Greetings, HA readers, from Providence, Rhode Island! Until Sunday, I’ll be here with a couple thousand other bloggers, activists, and media, attending the annual Netroots Nation meeting.
As I write, I’m in a session called “Winning Smarter: Using Data to Transform Elections”. Mega-wonky, with discussion of polling and focus groups, targeted advertising, GOTV for primaries, and more. It’s moderated by an avid local consumer of this sort of data. You many have heard of her … one Darcy Burner, candidate for Congress in WA-01. She’s actually the organizer if this panel.
Also in the audience is one of Darcy’s arch-nemeses, covering the event even though (as he’s told me and other HA bloggers) he’s disappointed that the Right Online idiots aren’t stalking NN meeting in the same town at the same time, as they had been doing for several years. Last year in Minneapolis, the late Andrew Breitbart — film crew tagging along, of course — tried to disrupt Netroots Nation by antagonizing attendees. Instead, the security people at the convention center escorted him away, after he’d tried to bully his way into the exhibit hall without an NN nametag. Parenthetically, several years ago in Austin, Bob Barr (running for President at the time, as a Libertarian) paid for NN registration, attended a few sessions, and was treated civilly in all respects.
I predict that Joel’s first Netroots Nation piece will include, if not focus on, several snarky (he thinks) digs at Darcy. You know the type:
…more popular here among the goofy Left than she is in Washington state…
…campaigning nationally instead of shaking hands in Sedro-Woolley or Ferndale…
I expect to file at least a few more reports from the conference (or maybe from the parties surrounding it), so stay tuned for more of Netroots Nation.
Darcy hugs rabbits! You go girl!
http://www.corbisimages.com/st.....nny-rabbit
Yep, Darcy will get the vote of Mr. Rabbit … not so sure about the Missus!
As for N in Seattle, my gosh! You now want to write and criticize Joel’s columns!!
OK, since Joel is too much a gentleman to retaliate, I will take up the task for him.
“N in Seattle reports”
Darcy Burner was the center of a great deal of attention at Netroots. She even outdrew Dennis Kucinich and the guys from Chippendales. One could almost see the flood of enthusiast money from Darcylanders in places as far away from Seattle as Boston, Chicago and even Austin!
How is this relevant to her campaign against John Koster? In a survey of 661 registered voters were, the folks in the first CD chose Burner by 39 percent vs Koster’s 48 percent! That is less than double digits. All Darcy needs is to get 9/10 of the independents from rural Whatcom, Skaggit, and Snohomish counties and she will win!
These folks will be snowed by all that netizen cash!
SJ,
“How is this relevant to her campaign against John Koster?”
Really, it the wrong question. It is not the case that everything she does between now and November has to be relevant to her run for office. She might go to a couple of movies, or do some holiday shopping between now and November.
But I am amused at what I perceive to be your position: that a visit to large progressive conference is not relevant to a Democrat’s run for office. REALLY? Seriously? Is that your position? If so, that’s laughably and/or pathetically naive.
“In a survey of 661 registered voters were, the folks in the first CD chose Burner by 39 percent vs Koster’s 48 percent!”
Well…then it’s a damn good thing the election wasn’t held last week!
Seriously, SJ, the problem with both you and Joel and your anti-Darcy derangement syndrome is that you make silly, illogical statements, that don’t seem grounded in reality.
It kind of make me embarrassed on your behalf.
Don’t sugar-coat it, Darryl. :-)
Note to RR: Darcy hugged me this morning.
“Winning Smarter: Using Data to Transform Elections”
Awesome!
Why do we need to “transform” elections? Just have the election and count the votes. That’s all there is to it.
re 6: Elections need to be transformed to the extent that voters have a fair chance of realizing that Koster is a deranged wingnut before casting their vote for him.
The thing that may well get him elected are the mutitudinous signs with KOSTER printed on them that line the freeway from Bothell to Canada.
Voters will look at their ballots and think: “Koster…. I’m familiar with that name. Think I’ll vote for him.”
And without further reflection, they’ll get back to eating JuJubes and watching America’s Got Talent.
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@7, 8 & 9:
I don’t live in that district, so those signs don’t show up here. There is a guy named Dick Muri who’s running for Congress, though, and his first name says everything you need to know about him. I’d vote for the Dems before I voted for that guy!
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N and darcy – please stay on the east coast. Thanks.
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@10
Don’t know him – what’s wrong with him that has led you to the brink of voting for a Democrat? Sounds juicy.
unlike yourself, and most others at HA, perhaps he is not a party lemming –
IE voting for people in either/both parties isnt that big of a stretch to many of us party-free thinkers…however, for you lemmings, its something you cant quite grasp.
@14,
He’s too conservative.
Thanks N for the update! Hoping you will have a swell time.
AKM of the AK Mudflats was also reporting just a tad, but it’s helpful that you gave more info on Brietbart’s behavior last year. Thank heavens you all won’t have to put up with that boor again! Have fun and keep us posted.
N in S and Darry,
Back at pomposity, I suggest the two of you take a look at the mirror in the new Snow White movie.
I share your concern with the loss of credibility that you must suffer from disagreeing with the entire Democratic establishment about Ms. Burner’s chanced.
I also agree that giving a speech to a group that is quite distinct from the polity of the 1st CD is entirely a reasonable things to do! Hmmm .. in thew same spirit I suggest to Suzan that she “do” her district in the family helicopter and campaign with her two husband and their shared wife ..after all!
Oh, and alienating your state’s establishment in exercise of personal ego is GREAT evidence of political skill! Especially if you lose!
Or do you think Roger Rabbit is Darcy’s version of Alice’s White Rabbit? Darcy chasing Roger down a rabbit hole into wonderland seems pretty close to reality.
Pomposity aside, I actually do not have any anti Darcy bias. She is a serious person and worth a lot more respect than any of us are paying her here. On a scale of Kucinish and Jim McD, she is a lot more like a hero of mine, Gene McCarthy.
I would be happy if DB were running in the 7th where I think she would have the District to support her views.
Tell me, bubbelahs, how would Congressman Burner take a stand on Boeing’s defense contracts? Boeing’s role in the CIA space plan project and building drones?
While you are at it, I assume you know that the folks in Everett who do NOT work for the Lazy-B do work for the N-A-V-Y … you know the folks who own all the NUKE boomers in Puget Sound?
Will Darcy advocate expansion of Naval Base Everett in her “keynote” speech tomorrow?
SJ @ 18,
“…[H]ow would Congressman Burner take a stand on Boeing’s defense contracts? Boeing’s role in the CIA space plan project and building drones?While you are at it, I assume you know that the folks in Everett who do NOT work for the Lazy-B do work for the N-A-V-Y … you know the folks who own all the NUKE boomers in Puget Sound?”
Hardly seems relevant, since Everett and the vast majority of the populated area around Everett aren’t in the (new) first.
The western edge of the 1st that abuts Everett is largely agricultural land in the Snohomish valley. Aside from the City of Snohomish and Lake Stevens, the major population areas around Everett (Marysville, Arlington, Mukilteo, Lynnwood, Montlake Terrace, Brier) are in the 2nd; or, from Edmonds and south, in the 7th.
But even so, what the fuck makes you think Darcy is anti-military? (I mean, she grew up on military bases, for chrissakes!). I think you are confusing anti-military adventurerism with anti-military. Big difference.
SJ @ 18,
“Oh, and alienating your state’s establishment in exercise of personal ego is GREAT evidence of political skill!”
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the state “establishment” burned their bridges with Darcy well before she decided to run for the one month term in the old first.
Are you suggesting that she owed them something?!?
Piling on …
Even with all the money she’s going to throw into TV ads starting in the next few weeks, the anointed darling of the Establishment, whose home was gerrymandered into WA-01, is more likely to come in fourth (or maybe fifth) in the Top Two primary than second.
As much of a knee-jerk Democrat as I may be, I readily acknowledge that the endorsement of the party Insiders or Establishment or Moneyed Interests (whatever you want to call the folks who join Joel in longing for a return of the Good Old Days of Scoop and Maggie) isn’t worth a plugged nickel.
Side note to K.J. Makesmeill @12: if it makes you happy (actually, even if it doesn’t elate you), I’ll be enjoying myself in god’s country — that is, New England — for another 10 days or so. I doubt Darcy will stick around quite so long … she has more pressing matters to attend to on the Left Coast.
Hey Mr N of Seattle,
While you are at NutRoutes, ask Elizabeth Warren about her Cherokee heritage. Also ask about her flipping houses for profit while claiming to be a “champion” of the working class. Isn’t she the rage of this NutRoutes this session?
Watch the video as “SEE” if the questioner flees the room. Why do DUMMOCRAPTS act the way they do? Why do DUMMOCRAPTS make shit up? Why are you a “racist” when you question a DUMMOCRAPTs own words?
Also Mr N of Seattle,
While you are at NutRoutes, ask any Axelrod surrogate if they are going to now admit that Obummer was a member of the leftist of leftists New Party? If you see Ben Smith of Politico ask him why did he lie and cover up for candidate Obummer about his true New Party membership on the Politico? New Party meeting minutes
So is Puddy now a racist too? Mr N of Seattle, it would be telling if you checked these activities out. You would be a real legend for determining the truth when others covered it up!
Such an existential dilemma…
Does one refute insane ravings or ignore them? Does one explain how sensible (and mainstream) fusion voting is or refrain from feeding drooling trolls?
So N in Seattle, you are doubting the truth or, as I guess, you are looking at the world through the standard dirty lenses?
Daily Kooks? Bwaaaaa haaaaa haaaaa haaaaa haaaaa haaaaa haaaaa haaaaaa haaaaa. They called the lady a racist when she mentioned Warren offered no proof of Cherokee heritage. Then they disparage the lady. Calling a person a racist is standard DUMMOCRAPT playbook materials. Remember rujax all 2010 & 2011 calling everyone a racist? Disparaging your opponent is standard DUMMOCRAPT playbook materials.
New Party… It was their meeting minutes. Your link mysteriously doesn’t refer to Obama. Fusion voting? So you support the New Party? Hmmm…?
25 – zzzzzZZZZzzzzz
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09.....party.html
Between the Person-called Puddy, Darryl and NiS … I feel all too sane.
Darryl … affection or affectation for military families is a hell of a lot different than support for the military industrial complex and the jobs it supports. The image of Darcy supporting Being is pretty hard to imagine. Unless Koster is effin stupid, I will bet you there is plenty of stiff where Darcy advocates such anti military stuff as rapid disengagement from Ganistan and deep cuts in military spending.
2. Darryl Too .. do I think Darcy “owes” anything to the Dems? No, if she wants to run for as the Tea Party candidate this ought to be of no concern. However, as a Democrat there is something odd to dissing such figures as Obama and Gregoire.
3. NinS .. Well, I think of you and Darryl as knowing a lot that I do not know, and you could be right about Suzan trying to win by a late term purchase of media.
While I hope you are wrong, I have been critical of Suzan AND Burner for their not tilling the field between elections. Both of their choices seem to me to lack political sachel. Darcy seems to believe that she can campaign for Congressman from Redmond by strutting on a platform in Berlin. Suzanne’s approach has been local but directed at the poobahs rather then the people.
All this while Koster has ..so to speak .. “drudged” on as a local guy!
If this were last summer and I were advising either of them, I would have purchased me a a Ford F100, called Alan Mulally to make a cameo of my buying American, and then driven the thing from the Ca border to the southern edge of Microsoft’s campus. On the way I would get pix of me astride the border shaking hands with some farmer whose land abuts on Canada, of me in farm fields with Mt. Baker in the background asthe test 787 flies overhead, of me sitting at a PC in a school room teachin kids to use Excel, yadda yadda.
Gee isn’t that what the Reprican Senator, Scott Brown, from Massachusetts used to defeat Kennedy’s successor?
You and I might support such, but .. contrary to your bucolic image of rural Everett I doubt very much them folks will like it.
Scott Brown didn’t bring up Elizabeth Warren’s heritage. He was mute on it for a many weeks. When she accused him of exploiting it, he asked her to come clean. She didn’t come clean until last week. So at does that say to the NutRoutes nation when one of their heroines lied lied lied?
Hey moron@25, Palin isn’t running. You are so yesterday! No one in the slobbering leftist media vetted this New Party membership. It was lied about and covered up. The NutRoutes Nation isn’t addressing it. What will they do when it goes viral? If they deny it now how will they create a “message”?
Too bad your head is still up your ASS.
29 – zzzzZZZZzzzzzzz..
Palin isn’t running? Of course she’s running.. She’s running for her gullible follower’s meager $$$$.. Every chance she can freaking get like any freak show out there.
Tell me dumbass. What in Obama’s record in the Illinois Senate indicated any promotion for out of the mainstream ideologies?
Speeches? Votes?
Palin’s record was ugly, vindictive and destructive – out of the mainstream even for right wing Alaska. Joe McGinnis’ book had Alaskan after Alaskan declaiming how “un-Alaskan” the Palins behaved.
Pathetic.
At the risk of flogging a dead thread …
As much as Joel and SJ may not like Darcy she is currently outpolling all of the other Democrats both for the primary and in head-to-heads against Koster.
DelBene is acting as if she can simply buy herself a seat in Congress without doing anything other than spending money and holding fundraisers where all of the usual suspects are invited.
Frankly I don’t think DelBene has the guts to call Koster on being the conservative whack-job he is.
Ruderman at least will call him out for his social conservative views, but unless something major changes she’s not looking like she’ll defeat Darcy in the primary.
Darcy will go after Koster both for his social conservative views and for being a tea bagger in the pocket of the Koch brothers.
Darcy has been out and about at events in the hinterlands of the district more than any of the other candidates. To be fair Ruderman has as well. Has DelBene done any campaign events so far outside of King County?
If you don’t like Darcy, fine, but realize there is a damn good chance she will be the only thing standing in the way of Koster getting elected to Congress come November. At the very least realize DelBene isn’t going over well in the district and her blowing a bunch of money on Seattle Media isn’t likely to change that. If you are so concerned about Darcy getting clobbered your best bet is to try to help Ruderman.