Obama "snubs" netroots nation

[wyldwolf]

Anyone remember this thread from last month?

Obama Snubs DLC

For those who are upset with Obama for "moving to the center", here's something to be excited about:

The centrist Democratic Leadership Council holds its national meeting in Chicago -- just a block away from Sen. Barack Obama's campaign headquarters. However, Obama will not attend.

Even though the Illinois senator has moved to the center on so many issues in recent weeks, he's not willing to incur the wrath of liberal Democrats by speaking at the convention of the group described by many as "Republican-lite."

So he is still listening to us...good to know that he still cares to some degree about not offending us.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6429726&mesg_id=6429726

It would be so easy to reword this in light of the news that Obama is also skipping Netroots Nation.

The convention, formerly YearlyKos and now Netroots Nation, or NN08, bills itself as “the most concentrated gathering of progressive bloggers to date.” About 2,000 bloggers, activists, office-holders, vendors and others are expected to attend, with 200 members of the mainstream media tracking them (yes, roughly one old-media type for every 10 new-media hipsters.).

The convention comes just as some in the netroots are questioning Senator Barack Obama’s commitment to their values and whether their faith in him as a different kind of politician was misplaced.

Most of the discontent stems from his vote to give legal immunity to the telecommunications companies that participated in the Bush administration’s warrant-less wiretaps, after he had said he would filibuster it.

Still, while Mr. Obama is not scheduled to attend the conference, as he and six other Democratic contenders did last year...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/us/politics/16web-seelye.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=netroots%20nation&st=cse&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

What does all this mean? Is Obama above the intra-party squabble that seems to consume so much of our time and resources? (Yes, I know some of Obama's campaign people will attend the event just as Obama's likely VP selection attended the DLC event.)

One thing that did not get much mention is that Kos himself appeared at the DLC's convention and Harold Ford, Jr. will be at Netroots Nation...

[Name removed]

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[wyldwolf]

3. If I seem concerned...

... after 28,000 posts and six years on DU, I have the right to be concerned. But in all actuality, I don't really give a rat's ass beyond the irony of it in light of the first thread I referenced.

[KittyWampus]

6. There's no irony cause the 2 events are VERY different in nature. Should we also be concerned he's

not attending the Rainbow Gathering too?

[wyldwolf]

8. lol. That's exactly the point I made in the referenced thread.

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6429726&mesg_id=6430191

Of course,

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. Do you notice a pattern?

You should because it's intentional. The Obama campaign, from the very beginning, has eschewed activities that put the candidate in a position of having to pander to special interest groups.

[wyldwolf]

17. yes, which is one of the points of my OP ...

... in addition to pointing out the irony and setting up the excuse-making.

[woolldog]

2. The Obama campaign will be there.

[KittyWampus]

4. You want the Democratic candidate for POTUS to appear at a Progessive bloggers convention?

And compare that to a DLC national meeting? When the DLC involves ELECTED Democrats?

[wyldwolf]

7. like I said previously, I don't care.

[lojasmo]

12. Well thanks for posting then.

Nobody else seems to care either. Too bad you couldn't manage to sow some discontent.


Ciao.

[wyldwolf]

14. the thread is young, my hit-and-run posting friend.

[Name removed]

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[wyldwolf]

19. would you like to place a bet on how long the thread lasts?

[lojasmo]

28. No, but I'll take a bet on your next election attempt. N/T

[wyldwolf]

29. you've already missed it. Twice.

:)

Twice on the ballot. Twice a winner. :)

But you'll have the opportunity again by next summer.

[rox63]

5. Obama's been kinda busy lately...

Being the nominee is a lot different than being one of 8 primary candidates.

[SidneyCarton]

9. The man refuses to be pinned down.

Despite the arguments often made, we do not "own" him, we chose him, with the understanding that he will do what he sees as necessary to win an election, and effectively govern our nation. We do not get to choose what he thinks, what he says or what he eats for breakfast, we just get to choose whether or not to put him into power.

[anonymous171]

10. He has a campaign to run. And also the DLC deserves to be snubbed.

[Pirate Smile]

11. Hmmmm - Andrea Mitchell is reporting from Jordan on MSNBC right now.

Obama has no public events today. hmmmmmmmm

I think Obama may be far, far away from the NN08.

There are only so many weeks left before the convention.

He can't be everywhere. It was ironic because the DLC convention was in Chicago on a weekend that Obama was at home with no events planned. I think there will be more physical distance between Austin and Obama during NN08.


I don't think there is any problem with him not personally going to either event.

[geek tragedy]

15. Eh, the whole "Obama snubs DLC" thing was way

overblown.

DLC isn't popular with party activists and primary voters, so duh. That's why no one showed up during the primary race.

Now, it's general election time, and somehow I suspect that the coverage from Europe will be more favorable than being in a room where with a bunch of people screaming "FISA!"

[scarletwoman]

31. Excellent observation. "...being in a room with a bunch of people screaming "FISA!""

Yeah, wouldn't the corpomedia LOVE to blast THAT picture all over the newspapers and telescreens!

sw

[Connie_Corleone]

16. Isn't Obama going on his world tour during Netroots Nation?

He's kinda busy.

[npincus]

20. my feelings are hurt.

[paulk]

21. but that's different

you know...

"different"

[Forkboy]

22. The real enemy is on your right.

[ulysses]

24. wouldn't know that by some folks, would you?

:hi:

[PM7nj]

23. I think he has better things to do.

Why should he go to either Netroots Nation or the DLC convention?

[rhombus]

25. He is on his way to Europe and the Middle East this weekend

I don't need to have my ring kissed all the time to make me happy. Let Obama campaign.

[leftynyc]

26. Is he pissed at Markos

for the smackdown last week about FISA and holding back his donation? Dissing the DLC doesn't really concern me.

[blogslut]

27. The man is going on a world tour next week

Should he just chuck all that preparation and cancel so he can hit NN08?

You are aware he's going on a world tour, right?

[leftynyc]

30. Nothing really stopping him from

teleconferencing or even taping a short speech to be shown at NN08. Throwing some good will to the very people who were the backbone of his campaign would be nice.

[scarletwoman]

34. Bloggers are NOT the "backbone of his campaign". The people who donate their time and money are.

The skillful use of the internet for organizing people and raising money is probably the Obama campaign's most strategic asset, and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with bloggers.

sw

[leftynyc]

35. I beg to differ

The groundswell of support for Senator Obama was in a very large part driven by the internet and it was the bloggers that started and supported that. Daily Kos is a perfect example.

[Name removed]

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[muryan]

33. Ridiculous

Obama and his campaign have been more involved with the netroots than any campaign in history. I don't expect him to stop campaigning just to talk to people who already support him.

[Political Heretic]

36. What does it all mean? It means Obama's busy winning the white house, not attending "conferences"