The Economist opens its article on Democrats and the War with a picture of a button showing The Kiss. In a rather condescending manner the article uses the Lamont campaign to paint a picture of the terrible dilemna of the Democratic party as they fail to march in lockstep. Is there some new drummer playing somewhere? Yes, indeed.
"Like Mr Dean, Mr Lamont did not so much start a campaign as stumble upon a network of angry people looking for someone to support. They communicate with like-minded souls online. They call themselves "netroots", ie, grassroots campaigners linked by the internet. There are a lot of them: their most popular meeting-place, a blog called the Daily Kos, attracts hundreds of writers and perhaps half a million readers a day.
They are the most disruptive force in Democratic politics today. Their aim is to transform the party by backing candidates who will "fight back" against Mr Bush. Mr Lamont is top of their list."
Well, it would not be a good Economist article if there was not a nasty quote, and this one digs up the unfortunate quote about the dead mercs. Never mind that there is no contextual reference, this is a MSM slap at the netroots and there is no more MSM than the Economist. And uses this quote to tar us as anti-war (which I generally am, but many here, and most thinking beings, are more anti-THIS-war.
The good part is the pretty fair analysis of Mr. Lamont's progressive policies and a mainstream view of the political prospects of Sen. Lieberman should he run independently:
"Democratic activists may prefer Mr Lamont's position, but they also want a candidate who can win. A poll shows Mr Lieberman leading by 55% to 40% among likely primary voters. But that lead was nearly three times bigger only a month ago, so Mr Lieberman is worried. A prominent state Democrat, John Droney, suggested last week that he should drop out of the Democratic primary, since "every single weirdo in the left wing will be there", and run as an independent. Polls suggest that in November Mr Lieberman would win easily, whatever his party label."
All in all it is a breakthrough of sorts, they care enough to mock us by name.
Beat them Drums folks, Beat them loud.