From Ben Smith’s (OK, The New York Observer’s) Politicker blog:
We stopped by Ann Lewis’s speech to the women of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee last night, where she made a strong case that the Democrats are winning the two crucial national debates, one over social security and the other over “Republican arrogance.”
She was particularly pleased by the growing liberal foundations, think tanks, and Internet-based organizations to match the conservative media “echo chamber.”
We did have to wince a little at this line:
“We’re building our own echo chamber,” she said. “It will be more of an e-echo chamber, if you will, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
As I told Ben: Imitation is the sincerest form of idiocy.
I think this left-wing attempt to imitate every successful thing the right has done in the last 50 years is fascinating. Despite my dismissive tone, I can’t say for sure it won’t work — though, from early indications, I’d say things like Air America really don’t help the left’s cause very much. More likely, they just give the right more chances to expose how extremist a lot of their rhetoric is (that Air America joking about killing the president thing last week, for instance).
As many conservatives (especially of the libertarian variety) do, I sincerely wish them well — we need all the counterbalance to Rove’s God-and-government coalition we can get. But fighting the last war seldom works.
A side note: Check out the Politicker’s adorable baby.
Oh yeah. The Left is actually making progress now because of its opposition to Rove’s God Squad tactics and demogoguery of Social Security; but yes, when they start talking amongst themselves about their agenda they are going to lose big time. Most writers and thinkers on the left are all about how to pitch stuff to the voters. There is a built in assumption that their ideas are unpopular and have to be hidden behind a slogan.