The Dems' Wimp Factor

Avedon Carol, guest blogging for Kevin Drum at the Washington Monthly, writes what's been on my mind for awhile. Here's the gist:

I've been thinking for a long time that there has to be some way to put pressure on the party leadership to read the damned weblogs!

Really, it's shameful to see them going on television and falling for - and even repeating - RNC spin and falsehoods. They need to study-up, and it's just plain stupid to ignore the fact that the information is available gratis and easy to find.

It's pretty obvious that the level of discourse at places like Liberal Oasis, Daily Kos, MyDD et al. is significantly higher than the stuff that comes out of the party itself, and it's about time they acquainted themselves with what's really going on...

If Democrats would spend more time reading The Left Coaster and Political Animal and less time listening to the tediously bland fraidy-cats they use as political consultants, they would know more, have plenty of verbal karate at their fingertips, and be prepared for all the lies that come out of the RNC...

Democratic politicians are just too easily embarrassed about all the wrong things. If you compare me with Michael Moore, I'm not embarrassed - I just say, "Michael Moore was right about the invasion, and you were wrong." I can say this because I've actually paid attention to what Michael Moore has said and what the facts behind it are. No one should be ashamed to be compared with Moore; they should be ashamed to be backed down by people who think saying, "Now you're in Michael Moore territory," makes a worthwhile point They should be able to retort with, at the very least," Now you're in FOX News territory."

...Look, the right-wing lies about liberals and about issues, pure and simple. They spin and fabricate and spread hate. You don't defeat that by cowering in the corner, you defeat it by shining the bright lights on it. They lie. We have the issues, we have the facts, and the American people agree with us, All we have to do is say it out loud.