Shakin’ off the vacation

Got home late last night from a four-day vacation on Block Island (elitist!) and I’m trying to work my way back into blogging mode. Unplugging from politics for an extended period of time is certainly rejuvenating, but looking around the liberalsphere this afternoon put me in a deep funk. I mean, jeebus, if some of the allegedly earnest and principled online lefties wanted a hardcore, unwavering progressive as the Democratic presidential candidate who was totally unconcerned about public perception or media framing or, ya know, winning, why weren’t they all backing Dennis Kucinich this primary?

Oh, that’s right. Because he looks like an elf.

Politics: Everyone plays it, Democrats just hardly ever use the same field.

MORE: I’ll start pumping ‘em out in a bit, but wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to Betty Cracker and poputonian for keeping this joint rocking while I was ingesting ungodly amounts of fried food and then slow-broiling my liquor-soaked hide under the unforgiving sun.

Posted by Kevin K. on 07/07/08 at 02:39 PM • Permalink

Categories: Politics • Election '08 • Barack Obama • Poliblogs • Polisnark • Rumproast Related •

Share this post:

Or why didn’t they support Nader in 2000… Just saying. Of course, the argument always goes towards “electability”... Then when the candidate exercises that electability clause in the general election, everyone screams about it.

Politics. Sigh.

I almost decided to work on Block Island this summer; opted for Newport instead.

Comment by tas on 07/07/08 at 10:01 PM

I understand the need to be pragmatic, but Obama’s FISA vote is inexcusable. The White House and many from the telecom industry clearly broke the law and need to be held accountable. The first step in making Dubya accountable is by refusing to grant immunity to the companies that broke the law. Obama’s FISA vote wasn’t a mere example of his “moving to the center.” To frame it as such undermines its significance. His vote was a blatant and shameful betrayal of constitutional law.

I also wish the Dems would stop buying into the old wisdom that you need to pander and move to the center in order to win an election. Sure, every politician wants to appeal to the largest number of voters (thus the pandering) but Obama’s greatest asset is that people *formerly* viewed him as someone who would rise above this type of politics and vote his conscience. If he keeps it up, he’s going to lose the enthusiasm of his base, if he hasn’t already.