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Breaking: Prominent Clinton Supporter Endorses Obama
Earlier this evening, a prominent blogger and Clinton supporter, known only by a Ric Flair avatar and the inscrutable screen name, destor23, publicly endorsed Barack Obama at talkingpointsmemo.com. Long considered one of them most intelligent and thoughtful of the pro-Clinton bloggers, destor23 has been aggressively courted by Obama supporters in recent weeks. While some well-known fence sitters, such as the Zaftig Redhead, have recently joined the Obama camp, destor23 is the first prominent pro-Clinton blogger to switch sides. His (or her, I'm going with his) endorsement is significant because it could send a signal to other pro-Clinton bloggers that it's OK to switch. airwon, kensdad, and another_reader are also considered up for grabs.
Two weeks ago, destor23 published a scathing criticism of Clinton's Bosnia exaggerations. Many within the blog community interpreted his remarks as a de facto endorsement, but destor23 refused to explicitly endorse at that time. The last straw, according to destor23's prepared statement this evening, was Clinton's claim to have criticized the Iraq war before she voted to authorize it, a claim which he called "wormy". (Snarksters point out that there was no Iraq war to criticize before she voted to authorize it.) Destor23 went on to compare Clinton to Sting after he left the Police, though it's really unclear who the Police are supposed to be in this analogy. Sinbad and Cheryl? And let's not get into the whole tantric sex thing.
According to sources close to destor23, he informed Hillary of his planned post during a very tense text-message exchange that reportedly lasted three hours and cost destor23, who does not have the unlimited text plan, $238.04.
Clinton supporters on TPM have already accused of destor of playing "Judas". Longtime Clinton troll Louisville1975 savaged destor with unusually biting wit: "Drank the whole glass of kool aid didn't you?" Readytoblowagasket accused destor of being "full of shit" but claimed that it was a joke after destor replied, "Blow me". (Editor's confession: I've always wanted to write that to readytoblowagasket but was afraid of being accused of sexism.)
Meanwhile, Obama supporters have enthusiastically welcomed the endorsement and have taken the opportunity to gleefully slam Clinton a few more times for good measure. A spokesperson for the Obama campaign has indicated that Obama would welcome destor23, saying, "We invite destor23 and all other bloggers to join our movement to unite the country in hope". The spokesperson hastened to add, "But we reject and denounce all trolls, and we encourage Hillary Clinton do do the same."
Late update: Clinton pollster, Mark Penn, has downplayed the significance of the post: "destor23 is a two-bit blogger unknown by anyone outside a pathetically incestuous circle of geeks. None of his posts would have made the recommended list if Hillary had not been multi-recommending them on different computers."
Comments (43)
Love ya, Genghis!
Can I make a catch phrase out of "blow me!"?
April 7, 2008 2:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
You wrote it first, so you wouldn't be plagiarizing anyone but yourself. (Self-plagiarization is legal everywhere except Canada.) I suggest that you work it into your new screen name.
April 7, 2008 2:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ghengis
help me
April 7, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's the avatar, Billy. It's destroying you from the inside. Soon there will be nothing left of Billy Glad. But it's not too late.
Try this one
April 7, 2008 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pretty new on the scene, but I still found that totally hilarious!
April 7, 2008 2:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Indeed. Genghis, old man, you have really outdone yourself here. I nearly choked from laughing.
April 7, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now that there's some straight-A snark. Job well done.
And Destor, thank you for being so open-minded and honest. Please don't blow me.
April 7, 2008 2:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
endorsement is significant
Vince McMahon, who remains adamantly pro Clinton, has been heard muttering challenges to "Dee-two-three" involving breakable furniture and unspeakable bending of the body along unnatural axes...You Tube of the match is already eagerly anticipated
April 7, 2008 2:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Then Vince better get ready to walk that aisle! Because to be the man, you gotta beat the man. Whoooo!
April 7, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
K&R, Genghis.
April 7, 2008 2:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I had to google Ric Flair, but now it all makes sense! I always thought Destor's avatar was Woody Harrelson in a tie-dyed bathrobe..
And as always, great commentary!
April 7, 2008 3:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
tie-dyed bathrobe..
fashionably woven from organic hemp fibers...
April 7, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the screen name. Makes me feel gooey inside.
April 7, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
*blushes*
It's true... my regard for you and your delicious wit has grown as steadily as Obama's delegate count.
April 7, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey can a Republican Obamite join this Party too?
I see this as a steady Drumbeat of Clinton Supporters joining Obama.Hopefully this will become a Flood too.Glad to have ya Mr.Flair!!!
April 7, 2008 4:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Clinton spokesman Hoeward Wolfson offered the following take on today's stunning endorsement of Sen Barack Obama by influential blogger Destor23; "We feel Destor's Judas-like betrayal is insignificant in light of the fact that the blog-o-sphere is inhabited primarily by unemployed, elitest,latte-sipping trust fund babies who's time would be better spent debating the merits of Sci-fi heroes than dabbling in our sacred democratic process.Destor has never crossed the "keyboarder-in-chief" threshold, and is a known associate of the race-baiting turncoat Fake Sinbad.(who, incidently,has never crossed the "comedian-in-chief" threshold)And as such would have no place in the pantheon of moral certitude that is Camp Hillary." Wolfson's devestating tirade was cut short when Sen Clinton's motorcade came under intense sniper-fire while parked outside a hospital in Altoona, where Hillary was attempting to get an un-insured member of her staff admitted after he'd been run over by her motorcoach in the parking lot of a local Dunkin Donuts. It was later revealed the staffer,a low-level pollster,was distraught over a recent job change, and may have actually thrown himself under the bus in a sleep-deprived state of hysteria.
April 7, 2008 4:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read that she also threw Fake Mark Penn under the bus. Fake JJR is reportedly hiding out in the rain forest. If she goes after him too, there will surely be fake hell to pay.
April 7, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nah, not switching anytime soon Genghis. I never really liked "Roxeanne" all that much anyway.
April 7, 2008 8:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
We'll see. Every post you write, every word you type, I'll be watching you.
April 7, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
wow, fake sinbad has some serious competition in the world of blogging comedic politics.
April 7, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I created an account here just to say, no, nothing competes with Fake Sinbad.
Fake Sinbad/Real Sinbad '08.
April 7, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fake Sinbad troll!!
April 7, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
You male chauvanist sexist homophobe pigs. And yes, I'm speaking to you Mr. Kahn, and you Mr. d23. After Hillary is elected, when we round up all those who have questioned this extraordinary woman's fitness for or right to the Presidency, I can assure you of one thing: We do not consider waterboarding in time of war to be torture. Further, as the the question of Mr. Penn's access to President Hillary Clinton during discussion of trade agreements, our official statement: "Mark Penn will have no absolutely relationship, no access, and no input to President H. Clinton during trade negotiations during the hours 4:00am and 5:00am on the third Saturday in months beginning with T.
PS: Caucuses are essentially unDemocratic and will should not be counted towards the nomination. "Florida and Michigan: America's Tibets."
April 7, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
What means this "blow me"? Sun Tzu not understand. Is like playing flute?
April 7, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
It means destor23's transformation is complete.
April 7, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, Billysumday is losing his religion.
Genghis needs to go after Billysumday and reclaim him for Obama.
April 7, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
He went off the kool-aid again. Send dembillc over there and billysumday will become his old cantankerous Obama-lovin' self in no time.
April 7, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent post, Genghis! This is hysterical.
If slightly sexist.
April 7, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gasket, I accept and appreciate this rare compliment (assuming that it's not snark). Come join us at team Obama. Everybody's doing it.
April 7, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Meanwhile, Obama supporters have enthusiastically welcomed the endorsement and have taken the opportunity to gleefully slam Clinton a few more times for good measure."
Yes, cheering for an Obama surrogate calling Hillary a fucking Whore must be very "gleeful" if you hate America and all women.
April 7, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a feminist, I have to thank you for conflating "hate America" with "hating all women". I agree that it is absolutely unAmerican to hate all women. But hating all women is not the same as not voting for or supporting a particular woman for a particular elected office - I am not obligated, as a thinking, independent woman to support Hillary Clinton, and gosh, I don't.
April 7, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah because we all know that Obama and the rest of the Democrats are really Chinese communists who will have no problem at all pounding everyone else into submission.
ROFLMAO
Dude - try again - you need to ratchet it up all the way to "Nazis." That's the ultimate stupid thing to say.
April 7, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just to make sure: you do realize that was pure snark, right? sabatia was being funny.
April 7, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was a Mental Health break!
April 7, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCHfrLkGYlM
April 7, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!!!!! for HILLARY
(the filipino monkey call at TPM)
April 7, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had no idea there were any bloggers that supported Hillary. I came here as a refugee from AmericaBlog where the best thing they could say about her was a dirty word. Too bad I didn't read that guy before he abandoned his principles.
April 7, 2008 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, that was quick. Are you the replacement for destor23 or Desidero? I hope destor23, but Desidero can be funny. If you have any sway with the powers that be, can we get a new dembillc. He has become tiresome.
April 7, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Irony alert. Part of his reason for switching is she's clearly abandoned hers.
April 7, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Late update: Destor23's endorsement may already be having an effect. Clinton voter DKDC just announced support for Obama, and longtime pro-Clinton blogger, Desidero, has angrily resigned from TPM, saying that she had to spend more time with her family.
April 7, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit - I get caught in the snark trap all the time.
[hangs head and runs toe around in dust]
April 7, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank goodness we have not lost our freedom of expression or that such expression should be a life long label.
Every vote & state is precious. Welcome aboard destor23!
April 7, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait...what?? Who cheered the "Obama surrogate" you mention? Genghis? destor23? What the....?
Wanna tell us what you're talking about? Sorry, but this just sounds like incoherent babbling.
And that "surrogate"?...I assume you're talking about Randi Rhodes? She's no Obama surrogate. That's just false. Are you intentionally saying false junk or did you just make a mistake?
I know you have a reputation for being a troll, but this sounds exceptionally weird, even for you.
April 8, 2008 1:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
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