With all due respect, I have to take issue with a number of points raised by Washington Post reporter Tim Craig in this article.
1. "But it took only a month for reality to set in. In many parts of Virginia, voters continue to have strong affection for Republicans."
Uh, I think we figured this out a lot longer than a month ago.
2. "Forgit drew support from liberal bloggers..."
Actually, that's not really correct at all. The true "liberal" bloggers DID NOT support Forgit, because he was too conservative for their tastes on a number of issues. The more pragmatic, more centrist Democratic bloggers DID support Forgit. And just for the record, this blog largely sees itself as Mark Warner/Jim Webb Progressive. We also agree with Jim Webb that "the old labels of liberal and conservative no longer apply," at least not here in Virginia.
3. "Wittman's easy victory could spell trouble for Democrats, who are hoping to pick up one or two congressional seats in Northern Virginia next year."
What on earth Wittman's "easy victory," in an overwhelmingly Republican district, has to do with Northern Virginia is beyond me. Last time I checked, NOVA was turning "blue," big time.
4. "In the 10th District, which stretches from Fairfax County to the upper Shenandoah Valley, Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R) is girding for a potentially tough reelection battle."
You nailed this one, Wolf's in trouble (and writing panicky emails to his supporters). I'm not sure how this relates to your previous point, though.
5. "Byrne and Feder have reasons to be optimistic about their chances if they are the nominees."
Agreed.
6. "But both have embraced a curious strategy of reaching out to liberal bloggers who often attack Democrats they view as being too moderate, including Connolly."
This is wrong on so many levels, it's hard to know where to start. What's "curious" about politicians "reaching out" to the blogs? Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Jim Moran, Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, Brian Moran, Creigh Deeds, Leslie Byrne, Doug Denneny, Judy Feder, Tom Perriello, Dave Shreve, Donald McEachin, George Barker...these are just a few of the many Virginia politicians who have made appearances on the blogs. Didn't seem to hurt them any. Also, you may have noticed a parade of Democratic politicians "reaching out" to the national blogs, which generally are far more liberal than the Virginia Democratic blogs. And the problem is???
As far as Connolly is concerned, if you think that we've attacked him because he's "too moderate," you totally don't understand where we're coming from or why we have certain issues with Gerry Connolly. Let me just state this point blank: those issues have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the fact that Connolly's supposedly a "moderate." Actually, last I checked, Connolly was quite liberal in many ways (immigration, environment). Again, that is NOT the issue here. You might want to review the Charlie Hall-Linda Smyth race for more understanding of where many of us are coming from with regard to Connolly.
7. "Liberal bloggers may have helped Webb win the Democratic nomination for Senate last year, but they have yet to prove they can help a Virginia candidate win a general election in a district in which a majority of voters are more used to voting Republican.
Just ask Forgit."
Hmmmm...let's see, the people you call "liberal bloggers" (again, they're DEMOCRATIC bloggers, it's really not that difficult to understand) didn't help Chap Petersen this year in a district that had voted for Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R) for several years? Bloggers didn't help George Barker in a district that had voted for Jay O'Brien (R) for several years? Bloggers didn't help Karen Schultz (D) come within a whisker of defeating Jill Holtzman Vogel (R) in a district that is solidly Republican? Bloggers didn't help raise tens of thousands of dollars for Virginia Democratic candidates this cycle? Bloggers didn't help Jim Webb win the general election last year? Perhaps you might want to ask Jim Webb or Steve Jarding about that?
As the Post's circulation numbers continue to drop, it needs to rethink what it provides as a paper that cannot be found elsewhere. (Maybe they should consider doing what Time has done -- dropping veteran bloviators like Krauthammer and Kristol, i.e.,. columnists who seem to write the same columns over and over.)
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/...
Sound analysis, Lowell.
I also find it funny that so many people are trying desperately to read something into the special elections, both of which were in overwhelmingly Republican districts.
On the other hand, moseying on over to Dkos, I can kind of understand where this "crazy blogger" image comes from. I mean god, all you have to do is not vote against every Iraq funding bill ever sent to the floor, and you get immediately deluged with heaps of scorn. Never mind that even if all the Dems voted against Iraq funding it wouldn't matter (since Leiberman is a Republican on Iraq anyway), and never mind that Bush would likely just keep the troops there, funding or not (I wouldn't put it past the bastard).
So while I can see where they might get their stereotypes of blogs, it's clear that this guy did minimal actual research, or possibly none at all. Man, the Post is slipping fast in my opinion.
Lazy.
What about Hampton Roads? I guess everybody below Manassass just dropped off the map again. Thanks, Washington Post.
I agree this blog has always supported moderete dems such as Webb, with that said Craig probally looks at NLS running some random Connolly = Mephisto story and takes it that the "liberal" blogosphere hates Gerry.
Oh and on this years election I think these blogs did help out Sen.-elect Peterson, but not so much for George Barker who some still may have had a grudge with over the primary
Byrne represented the 11th District in Congress from 1992 to 1994. But Davis won the seat for Republicans in 1994. He beat Byrne by 8 points that year, even as Democrat Charles S. Robb was trouncing Republican Oliver North in the district by 15 points in the Senate race that year.Some Democrats also question whether Byrne, an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2005, could hurt former governor Mark R. Warner's (D) Senate bid next year.
In 1996, Byrne challenged Warner for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. When she dropped out after it became clear that Warner would win the nomination, the Associated Press quoted her as saying: "To quote my favorite philosopher, Lily Tomlin, 'If you win a rat race, you're still a rat'?"
Could there be a more effective Republican campaign ad against Warner next year than one noting that a Northern Virginia Democratic congressional candidate once referred to him as a "rat?"?
How will the Byrne machine spin this one?
Did I mention what a bad candidate North was?
And let's be honest, I'm pretty sure Byrne and Warner have patched things up in the decade since that line. Plus, nobody knew what a great guy Warner was back then, since all he'd done up to then was advise Doug Wilder and found a cellphone company.
Any coverage on the crooked Republican mass meeting that was done in Caroline County to Wittman's benefit?
Wasn't it a Democratic blog (RK and Fred2Blue) that posted the video of Wittman meeting the headlights when he was confronted with his no new taxes pledge that he violated? Christ, Wittless sounded like Elmer Fudd when he was questioned on it.
Wasn't it a Democratic blog (Fred2Blue) that gave coverage to the Independent candidate, Lucky Narain, when no one else would?
To quote Rodney Dangerfield: "That's the story of my life, no respect, ya know?"
For the record, I consider myself a conservative, but whenever I see Rob Wittman, his dishonesty makes my skin crawl.