General

Hackett, the Ohio Democratic Party, and the lefty Blogs

Let’s map out the relationships.

Hackett uses the left-wing blogs to raise money and volunteer support and to translate that to wedge himself into the Democratic Party structure in a bid for the senate seat.

The Left wing blogs used Hackett to flex their muscle to show the establishment what grassroots can do.

So what does the Dem establishment do? Freeze out Hackett, tell him to go back to a 2nd district race that a. he can’t win, and b. would be breaking his word to even enter. Thus pissing off the entire left wing blogosphere. Some sample quotes…

Psychobilly Democrat:

And what little trust I had in the party, both national and state, is gone. I get clearing the field, if you’re the candidate with an opponent. After all, you’re trying to win an election. But as a party? What, you’re telling me, as an intelligent being of voting age, that I don’t know enough to make an informed decision in the primary on which candidate I prefer? That voters as a whole don’t have the capability of doing so?

Law Dork:

This “race” didn’t “turn out” anyway, Mr. Redfern, and it’s your fault that Ohio’s Democrats have had their vote taken from them today. You also, incidentally, snuffed out that “personal pride, strength of purpose and clarity” that a primary campaign — particularly, the views of Mr. Hackett and Mr. Fingerhut — could have given our torn-down party. Your disgraceful comments to The New York Times show that you do not have the faith in Ohio’s electorate to allow us the opportunity to decide who it is that we want to respresent us in our party.

Ohio2nd:

It’s been a good run. For a while I was proud to be an Ohio Democrat.

Plunderbund:

For me, this day will be remembered as the day I became a registered independent and issue activist and swore off the Democrat party. The party does not want my help or to help me. This was first evident to me during the fight to reform Ohio elections - dubbed Reform Ohio Now. I single handedly had to organize work in my county because a party that had been around for who knows how long was unwilling and unable to. I watched while Democrats in meeting after meeting nodded their head in eager approval of how important the reform amendments were, while never once lifting a finger to do something about it. They left me out on the streets much like Paul is today.

I’m somewhat amazed and appalled but not really suprised. The establishment has a tough choice. Embrace the activists and risk alienating the moderate middle. Or go the establishment way and do the best you can.

Occasionally lightning strikes and a politician comes along that can do two things, excite the activist base while not arousing intense feelings of loathing among the moderate and conservative public. This kind of politician gives the base what they want and talks a good game to the rest of us. Bill Clinton was this kind of gifted politician. I think Paul Hackett was shaping up exactly the same way. The Ohio Democratic party just goofed big time.

Mixed feelings for me, on one hand it’s good that the Democrats are that much further away from doing anything in Ohio, on the other hand, it is definitely NOT good to have nothing to run against. The Republicans will become fat lazy and stupid if they are not there already.

One of two things must happen, either the Democrats must organize into a decent opposition party or they must be destroyed and we split the Republicans into moderate and conservative wings.

Yesterday’s actions by establishment Democrats Reid, Schumer and Ohio chief Chris Redfern made the second option much more likely.