Friday, February 02, 2007

More on Marcotte

One possible defense for John Edwards’ appointment of Amanda Marcotte as his campaign’s chief blogger might be ignorance—i.e., this was a low-level appointment in the campaign, one in which the candidate probably had no role and which would have received little notice absent her indefensible comments about the lacrosse case.

Alas, that defense isn’t open to him. The Marcotte appointment generated widespread, enthusiastic praise among the left-leaning blogosphere before word of her lacrosse statements came to light.

My DD:

This is an interesting angle of hires from the netroots for Edwards. Shakespeare’s Sister and Pandagon are blogs that I think would be characterized as ‘ideologically-centered’ as opposed to being ‘big-tent’ democratic blogs.

This is actually the first move by the Edwards campaign in the netroots that I find ground-breaking . . . But most of all, it’s a move on the issues to the liberal side of the spectrum.

What this move symbolizes in the blogosphere is that Edwards team understands how to move to the left on the issues. The early move by Edwards to consolidate the liberal wing of the Democratic party at the beginning is very smart. It’s how McGovern won the 1972 Democratic primary (I’ve been reading Gary Hart’s “Right from the Start”) . . . For Edwards, that show of “organizational strength” means wins in both Iowa and Nevada.

SLOG: (the blog of Seattle’s alternative weekly, in a post entitled, “Yay, Amanda!”)

One of my favorite bloggers, Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon, has signed on to blog for John Edwards’s campaign—exciting news for Amanda, great news for Edwards. Amanda explains her decision to go to work for Edwards here, noting that her political obsessions— including “women’s rights, ending the war in Iraq, environmentalism, and restoring the American dream where climbing out of poverty and having a middle class lifestyle is an option available to everyone”—are right in line with her candidate’s.

Pandagon: (from Marcotte’s blog partner)

You can’t say that they aren’t a savvy crew over there at Team Edwards, because they are scooping up the big guns on the almost-A list (they are both A in my book, but we know what I mean when it comes to the big boyz). The folks here and at Shakes Sis are large, politically engaged and active readers — and will give the Edwards camp a fair hearing. I’m sure that these developments are due to Elizabeth Edwards, who is well-versed and ever-present in the blogosphere. [emphasis added]

It will be interesting to see what kind of pressure this puts on the other candidates to recruit well-known voices from the netroots, and what editorial effect that will have on blogs generally, since both will continue blogging at their primary pads in addition to their work for JRE. This is certainly generating more buzz on the blogs than developments at Hillaryland. Hoo-hah.

The Impolitic:

There’s something happening here. All kinds of movement in Blogtopia this week. Hot of the heels of Amanda Marcotte’s announcement, now Shakespeare’s Sister tells us she has also joined the Edwards campaign as Netroots Coordinator. I’m not entirely sold on Edwards as a candiate myself but I’m huge fan of Shakes and he’s clearly demonstrated his commitment to connecting with the netroots with these two hires. Congrats to Melissa and good on Edwards for such great picks to run his internet outreach.

Liberal Values:

John Edwards has been really concentrating on getting improving his strength in the blogosphere. Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon is taking over as blogmaster . . . [Edwards] certainly is going all out in utilizing every new bell and whistle which has been added to blogs since the Dean campaign.

So, the Marcotte move was one that generated a lot of high praise for Edwards among a key constituency. Now, Overlawyered has the story of Marcotte deleting many of her most outrageous comments. Is this the message that Edwards is intending to send? Some might call it a cover-up.

80 comments:

M. Simon said...

The left in America is bankrupt.

They are ignorant of economics and sociology.

They ascribe differential group performance to politics (true at one time) instead of group differnces.

They are attempting to turn group differences into political capital.

In other words they are bigots.

Anonymous said...

The blogosphere is a double-edged sword. People visit lots of sites and remember things. Make an intemperate remark or say something downright stupid and you will probably be called to task.

It seems like that has happened here.

M. Simon said...

loki,

The proper way to handle that is to apologize when you are wrong or have been intemperate.

Covering up is a bigger crime and just draws more attention.

Any way that is how I handle it.

Anonymous said...

Edwards is a loser 1st class. This man is courting the far left because HC is fishing mid stream.

Edwards is a complete hypocrite witha 6+ million dollar homestead, a 30,000 square foot house? It must take most of the local Harris nuclear plant to keep his lights and other utilities running?

Some enviromentalist ?

YET.....folk still cannot see through the ambulance chaser?

Anonymous said...

I don't know about Edwards, but if he wants to retain any credibility at all he better rid himself of that Marcotte character. When a person so blatantly lies about a case like the Duke case (and then tries to just drop the subject when she's called on it)........not good.

Anonymous said...

"It seems like that has happened here."

No what happened here was that Marcote posted her scurrilous condemnation of rich white boys and got called on it, then removed her posts to cover her tracks. She's getting called on it alright, as she should be. Words have power and words have meaning. When you claim to be a prominent blogger and others claim you are, you've got to own up to your own ignorance and hate. That's what hasn't happened here.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, so far we have Lamont/Hamsher and Edwards/Marcotte. Maybe we can hit a trifecta! Obama/Frisch?

Just wishful thinking.

Anonymous said...

Linking through reveals these latest comments from Amanda:

"All the harassing comments and emails I got when I suggested the O.J. Simpson’s wealth, social status as an athlete, and male privilege might have made it possible for him to get away with murdering his ex-wife.

Kidding! Simpson is black and Nicole Brown Simpson was white, so that never happened. I’ve never received one email or one comment suggesting that I’m out of line thinking he is anything but a role model for morality. And that’s all I’m going to say on the subject of why if I see the words “Duke” or “lacrosse” in an email that has the whiff of accusatory tone, I’m deleting it and simply not going to reply to it. I have never, ever stated that I think that anyone should go to jail without a proper trial.

Those comments will also be deleted from this thread, though you are free to explain why you think the State of California was overzealous to prosecute Simpson."

It's easy to dismiss this nonsense as the rantings of an irresponsible, misinformed, young person. However, there is a revealing tragedy that should not go unnoticed. Even if the lacrosse players are exonerated, many, like Amanda, will say, "well, O.J. was acquitted too." What an embarassing comparison for this woman to make and what an embarassing debacle for the Edwards campaign this time around.

Anonymous said...

They already told her to stop cursing. Delete it all you want - she does not know the net never forgets. Who cares about this crass woman? Or Edwards for that matter. I want a nice courageous warrier like Rudy or McCain. She will be gone before the week is out.

Anonymous said...

If Edwards (or his wife) want Amanda Marcotte, they certainly don't want the U.S. Presidency.

Let Marcotte erase all of her previous posts! She still has to write new ones, and there's no simply no way that that blogger's "insights" are going to make John Edwards anything but a laughingstock.

In fact, it's hard to believe that Edwards could imagine that connecting with what passes for "Marcotte-thought" would be helpful.

He cannot ever have read her.

Anonymous said...

http://www.ednews.org/articles/7475/1/quoteducation-is-being-strangledby-degreesquot/Page1.html

Here's a link that could help explain why so many Duke pros turned their backs and their vitriol upon three wrongly accused students.

(sorry, don't know how to hyperlink)

Anonymous said...

pros=profs

Anonymous said...

pros and profs ...

Don't wanna get them mixed up with the accuser in this case

Anonymous said...

hyperlink help

hyperlink help

Anonymous said...

Thanks 7:47 (you weren;t designed and built by MSimon were you?)

Anonymous said...

She says " The prosecutor fumbled the ball - he was to quick to want a speedy trial? Outrageous - Here we are almost eleven months into the case and no court date. Osborn?request for a speedy trial was denied in May. Liars - Liars all.

Anonymous said...

I doubt the Breck Girl knew about the blog and its rantings. However, if he has any sense, he will not only get rid of the toxic blogstress, but the fool who hired her. To not know that this woman would be radioactive is grossly negligent. Edwards should certainly know negligence since he sues people for negligence whether they are negligent or not.

Then again, maybe he does not know too much about negligence.

SAVANT

Anonymous said...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/the-left-its-the-new-ra_b_40290.html

Fantastic piece I found on HuffPo

Anonymous said...

Click here to go there

Anonymous said...

Marcotte is a useless tool, but this post is a real stretch, IMHO.

Hopefully there will something related to the actual case to discuss soon.

This is small potatoes.

Anonymous said...

Click here only if you really want to go to the HuffPo site above ...

Anonymous said...

So for the first time, the Duke Hoax may be injected into the 2008 Presidential race.

You can see from her posts that she's one of these people who, like the 88, just loved this case because of the race/class/gender implications. And she refuses to let go, still insisting that its real.

What kind of psycho is Edwards hiring

Michael said...

Another interesting case that I ran across is Two Schreiner athletes claim innocence

where the media does not name the alleged victim nor the accused. The police cleared the two athletes via DNA testing but the av has filed a civil suit against them anyways. There was a baby as a result of the alleged rape but if DNA testing ruled these two out, how can she prevail on the civil suit unless it's held in Durham?

Anonymous said...

Thanks 8:14, my idiocy outruns my typing

Anonymous said...

Is "left-leaning" really the best term to describe these blogers? Do me, the term seems to connote someone whose feet are planted in the center of American politics, but who "leans" left on many if not most issues. Someone, say, like KC. Yet it is routinely used to describe people who have walked halfway around the world to embrace members of the extreme right. Litmus test: what does Amanda think of the ultra-paleo-conservative organization known as Hamas?

Anti-Leftist Liberal

Anto-Leftist Lioberal

Anonymous said...

Here is a link to an article about a professor who got caught in a storm of political correctness and is suing DePaul University for defamation of character. It might suggest a future course of legal action for the lacrosse players to redress some of the damage that has been done to them in this mess.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/02/depaul_and_the_duke_lacrosse_c.html

Anonymous said...

Sorry the above link doesn't work. Go to americanthinker.com and look up the article

"DePaul and the Duke Lacrosse Case".

It appeared on Thursday, February 1.

Anonymous said...

Marcotte will not be able to hold up to two years of politics. In one day she has been put on the defensive and forced to cover up. How does a 29 year old who only knows that women are good (men bad) and we should get out of Iraq get the position of blog mistress? To pick a person who has experience blogging over a serious policy person was a mistake.

Anonymous said...

" Marcotte is a useless tool, but this post is a real stretch, IMHO.
Hopefully there will something related to the actual case to discuss soon.This is small potatoes."

Sounds like an Edwards supporter is embarassed, as well they should be.

The pretty boy ambulance chaser has made a fortune second-guessing doctors. Now he's made a big, dumb, fricking mistake himself - and it is important.

The Duke Hoax is an effective touchstone. You can tell what people are really like based upon their position on it.

Edward's new blogmaster is the same kind of morally ostentatious hate merchant as the Group of 88.

Now everybody knows what kind of company he keeps.

Anonymous said...

That's a good point Wayne (and when are you going to return as Lions coach), because it's gonna be a long primary season. This is not going to be the only revelation about Marcotte and her political/social beliefs. You can bet any smart operatives for Obama/Clinton/ hell, even Biden, will be all over this one.

Then we'll be treated to the squealing of the leftist libber-bloggers claiming she was misquoted and misunderstood, she was really just opening a dialogue about the pressing need to control boozing and partying at America's finest institutes of higher learning

Anonymous said...

Poetic justice for this decidedly non-poetic foul mouth will come if the Edwards campaign chooses to abort her.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I'm not an Edwards supporter. I'm still undecided... but I have a hard time imagining that I'd support Edwards during the primaries as long as he's got that fool Marcotte working for him. That's a deal-breaker as far as I'm concerned.

Anonymous said...

Have a good laugh


http://www.myspace.com/amandamarcotte

Anonymous said...

This can be the Pretty One's first test of leadership. Is he decisive and quick? Does he have a handle on his own campaign?

If she and the obtuse moron who hired her are still around Monday AM, Edwards certainly has no business dealing with Kim Jong Il and that nutty guy from Iran. If he cuts them loose quickly, he should still hang around.

SAVANT

PS - I know his wife is into blogging some. I hope she is not the "obtuse moron" who hired Angry Woman.

Anonymous said...

Anti-Leftist Liberal

Do the terms liberal and conservative really mean anything today? When you refer to Johnson's "liberalism," IMO, you're referring to his hesitancy to propose meaningful solutions to "social problems." To this extent, he is a modern liberal. Not surprisingly, Johnson supports the diversity pimp, Barack Obama.

I was ignored on the other thread, so I'll reiterate my problem with Johnson:

1. He pokes fun at the academic lightweights, but he won't support defunding Angry Studies.

2. He ridicules the lifestyle of Crystal Gail Mangum, yet he is silent on the issue of making false reports a felony sex-crime.

Points 1 and 2 are glaring deficiencies in the editorial policy of this blog.

Present-day liberalism, in reality, is highly immoral: a) do not punish female sociopaths (especially if they are black); b) allow protected minority groups to set up worthless academic programs; c) always make excuses for deviant behavior.

How long has this blog been up?

Yep, we live in the age of liberalism--and make sure Karla Holloway's check doesn't bounce.

Polanski

Anonymous said...

8:21

people who have walked halfway around the world to embrace members of the (...) organization known as Hamas?


Hamas representatives meet with senior members of Democratic Party

Another head scratcher, I'm sure.

Anonymous said...

Alas, that defense isn’t open to him. The Marcotte appointment generated widespread, enthusiastic praise among the left-leaning blogosphere before word of her lacrosse statements came to light.

How in the world does the fact that some other bloggers thought that hiring her was a good idea lead one to the conclusion that Edwards personally had anything to do with hiring her?

Really, KC, you must realize that's a pretty substantial logical leap.

Anonymous said...

Marcotte writes for a very small like minded audience. It's the same situation with Karla Holloway or Mark Anthony Neal. Recall that Gail Dines consulted Wendy Murphy and Mark Anthony Neal when she researched the "Duke" case. Marcotte won't have the option of only writing in friendly venues like the G88 or simply going silent. These minds don't have a catholic understanding of the world around and at least in Marcott's case she will be made to pay.

Fire Millen

Anonymous said...

Amanda Marcotte, Feb 2, 2007:
...if I see the words “Duke” or “lacrosse” in an email that has the whiff of accusatory tone, I’m deleting it and simply not going to reply to it. I have never, ever stated that I think that anyone should go to jail without a proper trial.

Amanda Marcotte, January 21, 2007:
For awhile, I had to listen to how the poor dear lacrosse players at Duke are being persecuted just because they held someone down and fucked her against her will—not rape, of course, because the charges have been thrown out.

Anonymous said...

I saw the Amanda Marcotte "my space" and it pretty much looks like the typical self-absorbed stuff we see in modern politics. As self-absorbed as John Edwards seems to be, I guess Amanda Marcotte fits perfectly into his campaign.

Anonymous said...

The folks at reason.com have a nice piece on Marcotte's latest ramblings, check the comments, they're a gut-buster

Anonymous said...

Ah, nutroots in its classic form. Marcotte on Nov. 15 in an item imprudently titled How not to sound like a creepy jackass:

Rob points out that rape functions in a patriarchy as a way to threaten women and remind us that our bodies are not our own, which is why patriarchal societies are reluctant to punish it unless you can establish that there’s a male victim of a crime, insofar as there was a man whose female-property was devalued (i.e. why we excuse raping strippers but Christian virgins are considered worthy of protection)...

Anonymous said...

Everyone in law school knew the breck boy's wife had the brains and balls. Johnny is just along for the ride.

Kemp

Guaunyu said...

Goodbye and good luck to all of you.

Myra Langerhas said...

anon,

"1. He pokes fun at the academic lightweights, but he won't support defunding Angry Studies.

2. He ridicules the lifestyle of Crystal Gail Mangum, yet he is silent on the issue of making false reports a felony sex-crime."

KC's views are measured, well thought out, and germane under the circumstances. His primary focus has been a critique of the prosecution, the prosection's defenders, and those with a general animosity towards 'white, privileged, male athletes', particularly the Duke 3. He is the greatest voice ANYWHERE in this regard. To fault him for being anything less than that is ridiculous. You should thank him for his expose.

I cant wait until KC writes the definitive tome on this terrible prosecution. I will be front line and center to buy the first copy.

Anonymous said...

10:29

Are you KC Johnson?

Polanski

Anonymous said...

10:29

There will be a lot of books written on this case.

My well-reasoned point is this:

NOTHING CHANGES if the underlying pathologies this case points up aren't addressed.

Johnson is showing no creativity in this area. As an historian, he should be commenting on the legal precedents in this area.

Listen, I applaud the fact that he started this forum, but I'll be damned if I can't highlight some obvious shortcomings.

"Mr Obama/Mrs Clinton, To prevent other persecutions of men in the future, wouldn't you agree that a false accusation of rape is as heinous as rape itself? And wouldn't you agree that such a crime be classified as a sex-crime felony?"

How do you think these mediocrities would reply to questions like those?

Just curious.

Polanski

Anonymous said...

Yeah,

I think that if KC focusses on too many issues he will lose value. What is doing is great.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:20 : Those two quotes show exactly why Marcotte needs a lawsuit against her, or at least to be kicked out of that Edwards blog on her butt. Who are these nuts who think the U.S. has dropped so low in its standards that they can just make up statements they wish were true (with no shades of gray there, just going against the hard facts), make them public, and then think it'll be okay?! (THEN, on top of that, she posts that Durham NC treats women and blacks horribly, yet she's eager to be moving there..?)

Anonymous said...

If this Marcotte mess is brought to Edwards' attention, and he doesn't immediately fire her and issue a statement firmly rebuking her grotesque words then everyone on these blogs will know why so many of us want to equate this whole Duke lacrosse fiasco to the broader confrontation between liberalism and conservatism. If Edwards rationalizes that what Marcotte wrote only offends conservatives(and they aren't losable votes) and thus retains her, then he will reinforce what many of us were arguing about all day long on K.C.'s previous entry. Namely, that on the whole Conservatives seek justice for the Duke Three, while many more Liberals are comfortable with the notion that even wrongly accused white men of means still deserve punishment.

Anonymous said...

OT

Doubtless you heard the NPR broadcast today

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7138250

Here's what Burness said (my bold)

The President makes his judgments based on what he believes is the right and fair thing to do and that is exactly what he did in this case and those who would allege otherwise simply are wrong.

Here's what Board Chair Robert Steel said in August (my bold)

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060904fa_fact

When Brodhead cancelled the season, he had said that the moment was too serious to be playing games. What he meant, in part, was that Duke could not be seen to be playing games. From the start, Brodhead had been forced to navigate among several potentially hazardous interests—lacrosse parents who felt angry and abandoned by the school, dismayed alumni and donors, the agitated citizens of Durham, the clamoring press—while protecting what is known in the Allen Building as “the Duke brand.” On that fitful weekend in late March when the TV satellite trucks hit campus, the lacrosse team could be seen practicing for the Georgetown game, a scene that became an endless video loop suggesting institutional indifference. “We had to stop those pictures,” Bob Steel says. “It doesn’t mean that it’s fair, but we had to stop it. It doesn’t necessarily mean I think it was right—it just had to be done."

Can't these people at least get their lame excuses on the same page?

M. Simon said...

How to hyperlink:

<a href=""></a>

Is how you make permalinks:

<a href="url">text to display</a>

Anonymous said...

At the photo site http://www.flickr.com you can type in the keywords "duke lacrosse" and find lots of photos of the case. Some are very funny, posted back in March and April, because they show the potbangers and Take Back the Night crew during their marches, and one of the lacrosse house posted with signs by the girls' lax team defending them (the photographer posted the pic with the attitude that those lax girls were the villains!) It's funny to see all these photos in light of the revelations of the later months. Some of you might even want to register at the site so you can leave (the deserved) commentary.

M. Simon said...

8:28PM,

Depaul and Duke

<a href=""></a>

Is how you make permalinks:

<a href="url">text to display</a>

Anonymous said...

1157

thanx for the info

i'll check them out

Polanski

Anonymous said...

Hey, what's the big deal?

Marcotte has a clear position on national security:

Scott Lemieux has a great post on the conservatives running around raising an alarm about the imaginary threat of impending worldwide domination by Muslim terrorist sorts (who are indistinguishable from everyday Muslims in the wingnut worldview).

Is well-positioned to be a uniter, not a divider:

Red Staters reveal themselves to be human, if a tad stupid at times

Will never be accused of neglecting religious constituencies:

An empty uterus (inside a white woman) makes Baby Jebus Cry

Has a track record of thinking "outside the box":

DT, my general rule of thumb is anyone obsessed with population who hasn’t noticed certain ecological issues has racist and/or sexist motivations. I can’t possibly imagine how you could track population growth without noticing the major overriding issues (that we’re making more people total than the planet can reasonably sustain being the biggie) unless distracted by sick prejudices.

And has a developed a solution that simultaneously eliminates overpopulation and racial tension:

I firmly and thoroughly believe that if white people quit breeding altogether, the world would be a better place. Why not? It seems to solve a couple major problems in one generation.

Go Team Edwards! Because if white people quit breeding altogether, the world will be a better place.

Anonymous said...

Ahh poor Amynda is getting herself in trouble. Marcotte is a well known far left wingnut to most of us who've been watching her for years in the gender war as it were. Her erasing comments does not surprise me in the least.

Anonymous said...

For the most part, I've been a big fan of John Edwards. He is the only major Democratic contender who says what needs to be said about the severe and growing problem of income inequality in America. An Edwards Presidency might be our nation's best chance of finally establishing a civilized health care system.

But he's made some substantial blunders in the past week. First, there was the craven comments at the Herzliya conference, where Edwards seemed ready to sign off on another disastrous war - this one against Iran - in order to get more campaign contributions from right-wing Zionists. Then, there was the inexplicable decision to hire Amanda Marcotte (Amanda Marcotte?!) as his official blogger.

I'm not naive, and I understand that no one can be elected in America without kissing up to the Israel Lobby. But why on Earth would Edwards hire Amanda Marcotte - a crude, humorless radical feminist in the Andrea Dworkin/Catharine MacKinnon mold? This has the markings of a decision made by a low-level staffer. It is certainly a substantial PR flop; Marcotte's extremist views on gender relations and religion - not to mention the crudity with which these views are expressed - would shock the public if they became known. Marcotte should be cut loose quickly and quietly before she becomes a public liability.

-Firebug

Anonymous said...

Addendum: If John Edwards wants to hire a liberal feminist weblogger who is far more balanced and in tune with his campaign themes, Lindsay Beyerstein (majikthise.typepad.com) would probably be a good choice.

-Firebug

Anonymous said...

I still believe John Edwards is a good man. He made a bad judgment in delegating responsibility to whomever made an HORRENDOUS judgment in selecting Marcotte. Marcotte, if you check out her MySpace, is a lightweight. She's fulsomely crass, and profane...but it comes off like a pose. She's not going to take it lying down! (Like she did before, when she was raped.)

She's a minor-leaguer...heck, a semi-pro softballer. This is her first time facing the glare of the big boys, and there is no way she can survive it.

I actually don't dislike her anymore. Once the curtain is swept aside, and you see what's there...

M. Simon said...

Firebug,

You have two choices: a growing economy, lots of jobs, great income disparity.

A stagnant economy, jobs hard to come by, greater income equality.

You know it is like leftys never had an economics class in their life.

"Concentration of wealth is a natural result of concentration of ability, and recurs in history. The rate of concentration varies (other factors being equal) with the economic freedom permitted by morals and the law... democracy, allowing the most liberty, accelerates it. -- Will and Ariel Durant

Free To Choose - the video

M. Simon said...

firebug,

Be nice to the Jews. They give the Democrats 80% support and lots of money.

If you are not happy with them the Rs would be glad to have them.

M. Simon said...

Of course Jimmy Carter takes money from the Saudis so I guess it kind of balances out.

More good news. A group of top ranking Democrats met with Hamas in Europe.

Hamas Will Not Harm Democrats. Hamas does know how embarassing that can be and promised not to rat out the Democrats.

Only one problem with that though. The Palestinians are killing each other faster than the Israelis are killing them.

So I'd say things are looking up for the Democrats.

Anonymous said...

There are no words for this crass foul mouthed person.

Anonymous said...

M. Simon, I heard something today I thought relevant and on point.

Most everyone says racist things or has bigoted thoughts. The acid test is whether people actually act on those comments/thoughts.

Would someone who say something derogatory or racist to someones face?

The Gang of 88 act, through the listening statement, clarification, classes,etc. on clearly act on their bigoted beliefs. No question they are bigots...in this light.

Anonymous said...

This expose is great. I wondered why Edwards had not been pressed into commenting about the case?

Anonymous said...

Mmm. Interesting. So Ms. Marcotte thinks the way to solve the world's problems is for white people to stop breeding? I wonder what she thinks of the Edwards' decision to "breed" two more white people after their son died in a car accident, despite the fact that Elizabeth Edwards was well past her prime "breeding" years? And I wonder what Elizabeth Edwards thinks about Ms. Marcotte's opinions on white "breeding"?

Anonymous said...

M.Simon = clueless dolt

Anonymous said...

Edwards does not disapprove of Marcotte's views - he hired her and has kept her on board. She is the face of his campaign on the internet. The scary ugly hideous hateful face of his campaign.

The Breck boy is not the deepest river one will ever try to cross. He is as dim as Marcotte is hateful. A match made in heaven.

Anonymous said...

M. Simon,

We had far less income inequality during the 1950s, yet our economic growth as a society was just fine. And despite the insistent right-wing claims that "Old Europe" is on the verge of collapse, their economic growth during the past year has actually exceeded ours. Obviously a completely socialist economy would not work, but neither would a completely laissez-faire economy. There's a reason every Western society abandoned that notion. The real question isn't whether we will have socialism or laissez-faire; both have been decisively rejected. The real question is what proportions of private and state action we will have in our mixed economy. And there is room for far more security and prosperity for the average worker without compromising our economy in any way.

I am not inclined to take the predictions of economists very seriously. They are far too unreliable and tinged with ideological bias. Just as generals are always fighting the last war, so economists are always fighting the last recession. We need FDR-style pragmatism, not rigid ideological rules.

-Firebug

Anonymous said...

"I almost un-appointed him when he decided to run," Easley told law school students.

This is quintessential Democrat'ic' after-the-fact talking points.

John Kerry could not have said it better with his "I voted for the war before I voted against it."

Anonymous said...

It is interesting that no one has come out swinging on Pandagon on this matter.

I wonder what the response has been in the blogosphere?

Anonymous said...


Just as generals are always fighting the last war, so economists are always fighting the last recession.


You can tell how ignorant someone is by the certainty with which they mouth their generalizations.

Anonymous said...

I think Edwards bad judgment shows a few things. (Speaking as a Democrat, or as some of my ex friends have called me a DINO).

The Blue dogs "won" Congress for the Democrats this year (or alternatively, the establishment Congressional Republicans won Congress for the Democrats). Yet the DNCs crop of presidentially beautiful are not from this stock of winners, nor are they acting like it. Rather they are bringing people who may get the DNC nomination but don't have that much of a chance of winning in November if the Republicans but forward a solid leader. Edward's behavior is typical of this. A much as the ideologues in the DNC want to believe, you don't win from a fashion plate, and you don't win by being a whakadooodle. They'd do better by just being honest and cleaving to perennial Democrat Lyndon Larouche.

Bringing in Marcotte shows how how little Edwards ranks among the alpha Left Bloggers. Kos? Josh Marshall? I'd headhunt them if I wanted to win, I'd lean towards Marshal myself since Kos can be more of a brat on a good day, but no one can deny his brand name recognition. What's the best blogger that Edwards can reel in? Someone who makes the Democratic Underground look mature, and as I said earlier, makes Kos look like the Instawife.

The mainstream left, despite what some here may think, have ahem... "moved on" from the Lax case (as far as lynching the accused go) seeing it as a fringe cause celebrate, and a lost cause for race and gender overall. When Estridge walks off the case, it's over. Even Bona-fide Liberals who I still can talk to don't believe the honesty of the 88 when they are pressed to critically assess them. No one trusts Nifong, and noone who wants to be invited to polite parties off campus wants to be associated with the UMBUTU crowd. Yet Edwards picks a true member of the Madame DeFarge Brigade. He's not only out of touch with the maintream who would need his support to win the presdiency. He's out of touch with the democratic broader membership (as opposed to "the base.")

Pretty boy Edwards is almost looking to loose... perhaps so he can well... be a professional looser and thus be a victim.

Anonymous said...

M. Simon said...
The proper way to handle that is to apologize when you are wrong or have been intemperate.

Covering up is a bigger crime and just draws more attention.

Any way that is how I handle it.


Heck, that's where I am fuming at the 88!

I don't expect professionalism, maturity, or any adult traits from the more radical tenured teenagers of that group, but I DO expect the more "sane" members of (or those who capitalize on the image of sanity) to NOT have pulled that stunt with the second letter.

It's one thing to sniff at me because I actually read what they wrote in the original letter and put it in context. It's quite another thing to expect me to not remember what they wrote because, through the use of those three dots, what I erroneously remembered they wrote was removed from space and time (I think Dr. Who did that once).

But sniffing at me for reading what they wrote and remembering it, and to keep *me* honest, repeating what they *now* want me to remember by using ellipses, and then hyperlinking to the original text to remind me of the the verbiage that was I was supposed to forget, but now I definitely remember what they wrote because it's there in front of me?

Is that just a little over the top, or are they having a Wizard of Oz moment. Pay no attention to the HTML at the other end of the blue underline!

No wonder Marcotte and the 88 understand each other. They have the same hangup. Neither wants me to remember that they're losers!

Anonymous said...

Elizabeth Edwards posts on democraticunderground.com. Which is so incredible that it is akin to Laura Bush writting a Sew Simple column for John Birch newletter. The DU people are nuts nuts nuts, there eis no theory so crazy trhey wont endorse it.

It would be nice if the democrats could nominate someone where you didnt have to worry about what dangerous kooks have entre to. Seems unlikely.

Anonymous said...

I left a blog on Edards' site about the flippant reponses that Marcotte has written that have no basis in fact- including the comment about NC consitituents. I got an email back saying it was voted off. I am wondering if there is anywhere to post or emial that will get this woman STOPPED.

Anonymous said...

It's bad enough that Edwards allowed an underling to bring this lunatic Marcotte on board, but even worse that now he knows what she's all about he allows her to stay.

IMO if Edwards wants to be president of the U.S. he needs to demonstrate that he has the leadership skills and integrity to bring quality people onto his team and jettison loose cannons like Marcotte. Therefore, if he doesn't boot Marcotte out of the door immediately, IMO his bid for the Democratic nomination is DOA.

Anonymous said...

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