewhat correct. The diatribe on Senator Clinton you posted, for an example, of how they are really being taken seriously should be example enough. Well it is for me anyhow, at least in regards to you – The Big E.

ILikeBob

(Collins notes: The interesting part of the column -- speaking only for me -- is actually a reference to the history of netroots and how it was "anti Clinton." Brooks is talking almost exclusively, of course, about Kos. Remember the first Kos ad with him kicking a donkey? Well, of course, the Clintonians wouldn't be soliciting them.

But what I found most fascinating is that there have been two op-ed pieces from Republicans -- posted on Polinaut -- in the last day from Republicans on how to win elections. )

Posted by ILikeBob | September 25, 2007 3:38 PM

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