NYT surprised to find righty bloggers criticizing GOP over YouTube walkout
posted at 7:25 pm on August 1, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Proving once again that the surest way for a conservative blogger to get big media attention is to criticize his own side. Just as predictably, try to guess which no-longer-very-conservative “conservative” is quoted in support of the piece’s thesis. Here’s a hint: one of his latest links is to a left-wing blogger speculating that John Roberts’s seizure might have been caused by drug abuse.
Despite the fact that the controversy’s been raging for less than a week, despite the fact that it’s unknown to anyone outside the blogosphere and the few dozen YouTubers who have cared enough to post something about it, despite the fact per the Times’s own reporting that it looks like Giuliani and Romney are back in, the “damage may have been done.”
The candidates are now trying to patch up the mess. Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, two of the leading Republicans, had said last week that the Sept. 17 date interfered with their fund-raising schedules and Mr. Romney said the video format was demeaning. Today, an aide to Mr. Giuliani said the campaign was working with CNN, which is to show the debate, to find a mutually agreeable date, while an aide to Mr. Romney said they were waiting for CNN to propose a new date and would then consider participating…
Still, the damage may have been done in reinforcing a stereotype of Republicans as stuck in a time warp, writing off younger voters and afraid to face an unpredictable public that has a negative opinion of the current Republican White House and the war in Iraq.
Well, it may have been done now that this has been published. But I tend to think not.
Exit question: Who’s responsible for this blistering critique?
“[I]f they put a premium on getting their message across online, they wouldn’t have hesitated” to join the debate. “But they want to use the medium only if they can control it, which speaks to an underlying fear or ignorance or discomfiture.”
Exit answer: Not Andrew Sullivan…
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GOP should do the denate but require it not be stupid.
TheSitRep on August 1, 2007 at 7:30 PM
I know, I know, Denate is note cromulant.
TheSitRep on August 1, 2007 at 7:30 PM
That blistering critique is dead on, and something I’ve been saying for a while.
Bad Candy on August 1, 2007 at 7:32 PM
Ignorance…yes perhaps, but fear? Er, I doubt that.
Spirit of 1776 on August 1, 2007 at 7:32 PM
I’m surprised they bothered to notice. I mean…gee…read back through a year and a half of threads and you’ll find plenty of ‘What the hell are they doing’ topics and comments. However that would ruin the concept of goose stepping humping robots and the wrinkle in time neighborhoods they are trying to construct.
Limerick on August 1, 2007 at 7:34 PM
Why can’t they allow real people ask questions at the Debate? Town Meeting Style? No bells. No whistles. Intelligent clear questions is all that is required not animated snowmen or the redneck version of Dave and Thomas.
kiakjones on August 1, 2007 at 7:43 PM
Bloggers bla bla bla bla
Face reality folks, most Americans think the whole presidential debate concept is worthless. And those people especially the bloggers who keep screaming about it are a pretty damn arrogant lot. But then again when your bread and butter is a fast paced exchange of ideas I suppose everything cant be genuine red meat. Kind of the same thing that put and kept Paris Hilton in the news.
doriangrey on August 1, 2007 at 8:01 PM
It would be nice to know who said what without having to search all over the internet for it. I know you and Ace have your reasons but it is annoying.
Blake on August 1, 2007 at 8:05 PM
Tempest, meet teapot.
Some will go along (Tancredo, Hunter, etc.) to get more notice, and the rest will adapt to the medium after its unfamilarity is shown not to be anything that a person can’t deftly turn to his or her advantage.
Assuming they can perambulate and masticate tree sap at the same time.
profitsbeard on August 1, 2007 at 8:21 PM
ditto
also ditto, except maybe the perambulate & masticate
wait, you said masTICATE ? never mind……..
Anybody interested in Serious Info on this subject should just read Hugh Hewitt, and NEVER read anything Sullivan says about anything
Janos Hunyadi on August 1, 2007 at 9:43 PM
I don’t see why they wouldn’t do it. I would think they’d want as much pub as they could get. What better way than a ‘fun’ format. They never actually answer the questions anyway. They take the question and answer the way they have pre-prepared an answer for. Usually there isn’t a follow up, so they get away with it here. I know there were a couple that were followed up, but not many.
I was hoping the front runners would not show so we could see more of the other candidates like Hunter and how they respond to more spotlight.
Isn’t the Iowa caucus next week? Does it seem early for that or is it just me?
ThackerAgency on August 1, 2007 at 9:43 PM
The Boss
Entelechy on August 1, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Been wondering about that myself. What are the lefties and the righties afraid of? The people?
Dear Blake, who’s comments I like a lot, on this one, just read the link/s, above, and ye shall find the answer. Best,
Entelechy on August 1, 2007 at 9:52 PM
Here’s what i said a few days ago -
The left is predictable and boring.
forged rite on August 1, 2007 at 10:20 PM
The true conservative candidates should state that they will be more than happy to do the YouTube looser debate when the Socialist Democrap candidates do the Fox News debate. What!?! B. HUSSEIN Obama and Hitlary actually answer tough, real questions from people who actually have an IQ above 65? Never happen.
lynnv on August 2, 2007 at 8:12 AM
Why don’t the Republican candidates face a panel of conservative/libertarian/right bloggers.
Howze about a panel consisting of Michele Malkin, Jeff Goldstein, John Hawkins, Frank J. and Iowahawk?
N. O'Brain on August 2, 2007 at 8:28 AM
(Emphasis mine)
That’s the problem with “news by sound bite.” you receive so little. I’m afraid that MM (or somebody) is going to have to explain “control” to me.
And the Republicans have to answer questions from people with below temperature IQ’s all damn day. Most especially at a CNN/YouTube “debate.” I would like to see some intelligence while watching some of this stuff. My TV has a setting called “brightness,” but it doesn’t work.
TwinkietheKid on August 2, 2007 at 8:54 AM
For what it’s worth, I’m hearing the GOP Youtube debate will now take place in November.
Makes more sense seeing snowmen asking questions at that time of year, at least.
EduardoOTI on August 2, 2007 at 10:22 AM
Regarding town hall style debates…
These would be incredibly hard to moderate for a stable of several candidates. Town Halls work for one on one debates.
With a bunch of folks on stage, you need to control who gets what questions…with Town Halls you very likely could see a moderator losing control of the audience and who they want to ask what.
EduardoOTI on August 2, 2007 at 10:27 AM
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