FOX
Edwards comes out a hero on this one.
But make no mistake about it, the Fox debate imbroglio has revealed the bankruptcy of the Nevada Democratic
party, and the power of party online activists and local Nevada bloggers. RenoDiscontent
has the NDP email that went out earlier today. The \”local
Air America\” affiliate will air the event live, C-SPAN will rebroadcast
the debate after the Fox live telecast, and the local Nevada Democratic Party
will invite a \”progressive voice onto the debate panel.\” Edwards deciding
to forego the Fox debacle, plus all the emails the Fox fight has garnered, caused
quite a fuss and forced the Nevada Democratic Party to \”compromise,\”
though I still believe Fox is a horrible choice. No word as to whether Edwards
will participate under the \”new agreement.\” Digby lays out some of
the realities with playing in Fox\’s box. The screen capture is compliments Kos, which I\’m sure
you\’ve seen, but is worthy of exclamation by displaying it yet again. The latest update on the debate comes from Markos as well.
As for the \”local Air America\” affiliate, I look forward to seeing who
they have on the air. The event of getting on radio and staying on radio in
Las Vegas has been nothing short of hell for me. We\’ve gone to the top, the
middle and the bottom of the radio rungs. When I first landed on radio in Las Vegas, I went
to every Democratic dinner and luncheon, even winning the money pool at one
event. I talked to the Democratic Party press office in Clark County numerous
times in 2002-2003, only to be told time and again that they couldn\’t be seen
backing a Democrat on radio. I kid you not. We even contacted the mighty Greenspuns.
Silence…. or was it a yawn? It\’s hard to say when talking to Democrats about
talk radio. I told Dina Titus, who ran for governor in \’06, that if she could
make introductions to Democratic advertisers, I could get on radio and help her win. Her eyes glazed
over like I was talking latin. So I don\’t expect I\’ll be hearing from KJFK/Air
America either. The Democratic power elite I\’ve dealt with in Nevada have all
been quite dense. It starts at the top.
A while back I stipulated that if asked most of our candidates would likely
say yes to Fox. Though I consider myself just passing through on my way to another
destination, I\’ve learned quite a bit about Nevada by living in Las Vegas. It\’s
been quite an education, especially where politics and religion are concerned.
All roads begin with Harry Reid.
Only in Nevada could Democrats be beaten by a scoundrel like Jim
Gibbons. But if a Republican like Gibbons had gotten elected under Hillary
Clinton\’s nose you don\’t have to guess what the screaming would sound like.
Reid gets a pass for all sins that happen in his own state. It includes the
debate selection of Fox, on which Reid remains silent. No doubt it comes under
the heading of separation of Senate and state, but there\’s more to it than that,
believe me.
Since we started this conversation, other sordid details have emerged. The
executive board of the Democratic Party was not consulted on this decision,
Harry Reid has been silent, and no one will take responsibility for this decision.
Based on pressure from John Edwards and grassroots Democrats, Harry Reid is
now feeling pressure because the debate is falling apart, so he\’s now pretending
to be concerned about a decision that he in all likelihood made himself. …
..
Orin Hatch said of Reid,
\”He does bend over backwards from time to time to make things work
between the two parties.\”
Indeed. Therein lies the nut to understanding Harry Reid. It also explains,
at least in part, the new DLC leader Harold Ford Jr. signing on to spin for
Fox.
It also sheds some light on the Fox debate debacle happening right under Reid\’s
nose.
Reid doesn\’t care about progressive causes. He\’s too busy bending over backwards
to bring everyone together. Just look at what he\’s doing, or rather, not
doing on Iraq. Lord knows, Reid can\’t have a fight. The former boxer has
forever retired.
There\’s no way of knowing who actually made the decision on the Fox debate.
Reid\’s son Rory is working for Clinton, supposedly because his daughters are
Hillary fans. Then there is Tom Collins, the man who\’s gone from power, but
still in charge of the presidential debate. Nevada is a purple state these days,
but the Democrats that rule are religious conservatives.
But to a man like Harry Reid, who bends over backwards to make things work
between the parties, as well as Tom Collins, it seems obvious that this kumbaya
alliance between Nevada Democrats and Fox \”News\” is about a bipartisan
coupling meant to reach out to all, regardless of party. Unfortunately, it will
only come back and bite Democrats in the end, because Dick Morris will continue to swiftboat Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama will still get slimed for his middle name. Besides, come \’08, Fox will back the Republican
candidate come hell or John McCain. Amidst it all Reid remains clueless, though he\’d
rather claim he\’s above it all, because his politics is informed by his religion,
which is about reaching out to anyone, regardless of party, with his true allegiance
consensus, not progressive causes.
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