Liberal Bloggers Brace for Victory

Obama's Prospects Pose New Concerns for Netroots
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/20/AR2008072002191.html?hpid=topnews
"Yep, the way it's looking, we might actually win this thing . . ."

That's Markos Moulitsas talking, a.k.a. "Kos" to everyone here at Netroots Nation, the four-day liberal blogapalooza that ended Sunday at the Austin Convention Center. He's got a head cold, which explains his hoarse, strained voice, and by "we," he means the Netroots and their candidate of choice, Sen. Barack Obama. If the Netroots can be compared to high school -- still maturing, somewhat cliquish but definitely a community -- then Obama, as the presumptive nominee, had been voted Most Likely to Succeed.

Hardest Worker and Best Dressed honors went to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who kicked off Saturday morning's program with a freewheeling 40-minute "Ask the Speaker" Q&A session. ("Damn, Nancy looks grrreat in that pantsuit," a blogger was overheard saying.) Most Popular would go to Al Gore, who brought the crowd of more than 2,000 conventioneers to its feet with his surprise appearance, repeatedly asking bloggers to visit WeCanSolveIt.org, home to his new group, the Alliance for Climate Protection.

But Obama, who leads Sen. John McCain in recent national polls, is Topic A among the Netroots, his fate somewhat married to theirs. Five years ago liberal bloggers made a name for themselves at a time of defeat; Republicans controlled not just the White House but both houses in Congress. They craved a fight, and President Bush was their punching bag.

But these are changing times, and Obama, in his calls for getting past blue vs. red America, and in his recent positions on issues such as telecom immunity, is somewhat of an enigma. With the Dems taking back Congress in 2006 and the prospect of an Obama victory come November, many liberals are left in a precarious, ambiguous position. They remain influential, no doubt. The question is, who needs whom: Does Obama need the Netroots, or vice versa?

I'm especially interested to hear the questions to Pelosi. I'm assuming many there are as disappointed, disgusted and angry with her as many of us are.

I bet it was thrilling when Gore appeared.

Thanks for posting this! Recommend!!

I wouldn't be surprised if the questions were pre-screened

I dispute this. Before * stole the WH, I was largely apolitical. I was neither spoiling for nor craving a fight. It was the emergence of the fascist neo-con cabal that caused me to start blogging, and the front man for those crimes was *, so it had nothing to do with looking for a "punching bag" (which implies that * did nothing to deserve the wrath).