Las Vegas Riviera Hotel: Moon-Bat Motel

Bloggers' Convention Draws Democrats

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006; Page A05

LAS VEGAS, June 10 -- The newest provocateur in Democratic Party politics bounced through the corridors of the Riviera Hotel this weekend wearing jeans or baggy shorts, sneakers and a perpetually mischievous grin. His name is Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, and not many years ago, no party leader had heard of him. Today they are courting him and many like him.

Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos, is one of the most influential progressive bloggers in America today and a symbol of an expanding Internet-based movement that has led the attacks on President Bush while challenging the Democratic establishment.

Moulitsas's message is clear and uncompromising. "The media elite has failed us," he says. "The political elite has failed us. Both parties. Republicans failed us because they can't govern. Democrats failed us because they can't get elected."

Many Democrats see this emerging community as a source of innovation, energy and ideas that will change the way politics and journalism are practiced, and one that will provide a new army of activists for a party badly in need of help.

But the arrival of the blogosphere as a political force has produced tensions within the Democratic coalition, including battles with party centrists over the direction of the party, which have led to questions about whether the often-angry rhetoric and uncompromising positions of the bloggers will drive the party too far left and endanger its chances of winning national elections.

Moulitsas offered his appraisal of the state of politics -- and a call for the net-roots activists to take over the party -- on the opening night of the first YearlyKos convention, which bought more than a thousand bloggers and activists here for a weekend of bonding and strategy discussions. It is the first step in what organizers hope will turn a loose-knit, virtual community into a long-lasting political movement.

Testifying to the significance of the blogosphere as an emerging political force was the parade of Democratic politicians who came to pay their respects, including Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and four prospective 2008 presidential candidates. "I pay as much attention [to the bloggers] as I can," Reid said by phone before his arrival for Saturday night's keynote address. "I think it's a voice I need to listen to. I listen."

Oh, this is wonderful. Harry Reid paying homage to the most hateful venom spewing members of the Left. This is a GOP dream come true. I can only hope that these tin-hat brigaders do take over the DNC.


Members of DailyKos don their protective tin-hats
at Yearly Kos convention.

I love it when a plan comes together. There is nothing that will galvanize the base of the Republican Party more than having a bunch of Ultra Leftists in control of the Democrat Party. Can you say George McGovern? Can you say Eugene McCarthy? Can you say Chicago 1968? If this holds true, we are looking at a landslide Republican victory the like of which we haven't seen in two decades.

You go Markos, Go! Go! Go!

Full Story: Moonbats Domination of Democrat Party

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