No One Is Attacking Noriega Or Lampson

By Vince Leibowitz on Mar 31, 2007 in 2008 Texas Elections

My colleague Greg Wyeth at Greg’s Opinion posted a piece which, though he has taken it down, has generated a lot of national attention via the LeftyBlogs Blogwire. Screencaptures and copies of the text that was online are presently making their way around email throughout the state.

Therefore, I feel I must address the remarks of my distinguished colleague, for whom I have always had the Greatest of respect. Unfortunatly, however, I believe he is incorrect in his current point.

Here is Greg’s post (my comments are after):

Annatopia sez:

“But stop bandmouthing other candidates to your friends in DC and Austin. And stop trying to manipulate the candidates and voters in TX-22. Seriously. That crosses an ethical line that no Democrat should be willing to cross.”

Yeah, apparently, that’s a role reserved for the “netroots.”

The rumors (and bad reporting) swirling around the Senate race are beyond ridiculous. The fact that some so-called “good” Democrats decided that Nick Lampson being in a hospital bed was the opportune time to attack him may very well prove the point that we’re not ready to win statewide for a while yet.

Thus far, the [...]“Draft Rick Noriega” project has raised a whopping $975.02 on behalf of their [...] dream candidate. Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure it’ll take more. A lot more. Is it worth not only damaging the career of Nick Lampson, but also of Rick Noriega for so little? … and for what, so someone can merely test-drive their own political consulting skills?

Thus far, Rick Noriega hasn’t announced he’s running for anything new in 2008. But to the extent that the current feeding frenzy reflects on him (as it now does), that doesn’t help him much when it comes to the folks he needs to go raise money with over and above the $975.02 level. So why are Texas Democratic bloggers pitching such a heated fight on his behalf? Why shoot down another Democrat when nobody’s announced for the contest in question?

2005 was a point in time when several leading bloggers (even not-so-leading ones such as myself), espoused the view that we should “run everywhere.” I still maintain that view, for what it’s worth. But now, instead of engaging in something productive, the Texas left-Blogosphere is engaging in what might best be labelled “Only Run Pre-Approved Candidates.” You’d think they won something on a scale big enough to warrant the sort of ring-kissing they now demand. Last I checked, every statewide elected official is Republican. Such stature might be more becoming of a bit more teamwork. No matter how I crunch the numbers, our challenge as a party does not result from the overpopulation of Democrats.

I’ve said this privately in other forums, but I’ll state it publically now: the leftwing Texas blogosphere has jumped the shark. That might be harmless enough if it weren’t for the fact that they now see it as their mission to inflict damage on otherwise great Dems like Rick Noriega and Nick Lampson.

I reply to Greg (I tried to leave this in the comments, but since the post has been removed, I can’t. Normally, I would not respond to a removed post, but since this one casts aspursions (unintentionally, I hope) on the Texas Progressive Alliance and all Texas Bloggers, I feel I must:

Your post confuses me just a little bit.

You noted:

Yeah, apparently, that’s a role reserved for the “netroots.”

I reply: I am not clear what you mean. As I’ve noted before, the term “netroots” means different things to different people. Are you meaning that what Anna said in the comment you quoted is now being engaged in by bloggers or what, exactly?

You also noted:

The rumors (and bad reporting) swirling around the Senate race are beyond ridiculous. The fact that some so-called “good” Democrats decided that Nick Lampson being in a hospital bed was the opportune time to attack him may very well prove the point that we’re not ready to win statewide for a while yet.

I reply: I am aware of no instance when a blogger has attacked NIck Lampson publicly, escept for one commenter at Daily Kos. If I missed one, can you enlighten me? Or, are you speaking of attacks from the consultantocricy?

You noted:

Thus far, the [...] “Draft Rick Noriega” project has raised a whopping $975.02 on behalf of their [...] dream candidate. Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure it’ll take more. A lot more. Is it worth not only damaging the career of Nick Lampson, but also of Rick Noriega for so little? … and for what, so someone can merely test-drive their own political consulting skills?

I reply: Richard Morrison is the driving forces behind the Draft Noriega movement. I believe a few bloggers, as individuals, were involved, but not as a group in such a way that anyone could say the Netroots could be involved with this, or, at minimum, the Texas Lefty Blogsphere.

I personally think the middle of a legislative session was a bit of an inopportune time to start a draft movement, but I’m not involved in it. Does a draft movement inherantly harm all parties concerned? To some degree, but so does someone announcing a candidacy because they come under scruitany and must attack potential contenders.

You note: Thus far, Rick Noriega hasn’t announced he’s running for anything new in 2008. But to the extent that the current feeding frenzy reflects on him (as it now does), that doesn’t help him much when it comes to the folks he needs to go raise money with over and above the $975.02 level. So why are Texas Democratic bloggers pitching such a heated fight on his behalf? Why shoot down another Democrat when nobody’s announced for the contest in question?

I reply: I am *totally unaware* or any Texas Democratic bloggers pitching a heated fight on behalf of Noriega. Our open letter was intended to let people know that, as a group, we support no one at this time. I personally support neither Lampson, Noriega or anyone else at this time.

Honestly, I blame all this on The Texas Blue for failing to act in a responsible manner with information they had somehow obtained, and for Kos acting in such a manner that it makes Texas bloggers look like we are responsible for this draft movement. Both should have acted in such a way that they made it crystal clear that Texas Bloggers as a group and a whole are in no way involved in an organized draft of *anyone*.

You noted: I’ve said this privately in other forums, but I’ll state it publically now: the leftwing Texas blogosphere has jumped the shark. That might be harmless enough if it weren’t for the fact that they now see it as their mission to inflict damage on otherwise great Dems like Rick Noriega and Nick Lampson.

I reply: Again, Greg, I don’t see attacks on either Noriega or Lampson. If you will specifically point me to what you speak of, I will pledge to address them here.