August 30, 2006
Today's Blogometer: So What?
In sum, that's Ramesh Ponnuru response to lefty criticism of Club for Growth's targeting of Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) at the possible expense of a GOP majority in the Sen. For months now, progressive bloggers have been decrying the lack of media attention RI SEN has received compared to their efforts to unseat Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
There are many things that distinguish the two races (Chafee was never a GOP VP candidate, for starters) but the more important difference is mentioned by Ponnuru: the Club for Growth does not exist to help the GOP control Congress.
On the other hand, partisanship is the stated goal of DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas in his book Crashing the Gates. This is part of what made the targeting of Lieberman such a story.
Perhaps it is a function of who is in power, and who is not, but the lefty blogosphere is much more concerned with tactics and strategy than ideological purity. If the Dems have a Sweet November, then maybe we'll see if Lieberman-like purges become the norm, instead of the exception.
Check out the latest The Blogometer
Posted at 04:09 PM
Comments
"[T]he Club for Growth does not exist to help the GOP control Congress."
Huh? Ponnuru is deliberately and knowingly lying. I don't think you are, though.
How deluded are you?
Do you think the Club for Growth is going to be endorsing any liberal Democrats any time soon?
jfxgillis | 08.30.06 08:34 PM
 |
Partisanship may be Kos' "stated goal," but to use CT SEN as an example of it is fairly ridiculous. If Kos just wanted to ensure Dem control of the Senate, he would've been more than content to leave Joe alone - however far to the right he himself drifts, he would've been a reliable vote for Harry Reid as majority leader. I think Kos and CFG are more similar than you might think: Both are broadly in favor of one party dominating congress, but they're also fairly insistent on ideological consensus around an issue that they view as being defining or monumentally important, and sometimes, goal B is achieved at the expense of goal A.
Daniel A. Munz | 08.30.06 09:38 PM
|
Obviously your partisanshiip is showing. Ramesh Ponnuru's Party of Death ideology is not partisan? Club for Growth, unlike the left blogosphere, is
non-partisan and not trying to control congress. Is that what you're saying? Thanks for your fair and balanced view.
John | 08.31.06 12:08 AM
|
I don't think any lefty bloggers are "criticizing" the Club for Growth for sponsoring Laffey's challenge - we're cheering them on! Whitehouse will destroy Laffey, so bring it on.
Rather, we have criticized many pundits who have decried the primary challenge to Lieberman while remaining largely silent in the face of serious primary challenges to Chaffee and Akaka. Somehow, Lamont's challenge is illegitimate and worth spilling tons of ink over, but Laffey and Case get a free pass.
DavidNYC | 08.31.06 01:33 AM
|
Ponnuru is saying that CFG exists to punish Republican Members who don't tow the line and to promote those who will, even if that means a loss of Republican seats. He's right, in my view.
James Joyner | 08.31.06 01:28 PM
|
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
