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Flacks For The Blogosphere? That's Wack

The netroots pride themselves on being just plain folks -- you know, "people power" and all that. They are "crashing the gates" of the political establishment to change the way Washington works.

So could someone please explain why in the world Firedoglake, one of the top liberal blogs, has hired a press secretary? That's about as establishment as you can get.

I hate to break it to Jane Hamsher, who certainly didn't explain the logic of the move well, but real people don't have press secretaries. And blogs shouldn't need them.

Unless, of course, they are going to do what new Firedoglake press secretary Christina Siun O'Connell promised in a comment about her role: "I’ll spin until I’m dizzy!"

"The people" aren't even inside the gates yet, and they're already acting and talking like their enemies. So much for the revolution.

Posted by Danny | 08:13 PM

Comments

Well, I suppose we can't be that surprised that a Hollywood blogger would be the first blogger with an entourage.

Mike G | 09.03.06 09:50 AM

Surely I'm not the only one who sees that "people power" and "crashing the gates" are all about power: the power to do unto others, preferably BEFORE they do unto you.

The idealistic will say I'm a cynical bastard. I will say that they're right, and they haven't been done unto yet. Poor virgins......

Hale Adams | 09.03.06 11:28 AM

I can't believe that Jane Hamsher, of all people, wouldn't be able to explain the logic behind one of her statements.

Jim Treacher | 09.03.06 12:29 PM

This is good news for all normal people. Needing a press secretary is evidence of not knowing how to behave in public. Look at how much damage the netroots did by forcing Lieberman to switch to an Independent

Twok | 09.03.06 02:34 PM

Let's just hope the overdose of irony doesn't prove fatal.

TallDave | 09.03.06 02:36 PM

Firedoglake routinely censors all critical comments. Try posting a legitimate critical comment on any Firedoglake story. Be sure and take a screenshot because in a few hours, it will be deleted.

1st Amendment | 09.03.06 09:00 PM

Calling FireDogLake a "top liberal blog" is an insult both to liberals and to bloggers. It's a far-left hate site, like Daily Kos.

And they've hired a press secretary most likely to help them protect their lapdog, Ned Lamont, from having to answer for so many of the hateful, racist, and just plain nutjob things that have appeared on their site.

Dean Esmay | 09.03.06 09:15 PM

Re FireDogLake censoring:

This is absolutely true, as I've had it done to me personally. My post pointed out a glaring error in something the blog's author (Hamsher, I presume) had written, and was written in a tone about as caustic as the one I'm using now.

Since then I've found out that she didn't single me out for special treatment -- it's a fairly common occurance there. But to my knowledge she's never actually acknowledged it.

- Alaska Jack

Alaska Jack | 09.03.06 10:43 PM

Oh ok here it is. Go here:

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2005/12/washington-post-strikes-again.html

And check out the comments. Notice how the first comment that refers to me (By "Curious," 12.20.05 - 8:18 pm) is a *response* to something I wrote? And yet, my original comment is nowhere to be found?

Believe it or not, this actually got me *banned* from FireDogLake.

- Alaska Jack

Alaska Jack | 09.03.06 11:14 PM

Goodness, three days on the job – and already Danny and Mr. Reynolds are upset. As we say on Firedoglake, “707!”

For the record, clearly none of the bloggers at Firedoglake need anyone to speak for them – Jane Hamsher, Christy Hardin Smith, Pachacutec and Trex are quite good at telling us all exactly what’s on their minds. But as the influence of the netroots – and particularly of Firedoglake – grows, the requests for comments, interviews, and such grows too. Jane and FDL readers would rather the blogging team spend their time …well … blogging. My job is simply to make it easier for media folks to make contact with the Firedoglake team – and to let our press friends know about events like this past Sunday’s Book Salon with John Dean or other developments at the site that might interest them. Consider it simply a courtesy for all the hardworking folks on deadline out there.

PS - Anyone who thinks that an Incan god or a 60 foot therapod are "just plain folks" goes to much better parties than this flakette. And while we're at it, your friends at Hotline might like to add "one of the top liberal blogs" to their blogroll - I seem to notice a glaring omission.

Siun | 09.06.06 03:07 AM

i find it amusing how the folks who think they are the only ones who should speak about politics feel so threatened by blogs - liberal blogs in particular. readership stats on liberal blogs continue to rise while the readership and viewing stats on the traditional (aka lazy) media continues to drop.

there's obviously a vast swath of americans hungry for partisan news and yet it's these newcomers like blogers or the daily show or keith olberman (a sports guy for goodness sakes) that attract an audience.

i read articles like this trying to tear down fdl or dailykos or other blogs who actually connect with their audience and desperation practically drips down the screen. you don't consider yourself "normal people." you think you're above us; that you're the establishment; that where you are is somewhere to aspire to. you don't understand that many of us equate your field with a dental visit: an unpleasant and yet necessary activity that one has to do from time to time to prevent corruption.

far too many of us have let the corruption go unchecked. and it's clear that "establishment" journalists have been spending too much time sucking up to that corruption instead of doing their job in pointing it out. so now instead of a cleaning we have to do a root canal. hopefully the folks at fdl and at dailykos and other sites *will* displace you in the dirty job that someone has to do - dental hygenists for the body politic. and then the rest of us can go back to our less frequent checkups in the knowledge that we have competent hygenists at work again.

kevin lyda, co. galway | 09.06.06 04:22 AM

I find it particularly amusing that Dean Esmay of all people would characterize any site as a "hate site," left wing or otherwise.

I have said before that Esmay is a blogger so nasty, petty and small that fireants try to keep him out of their yards.

Mr. Pot, Mr. Kettle isn't in right now, you'll have to call him "black" later.

patrick | 09.06.06 09:24 AM

Once upon a time, the Fourth Estate was there for the 'little people' because for the most part, the press establishment was family owned newspapers with limited regional reach.

Now, as the mainstream press has become the corporate PR arm of the Government, we find ourselves with the rise of 'community owned' bulletin boards that have effectively become the Fourth Estate.

Yes, while it is true that some of the blogs are strictly partisan hacks, there is a dedicated group of Neo-Journalists who are crashing the gate of the corporate press and exposing them for the shills they have become.

When the smoke finally clears, the rise of community based news spreading will overpower and leave the MSM saying.....wha happpened?

Tom D | 09.06.06 09:50 AM

I do not understand the fainting and gasping about hiring a press secrectary. What is so evil and wicked about hiring a press secrectary to handle the responsibilities that the bloggers do not have time for?

I certainly do get the lack of any kind of sense of humor. LOL! Read Christina Siun O'Connell whole comment was funny. It's a shame you missed the "irony".

Silver Owl | 09.06.06 10:45 AM

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