If I'm not reading too much between the lines, I take the central point of this post to be something like "don't feed the trolls, folks." A reminder that is particularly timely now, and you've expressed it more tactfully than I could by avoiding Norse mythology -- and avoiding names.

But I'm actually more interested in the Politico piece, which I thought defined the Left's advantage in the blogosphere in a really insightful way. Both sides have plenty of opinion, and both sides have plenty of people jumping up and down and screamin' at the refs, but the Left also has reporting. Politico offers various historical and cultural explanations for this. But there are also two things they can't quite come out and say: 1) there's more talent on our side and 2) we've had a lot more muck to rake lately.

Posted at July 24, 2008 8:46 AM in response to Writing on the Stall Door

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/obama-visits-the-wall/index.html?hp

NYT not disturbed by the event. A lone heckler ≠ a PR fiasco.

Posted at July 24, 2008 1:37 AM in response to Obama visits Western (Wailing) Wall

Best wishes with the hard candy and soccer balls. I know people who have been over there as well. Only Obama will ensure that the troops can finish their job -- which is to leave Iraq a free and sovereign nation.

McCain has refused to commit to that goal in any specific and credible way ("eventually" is not a plan). Plus, his advisers have been deeply involved in wringing oil money out of client states. I fear that the crowd he would bring into power would end up undermining the freedom and national self-determination the troops have sacrificed for.

Posted at July 24, 2008 1:24 AM in response to Vote Vets Ad: McCain Should Know Better Than To Occupy Iraq

Absolutely rocks. The issue has now become perfectly clear -- it's straight up imperialism. As Matt Y points out, it wasn't okay to say that we were going in for oil, but it has gradually become okay to cite oil as a reason to stay. (See recent WaPo editorial.) Someone has to call them on it, flat out.

Posted at July 24, 2008 12:45 AM in response to Vote Vets Ad: McCain Should Know Better Than To Occupy Iraq

Yep. This is the state of play.

Posted at July 23, 2008 10:12 PM in response to Poll: Obama Leads By Six, But Majority Says He's The "Riskier" Choice

I'm not here for the argument. I'm just one of those cardboard cutouts they put at the entrance to a funhouse. I'm carrying a small sign that reads "Proceed at own risk. Beyond this sign, not everything is what it seems."

Posted at July 23, 2008 10:05 PM in response to The AP Calls Obama Out On Summits

I agree 100%, and couldn't have put it better.

Posted at July 23, 2008 2:59 PM in response to The AP Calls Obama Out On Summits

Wow. This post appears with four recs, even before it has received a single comment. I think it's destined for the top of the charts.

Posted at July 23, 2008 2:30 PM in response to The AP Calls Obama Out On Summits

This doesn't affect the content of your post, but it's not Sully himself who's been debating with Chait -- it's hilzoy of Obsidian Wings, who is guest blogging on the Daily Dish.

Here's my two-sentence take: The only reason why people aren't more outraged by the line about Obama deliberately "losing the war" is that no one really believes anymore that there is a "war" in Iraq to be won or lost. Just a withdrawal to be managed. It's transparently empty rhetoric.

That being said, he still needs to fry for this crap. Klein's word "scurillous" was well-chosen.

Posted at July 23, 2008 2:26 PM in response to John McCain's Scurrilous, Digraceful Campaign

The legal status of these written statements? He's not under oath, but I assume obstruction of justice and lying to Congress are live options if they turn out to be false?

Posted at July 23, 2008 2:16 PM in response to EXCLUSIVE: Karl Rove Issues New Denials in Gov. Siegelman Prosecution in Written Answers to HJC