-
The Netroots Grow Up
AUSTIN
– In an interview with Barack Obama last week, PBS’s Gwen Ifill pointed
out that Obama’s decision to reverse himself on public financing has
“raised hackles in the press.” Obama corrected her: "Well, raised hackles
amongst some in the blogosphere.”
Iced!
Maybe that’s why the CW going into the third-annual Netroots
Nation conference was about Obama-blogger tensions. Last year, all three major
Democratic candidates showed up. This year, Obama was too busy. So I expect the
question on every tongue to be, Why does he think the Brandenburg Gate is more
important than his bloggy base?
But I have to agree
with skeptics that the “tension” between the netroots—I’m writing that without
scare quotes to save server space—and Obama seems a little overblown. No one
I’ve spoken with has suggested they’re not voting for Obama. No one even seems
particularly peeved by positions on constitutional
issues like gun bans, faith-based initiatives, and the death penalty. In the outside world, “FISA” is shorthand for
online disenchantment with Obama. Here, it’s shorthand for the silly notion
that the liberal blogosphere has abandoned him.
Instead, I get the impression this conference is about the
netroots going legit. They’ve dropped the “YearlyKos” label. The panels and
events are largely about organization—“Get Ready to Volunteer,” “Canvassing and
Phonebanking,” “From Online Engagement to Offline Activism.” And as if to allay
concerns about the Democratic nominee, the Obama campaign has sent a whole
delegation of surrogates. Andy Borowitz brilliantly mocked
liberal bloggers for “Accus[ing] Obama of Trying to Win Election.” But in
truth, they’re trying to help him win, too.
Maybe forehead vessels will burst during the ‘Roots-DLC
smackdown between Markos Moulitsas and Harold Ford Jr. Maybe Nancy Pelosi will get
slammed for appeasing Republicans during tomorrow’s Q&A. Or maybe everyone has
realized that this year, the stakes are too high not to be on the same team.
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?