Madrak and Axelrod

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2010/9/23/183044/352

Madrak and Axelrod

by BooMan
Thu Sep 23rd, 2010 at 06:56:50 PM EST



You gotta love Susie Madrak. She's not afraid of anyone. And what she told David Axelrod needed to be said. Ironically, I agree with both Susie and Axelrod on this subject. Susie's correct that treating us like the town ho isn't exactly motivating. Axelrod's correct to say, 'Hey, we feel like the town ho, too."

From the White House's perspective, there's this big progressive media outlet known as the blogosphere that is just blasting them day in and day out, when they thought they might get a little support to combat the Mighty Right-Wing Wurlitzer.

But, from the blogosphere's perspective, we're not seeing much love either. And forget about respect.

I think both sides have acted stupidly and with a lack of foresight. The number one thing the White House should have done differently is to level with people about the constraints they are facing in Congress. They should have done some coordination, basically telling us where progress was blocked and whose minds needed to be changed. But, really, with the need to hold together a center-left coalition, keep the Pentagon and Intelligence Community in line, maintain confidence on Wall Street, and engage in massive spending to keep the economy afloat, there was never much chance that progressives would be ecstatic about the results. Some of our advice should have been heeded, but a lot of it just wasn't politically possible.

On our side, though, we were far too quick to assign the worst motivations to the administration. We made ourselves their enemy and earned their enmity.

It's a two-way failure, as the exchange between Madrak and Axelrod crystallized. I hope people listen to what Axelrod had to say. But I'm also glad that Madrak had the balls to get in Ax's face.


http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/liberal_blogger_directly_confr.html
Liberal blogger directly confronts David Axelrod, accuses White House of "hippie punching"
Greg Sargent

snip//

That tension burst out into the open when Madrak directly asked Axelrod: "Have you ever heard of hippie punching?" That prompted a long silence from Axelrod.

"You want us to help you, the first thing I would suggest is enough of the hippie punching," Madrak added. "We're the girl you'll take under the bleachers but you won't be seen with in the light of day."

Axelrod didn't engage on "hippie punching," but he said he agreed with the blogger. "To the extent that we shouldn't get involved in intramural skirmishing, I couldn't agree more," Axelrod said. "We just can't afford that. There are big things at stake here."

Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point -- that the criticism of the left made it tougher for bloggers like herself to motivate the base. "Don't make our jobs harder," she said.

"Right back at'cha. Right back at'cha," Axelrod replied, a bit testily, an apparent reference to blogospheric criticism of the administration.

At any rate, for Axelrod to plead with liberal bloggers for their help turning out the base, only to get accused of "hippie punching," is an iconic moment in Campaign 2010.

[jaxx]

1. Susie whined.

She was the 'victim' and took on none of the responsibility. Some bloggers took a stance early on and don't want to be called on it...the only thing this does is whip up the opposition.

The best of the article was this:

"On our side, though, we were far too quick to assign the worst motivations to the administration. We made ourselves their enemy and earned their enmity."

Yes, they did.

edit to add>> K&R to get this ironed out.

[Pirate Smile]

4. +1

The constant pity party by a segment of the lefty blogosphere - making this about them and not about running the friggin country is just so self-absorbed it is astounding.

Give me a break with the damn "boo hoo hippy-punching" crap. A Democratic White House thought there may be some back-up from this side but instead it is just another flank to take incoming from while trying to withstand the constant assault from the RW Faux News-Talk Radio-Republican-Wall Street-Media Establishment who is at war with them 24/7.

[flyarm]

9. - 1000 !!

[NJmaverick]

19. why?

[ProSense]

2. This is all so stupid

From Greg Sargent piece:

"You play a great role in informing people about the stakes of elections," Axelrod told the bloggers. "One of the reasons I was eager to expend time was to enlist you."

But hovering over the call was the obvious disconnect between this plea for help and statements like those of Robert Gibbs, who recently pilloried the "professional left" for being overly critical of the White House.

That tension burst out into the open when Madrak directly asked Axelrod: "Have you ever heard of hippie punching?" That prompted a long silence from Axelrod.

"You want us to help you, the first thing I would suggest is enough of the hippie punching," Madrak added. "We're the girl you'll take under the bleachers but you won't be seen with in the light of day."

Axelrod didn't engage on "hippie punching," but he said he agreed with the blogger. "To the extent that we shouldn't get involved in intramural skirmishing, I couldn't agree more," Axelrod said. "We just can't afford that. There are big things at stake here."

Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point -- that the criticism of the left made it tougher for bloggers like herself to motivate the base. "Don't make our jobs harder," she said.

Sargent's final comment: "At any rate, for Axelrod to plead with liberal bloggers for their help turning out the base, only to get accused of "hippie punching," is an iconic moment in Campaign 2010."

What a complete waste of time.

"Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point -- that the criticism of the left made it tougher for bloggers like herself to motivate the base. "Don't make our jobs harder," she said."

Axelrod and the President are not on the ballot. There are Democrats across the country, including Russ Feingold, fighting for their seats.

This nonsensical tit-for-tat and the ridiculously overused meme "hippie punching" by a bunch of people who wouldn't know a hippie if one slapped them in the face is counterproductive.

It will achieve nothing. There is a diary up a Daily Kos focused on this exchange. What the hell is going to accomplish in terms of getting people to vote for members of Congress who are actually on the ballot?

The people who need to be reached don't give a shit that this person said to Axelrod "Don't make our jobs harder." The people who need to be reached, don't know her from a can of paint.

Nothing Axelrod or anyone in the WH can say is going to make a difference. The next opportunity to jump on statement will be fully exploited.

Axelrod didn't engage on "hippie punching," but he said he agreed with the blogger. "To the extent that we shouldn't get involved in intramural skirmishing, I couldn't agree more," Axelrod said. "We just can't afford that. There are big things at stake here."

Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point...

This is whining in an echo chamber.

[babylonsister]

3. This line stood out- -

"Nothing Axelrod or anyone in the WH can say is going to make a difference. The next opportunity to jump on (his) statement will be fully exploited. "

Maybe not; the fact that Axelrod was willing to confront them and give his view is a good thing. But has greenwaldhamsher et al, weighed in?

You're probably right. Sigh.

[Jim Sagle]

5. I don't whine, I dismiss the administration's lame excuses as the chickenshit bullshit that

everybody goddamn well knows they are. :boring:

[babylonsister]

6. You don't whine?

:rofl:

[displacedvermoter]

15. Again, what do the stupid laughing thingees do to

get your message across except piss people off? I don't understand the value of something that angers me even when they are not
meant for me, as they are insulting and childish. Please explain.

Thanks

displaced

[boppers]

7. Interesting analysis.

Of course, since bloggers feed off of controversy (even where there is none), I don't expect much to change.

[DFLforever]

8. Isn't that the truth.

Endless victimization. Not for Repukes only.:puke:

[boppers]

10. It's not just in politics.

It's endemic to the medium, regardless of the topic.... it started way back on live journal, an endless stream of shit-stirring and nontroversies, as a way of gaining attention/readership and social acceptance.

At least on twitter it's only 140 characters, so it's more constrained.

[displacedvermoter]

16. And what does he "Got" that is supposed to calm me down?

n/t

[boppers]

28. What?

I'm not sure what you mean, "Got"?

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JTFrog]

12. K&R!

[flpoljunkie]

13. Perhaps Axelrod could have deflected the anger here by apologizing for 'professional left' bashing

Robert Gibbs and others--namely Rahm Emanuel--have engaged in. You are not going to get a lot of enthusiasm, but you could get perhaps Democrats out to vote by President Obama explaining the stakes and reminding us that participating in our democracy requires more than voting once every four years.

We cannot let the Republican assholes and their 'young guns' take back the House! We won't go back! We can be this blunt. The president cannot.

[NJmaverick]

20. The "professional left' would dismiss any apology

as they seem to be completely immune to reason

[treestar]

23. Exactly

And they need a much thicker skin, too. Look at all the crap Obama has taken and he's not whining and demanding apologies.

[NJmaverick]

14. K & R!

[azmouse]

17. So much truth there.

K&R for that!

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. The blogosphere hasn't yet come to terms with the fact that loyalty..

works both ways. However, for me, it's fairly easy to dismiss the angry bloggers who supported other candidates in the primaries. The so called "enthusiasm gap" had it's beginnings in the leftosphere, and the M$M ran with it.

[madfloridian]

25. I haven't come to terms with the fact...

that anyone who disagrees with policy is considered an angry leftist.

It is not going down well at all with me.

[Tarheel_Dem]

29. Self-Delete

[eggman67]

21. +1

True that.

[yurbud]

22. Axlerod could have been honest and explained the White House's communications strategy

and legislative strategy for that matter.

He could have made a respectable case for saying not all Democrats in Congress are Democrats, and if we call them out too directly or even back primary opponents against them and win, we could drive them deeper into the arms of the GOP.

And he could have said as important as our base is to winning elections, it is as important if not more so to avoid spooking Wall Street, banks, and corporate America in general into mounting a major, frontal assault on the Obama administration, a PR fight Democrats don't have the money or media venues to win.

I don't necessarily agree with either argument, but I would have respected Axlerod more if he made it instead of the childish ''Right back at'cha.''

[madfloridian]

24. They don't need the left at all.

The new post partisan ideals mean that the right is just as welcome as the left.

They just haven't caught on yet that the right won't vote for them.

[NJmaverick]

26. That's incorrect, the Dems need the left. However too many Quioxte liberals

are so caught up in the ideological crusades they have lost sight of the real world dangers of a return to power by the GOP.

[Denzil_DC]

27. If you've read any of Madrak's writings over the past couple of years

at Crooks & Liars, and particularly her own blog, then the idea that she's at all interested in motivating people in favor of the administration is laughable, as is the idea that what's been holding her back is any attitude from the White House.